MORE HONEY

I thought my last Honey entry would do it for the month, but in the last few days she's been coming up with new stuff that I just must share.  For those of you who have never had a super-shy kitty cat in your life all this must seem so trivial; for those who have spent weeks and months their knees trying to befriend and reassure a hiding cat you know these small achievements are monumental.

* After four days baking in my overheated apartment, Honey suddenly got energetic. I actually witnessed her PLAYING quite cat-like with a soft stuffed ball under the bed.  For several weeks after I got her she never played and was afraid of toys, at least in my presence.

* She is quite adept at clawing and tearing with her teeth, a real clawinator, as exhibited by the shredded corner of an old quilt on my sofa and most recently the utter destruction of the above-mentioned soft stuffed ball.

* I've been trying to get her to hop up on my bed by patting it and inviting her up while I'm on the floor with her. Tuesday morning while I was still in bed she hopped up and kneeded my quilt and batted my big toe a few times. I made soothing sounds and after a minute or so she jumped down.

* Honey is terrified of the Swiffer after her traumatic displacement of a few Saturdays ago; last night I had to do around the bed and as soon as she saw the Swiffer she began to cat yowl and retreated to a small cat-sized space under the bed. It took some time to coax her out again then a bit later I found her in the same space, still terrified. When she finally came out she was really wired with terror and ate like a horse. Great, my cat is neurotic and has an eating disorder! (Hee, kinda like me!)

The positive aspect of this event is that she has been extremely friendly since then (just like on Swiffer Saturday) and after she settled down she accepted my offer and hopped up on the bed and received some petting there before her fears overcame her again. She did this a second time.

* It was near midnight and when I was at my computer and heard Honey give a loud cat cry. She wanted me to come to her which I did but then returned to my game. A little later she cried for me again. I suppose it is part of her trauma, but I'm happy that she is feeling more comfortable 'speaking out.' She may become a very demanding kitty one of these days!