Tex in the open; new foster?

Tex is becoming a bold adventurer and really letting his personality start to show. We still have to pull him out from whatever dark hole he's smooshed himself into, but he's fine being carried around in the open - even when people in his line of vision are moving around! I know that may sound small but these feral cats are highly aware of EVERYTHING and movement and sound can easily set them off into panic mode. I think he might be putting a measure of trust in me, and accepting that when he's held it's up to me to keep him safe.

So we normally pull him out of his hiding spots and carry him to our living room couch where he hangs out with us for part of the evening. Once he's on the couch his stress level goes down quite a bit and he purrs and relaxes for a very long time. We try to keep him there for at least a half hour, but he usually chooses to stay for a much longer time.


When he got off the couch last night, he didn't immediately slouch back into hiding. He sat near our feet for a few moments, right out in the middle of the living room! Later that night he started calling out "meow? meow? meow?" and when Mark went to see if he could find him, Tex was on the couch, all by himself! Of course he got off when Mark entered the room, but this is amazing stuff. I could hear him playing with Christmas ornaments and amusing himself all night, and at least twice more he let loose with a one-sided meowing conversation.

He is such a brave boy. I just wish he wouldn't act so scared of us when he's in his hiding spots. I think he'll get over it soon, though.

We've also decided that we're going to call him "Ted" instead of "Tex". It's been bothering me for a really long time now - the very last thing a feral cat needs is to constantly hear a name that ends in what sounds like a hiss. I don't think that high-stress cats should have an "s" sound anywhere in their names for this reason. I'd been avoiding this by simply not saying the "s" sound, and calling him what sounded like "Teck" when I talked to him. It's a stupid name. So his new nickname in this house will be Ted and I'll see if the people who are responsible for him will change the paperwork and make it official. I think it will help him.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The greyhound people have asked us if we could foster one of a pair of dogs who are going to be homeless starting tomorrow. I'm fuzzy on the details, but it seems that their owners are moving and are not taking the dogs with them.

So we will likely be getting the male, a Greyhound / Irish Wolfhound cross named Cuinn. He is apparently small animal-safe, will be arriving tomorrow from a more northernly part of the island, and that's all I know about him.

Mark is excited - we both love Irish Wolfhounds, but don't come across them very often. I'll post pics of him after he arrives.

No more hidey holes

We are slowly filling in all of Tex's hiding spots with boxes and blankets, leaving only shallow alcoves. I want to cringe when I think about it, but I think it's doing him some good. The negatives are: he hasn't been eating all his food since we started, and he's a bit more hissy when approached. The positives: Tex is now okay with spending time out in the open in the living room with us. Actually, he's more than okay. Once we get him onto the couch we don't have to do anything to keep him from fleeing. He rolls all around either on our laps or between us, kneading his big paws into our legs. He doesn't mind that the dog is also on the couch either! He stays for a good long time and purrs away.

Here is another big hint that he's progressing. I was slouched at the corner of the couch a few days ago and happened to glance at the arm of the couch by my head. Who was looking at me from the other side, stretched up on his tippy-toes to see over the arm? Tex of course! He retreated when I looked at him, but I was proud of his boldness all the same.

It's been suggested to us to put a harness and leash on him for about a week and hold the leash or tie it to ourselves, forcing him to be near us all the time for that week. I'm not sure. Thoughts?

A Texel Update

Tex continues to progress in his own subtle way. He'll purr within seconds of being touched now, and he will also allow himself to be hoisted onto the bed for some petting, although he soon slinks away if he's not (gently) held in place. He'll purr while being held out in the open too, so hopefully soon he will decide that hiding all the time is not necessary. We'll see.


He's been grooming more lately, and we find little tufts of his long black fur in various parts of the house.

One funny thing that he's started doing is meowing, presumably at us, while hiding under the bed. Not quietly, either. I'll be reading a book on the bed and suddenly he starts in with "MEOW? MEOW? MEOW?" and so on. Last time I answered him, and he kept doing it, so at least I know he's not scared to make his presence known. He's only done it a couple of times, but it's so cute and encouraging - I hope he continues with this endearing behaviour.