Lucas

[Cheshire Chick]

Lovely posts LL. It's so nice to hear your adventures with Lucas and you have done so well with him. Sounds like you are getting on a treat and your patience has definitely paid off. It's heartwarming to hear Lucas' and your stories. Love the photo's.

[lancashire lass]

Thank you everyone for the lovely comments

I wanted to add a quick update of the new food change & poop saga - just replacing one meal with a wet food instead of dry food has completely changed what comes out the other end! So far it is working out much better and Lucas has eaten everything I've put down so all good

Meanwhile I had noticed that Lucas had abandoned the dining room and preferred to stay in the living room except for feeding and using the litter tray but he still won't sit on my lap. So last night I brought his igloo bed into the living room and put it where he usually settles down on the floor - first he was spooked when I brought it in but then he sort of remembered it was actually cosy and climbed inside and started to purr and knead the little cushion inside. He also has a vantage point of staring at me from inside the igloo (perhaps thinks I can't see him LOL)

This past couple of days Lucas is really getting into playing and showing a lot more energy, knocking his soft toy about from one room to the other like a mini football (even without the catnip), and the mouse toy that was uninteresting at first has now attracted his attention and he carries it around like a trophy. I think Lucas has also been spider hunting because I found him all tensed up ready to pounce on some imaginary thing from under the door .. one problem is that the carpet is also taking a bit of a beating too. Sometimes though his play in the dining room can be quite noisy but when I go in to find out what he is doing, I find him under the table looking at me all innocent and wide-eyed. Last night as I scooped the poop out of his litter tray, I noticed one of his scratch toys was half way across the room (it is triangular in shape about a cubic foot in size made up of what looks like compressed corrugated cardboard with a couple of horizontal slots in which a ball fits that can be knocked from side to size) Ahh, that explains a lot. I've also put the big cardboard box under the alcove shelves where his bed used to be which he likes to investigate. He can be quite entertaining to watch some times.

[Freeranger]

It's lovely to hear how Lucas is getting bolder all the while. I'm sure he'll be on your lap before you know it!

[lancashire lass]

It's hard to believe that Lucas is still making good progress but in the past couple of days he seems to have completely changed and become the cat of the house now rather than a guest. Changing his food has made such a big difference - he still has biscuits but he now has 2 pouches of wet food a day (one in the morning, one in the evening) I changed the brand and he really likes these (of course they are more expensive) - now instead of waiting wide eyed from under the table until I've put his bowl down and then gone away, he comes running to where his empty bowl is in anticipation of feeding. And the change in diet has definitely improved what comes out the other end - now it doesn't smell so pungent or look so wet.

Seeing him running ahead to his bowl in anticipation is a big step - although I have still another 3 weeks to go before letting him outside for the first time, I was not feeling confident he would be ready. He appeared friendly but this was more to do with appealing to me for his care rather than express affection - I was increasingly aware that he approached me to let me know he wanted to be fed or his litter box needed cleaning but I wasn't sure he came to me for attention alone ....

Getting him to stay on my lap was key to his progress but I didn't seem to be getting anywhere since that one time. I tried not to rush it but as time went on it didn't look like it was ever to be. Then about the same time as the change in waiting for his food by his bowl, Lucas started to do something else different. While sitting on the floor at my feet, he gingerly stood on his hind legs and gently tapped my knee with one front paw. At first I thought this was to get my attention but he started to do it more and more if I stopped stroking him. And the gentle tap became more persistent the next time and more like a thump. So I tried lifting him on to my lap on my left hand side and to my amazement he didn't jump off. If anything, he quickly snuggled down and made himself comfortable. Thinking it was a one off as before, I was not too hopeful it would happen again but so far (touch wood), every time I've picked him up he has not once attempted to get off and I think he now expects to be picked up. This morning Lucas not only settled down as soon as I lifted him but he lay fully sprawled out on my lap with his back along my thigh and his front paws and head hanging over my knees so the only way to stroke him was along his chest and belly which until now has been a no go area. So I was a little apprehensive but he seemed so relaxed and enjoying himself.

He also spontaneously plays with his toys now. Tearing round the living room & dining room and attacking his soft toys and then running off with them - followed by scratching his posts and in particular the scratch box (it looks like compressed corrugated cardboard glued together - it has 2 slots with a ball in each) He was particularly interested in the balls and really attacked them so on Saturday while at the pet shop getting yet more fresh litter, I bought a multi pack of ping pong ball size balls (some covered in cloth, most moulded plastic, all with a bell or other noise when moved) which also included a small cloth mouse .... he spent most of Saturday and Sunday chasing balls and he was particularly fond of his cloth mouse.

So all good so far!

[albertajune]

What wonderful progress your boy has made. He has taken his time but that is the best way as he will trust you forever when the contact comes from him. He sounds a lovely boy LL and I do understand your worry about letting him out just yet. I have always found that the worrying time with cats especially when they start to explore and wander off. I found that when my home was their security they always stayed near their home. I didn't always see them but when it was time for food, they always appeared when called.
I love the saga of Lucas and so pleased that you keep up updated.

[Freeranger]

Wow, LL - you must be one of the few people who's ever got a cat to play with the toys you bought - rather than the box they came in, your best curtains.......
He sounds as though he's realised this is where he lives now and started to settle in. Your training seems to be coming on nicely, with you now doing exactly what he wants

[lancashire lass]

Wow, LL - you must be one of the few people who's ever got a cat to play with the toys you bought - rather than the box they came in, your best curtains.......

he's learning ... door frames make great scratching posts apparently because you can stretch all the way up He is testing everything though - he knows about one of the doors that only I'm allowed to go through (in particular the stairs door from the living room) which he is still trying to open even if that means destroying the draught excluder (one of those that slip under the door) or the carpet! The back door is a little more tricky because I have a curtain across and a few obstacles like the mop bucket in front and he hasn't actually seen me go outside but he has sussed out that when I disappear, he can see me through the window. More than once I've noticed I am being watched when outside so he obviously knows.

I don't actually have that much more to add since my last post but he is definitely feeling very comfortable about his surroundings and interacts with me a lot more to the point that he likes company ... makes me feel bad when I'm at work now (who said cats are independent) At feeding time, he not only runs up to his empty bowl in anticipation but now comes with vocalisation and a lot of head bobbing as he can't wait for me to put the food down - he prefers the wet food to biscuits but I'm still keeping to the 2 pouches a day and he always has a portion of biscuits to eat as and when (just in case you thought I was restricting how much he ate) Just when I think the Tesco brand of dry food is off the menu, he'll surprise me and eat the lot so clearly hunger still wins.

Anyway, this morning as I got ready for work, he decided to join me and settled on the windowsill to watch me. He looked so relaxed, I just had to take a piccie:



(I really must find the battery charger for my proper camera as the phone camera doesn't take very good photos in poor light)

[Spreckly]

Just caught up on your Lucas posts LL. He is a beautiful cat, and I am so pleased for you that your patience is paying off.

We had several cats over the years - one at a time - black ones mainly, a tabby who was always a little wild, she came from a farm near us, and finally a peach tortoishell.

One of the cats we got from the RSPCA got out of the taped up cat door before the time to keep her inside was up. My youngest son and I just could not catch her, though she was hanging around outside. I started leaving the door open, and food just inside the kitchen, eventually in she came, and my son went round the front of the house to close the back door. What a commotion, up on the draining board and window sill, frantically trying to get out! We made sure she stayed in after that, and when I moved out to marry Ted, she went with my youngest son to various digs, by then she was definitely attached to him.

[sandy]

Lucas looks gorgeous......
LL start writing....you put down things so well both in your garden section and the story of Lucas. it is a rare talent to write something you cant put down as in a book

[lancashire lass]

LL start writing....you put down things so well both in your garden section and the story of Lucas. it is a rare talent to write something you cant put down as in a book

aw thanks though writing posts on a forum is very different to "serious" writing. At the moment I'm trying to draw up some objectives for my appraisal at work and I know what I want to say but putting it in such a way that makes it sound "professional" has me staring at the computing screen, typing a line, deleting, typing it virtually word for word again, deleting and so on

Well, Lucas has learned to respond to a specific word ... for some reason I must say it often without realising just before getting up to feed him because this morning all I said was "okay" and he went rushing into the dining room in gleeful anticipation of his breakfast before I had even moved LOL

However, going back to last night he had decided to be fussy with his evening dinner (a first I might add) - he'd eaten the same food / flavour in the past so it wasn't like it was "new" but at the same time he kept bugging me to feed him (bear in mind there was also a bowl of biscuits available as well) He was in a bit of a sulk thereafter because I refused to give him something different but this morning not only did I find the bowl had been licked clean but overnight he'd also eaten the entire bowl of biscuits too. As I put his breakfast down, he pounced on it like he'd not eaten for a week and I noticed he even ate half the bowl of biscuits I'd topped up too and was all lovey dovey this morning ... I could have understood it if there'd been no food at all so I was a little surprised by his reaction. My old cat went through a fussy phase as he got older but he was also on long term medication for FIV and he had some ailments so I tolerated it to some extent because one week he'd like something, the following week it was beneath him (and when out of sight, my dog would sneakily eat anything that was left behind so to be fair was never wasted) but I wanted Lucas to learn (if you can teach a cat anything LOL) that I wasn't going to back down. I'm sure in time I'll learn what his likes and dislikes are and find myself bending to his will.

Believe it or not but this Saturday will be 6 weeks since I collected Lucas from the animal shelter and in theory, should officially be allowed to venture outside for the first time. There are times when I think he is ready and other times I'm not so sure. He definitely responds to feeding time and paces round where I leave his bowl (with a few good claw scratches on his scratch post in anticipation) though he hasn't ever displayed the under the feet "feed me now" behaviour while preparing his dinner yet. He has even started to anticipate the "hidden" treats (well, not so well hidden - I leave a little scattering on the windowsill before I go to work but he now jumps on the windowsill waiting for them) so I'm sure food will be a strong association. And yes, he does show affection and I have had at least 60-70% success of lifting him onto my lap for a stroke and cuddle but there's something still missing. My old cat Blackie would greet me when I came home from work - to the point he'd even meet me outside as the car drew up (sometimes disappearing out of view under the wheels before I'd finished parking!) - Lucas on the other hand doesn't budge from where he'd parked himself for the day or respond when I come home from work and he only moves when he knows I'm preparing his dinner. Blackie was quite talkative and tell me about his day and all his adventures almost from the day I brought him home from the shelter (one of his endearing qualities) whereas Lucas rarely meows and never really for attention unless he wants something (food, clean out my litter tray) which he displays by being affectionate. And I could pick up Blackie even when outdoors from day one whereas Lucas is still at a skittish stage - I do anything out of the ordinary and it doesn't take much for him to run away into the other room (it seems to be a selective behaviour because other times he just sits and stares at me) My concern is once outside, if Lucas decides to not come back indoors, I haven't reached a rapport enough to be able to pick him up and bring him in and he'd most likely run off instead.

To be fair, everything done so far has been to get Lucas used to me, my routine and to feel comfortable around me and my house, and has been baby steps all the way and at his pace. Maybe I need to just shift it a little so that he tries to interact more rather than see me as the person who feeds and cleans him like at the shelter - maybe bribing him with treats as a reward though I'm unsure how to go about this at the moment. In the meantime, I've decided it would be best to keep him indoors a little longer until I feel confident - besides which, the weather has been foul so he would be better off inside anyway and although he is very curious when I go outside, he hasn't reached the point where he is desperate to follow me after the door is closed. Meanwhile, I need to arrange a first visit to the vets - one to get him signed on and checked over and secondly, his flea treatment and worm control are due for renewal so makes sense to get that all sorted before he ventures outside.

[Mo]

Is he chipped? And registered to your address?

I think I would open the door and go outside when he is expecting you to feed him (maybe even with his bowl in your hand), then if he follows you out he will follow you in again. Like letting hens out for the first time when they are almost ready to roost so that they don't go far till they know their way back, sort of thing.

Glad you are enjoying him. I would be lost without Pat.

[lancashire lass]

oh yes, Lucas is micro chipped and also has a tag on his collar with my home address as part of the adoption process. As for the first time outside, the standard practice is to let them out just before a meal so they are more likely to come back.

However, I can't help compare Lucas to my old cat Blackie who disappeared for several hours on his first time outside ... but Blackie was younger and a lot more interactive with me from the moment I brought him home and he responded when I called him whereas Lucas being older, seems a lot more independent because I suppose he's had to be to survive as a stray.

Glad you are enjoying him. I would be lost without Pat.

there's no doubt he is good company regardless - despite the picture I've painted in today's posts, there's no doubt he has been good for me and I do enjoy having him.

[Gwenoakes]

All I will say is follow your gut instinct about letting him out, LL.
All cats are different and great individuals, perhaps in time he will greet you, but because he doesn't does not mean that he doesn't really like you, just that something, somewhere way back in his life has been a problem which he still remembers, but in time and gentle care from yourself he may push to the back of his mind just like we do as humans.
We have Molly who is 19 and she will greet us when we return from a trip but usually it is because it is feed time (or she thinks its feed time as food is her God) but not at most other times. In every other way she is a very loving cat. Her brother was exactly the opposite and they were treated exactly the same from being kittens, so who knows.

[Mo]

When I'm out Pat is often outside (unless the door between kitchen and cat flap in the porch is shut). I think he hears my car, as he seems to be around the garage as I get out.

[KarenE]

It sounds like he's coming on loads LL.

He's doing much better than Marley did - she didn't even come out from behind the curtains for a fortnight, and then only to hare across the floor to her food bowl. She's much calmer now, although still startles very easily. We just don't know the background of these little cats and what they've been through. Time has been a great healer for marley - 2 years now we've had her I think - and will be for Lucas and sounds like he'll get there quite quickly.

marley does now pop out to say hello when we get back from being out, Lucas will too. Watching My Cat From Hell is really informative - if Lucas plays well, he'll settle in so much more quickly. I think you're right about leaving off his introduction to the outside world, especialy in this awful weather.