# Hinata has come out of her shell



## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

My girl Hinata -- that's her in my avatar -- has finally decided she wants to be a real housecat!

She and her brothers were raised according to a strict feral belief system until they were three months old. While the boys came around one by one, Hinata was the last holdout. She has spent most of the last 15 months hiding in the back of our coat closet. 

Our attempts to pet her were not appreciated very often, and picking her up was out of the question except for medical emergencies. (Any time not spent in the closet was usually spent on the cat tower in the back room, honing her claws to razor-sharpness on the scratching posts, to ensure this.) We gave up and resigned to the idea that she would always be mostly feral.

But little by little, she did start allowing us to pet her. First it was allowed _only _on the cat tower -- this was an ironclad rule for months. Over time her comfort zone gradually expanded to a couple of other rooms, and then she started actively soliciting us to pet her, albeit in a snotty I'm-only-tolerating-you-because-I-need-this kind of way. She also started spending less time in the closet.

Then recently some odd behavior started happening. If she would see me pick up and cuddle one of her brothers, she would wait until I put him down, run over to whatever spot I had picked him up from, and cry for attention. But if I moved toward her, she would run away. It was almost as if she wanted me to pick her up, too, but was chickening out at the last second.

Well a few days ago I decided I'd had enough of her teasing. When I was petting her on the cat tower and her guard was down, I scooped her right up. And she didn't get upset! She settled in and started _purring!_ I really couldn't believe it. 8O 

I've picked her up a bunch more times since then, mostly with the same results. She doesn't always want it -- I have claw marks on my shoulders to attest to this -- and she will only let me do it from the cat tower for now. But I never expected to get this far. And she hasn't even been back in the closet once since then. I'm so happy!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I can imagine how happy you must be! That's great news. A little bit of "jelly face" broke down the barriers. She evidently wanted to be petted, but was still a bit apprehensive. You're breaking down all the barriers, one by one. GREAT!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

That is HUGE!
What wonderful progress!


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## carolsclan (Jun 28, 2006)

Its a great feeling isnt it??/ I have jusr been through this :lol:


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## Jet Green (Nov 28, 2005)

Thanks for all your comments!  

Today was a big test because we have a guest over. She did go back in the closet as I expected. Yoshi and Taro are usually the only ones who will come out when strangers are here, while Hisaki and Hinata will huddle together in the closet until they leave.

But first Hisaki, then Hinata actually came out while he was still here! It's unprecedented for either one of them to do that, much less both of them. They were creeping around looking terrified the whole time, but still. I'm so impressed with them both!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)




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## Sweetvegan74 (Jun 18, 2005)

Wonderful! I get such a "high" when I make progress with any feral. When I could pet Tony, an adult feral I fed for almost a year for the first time I was so happy and proud. Way to go!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

You've been AWOL, Gina! Tsk, tsk! :wink:


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## Sweetvegan74 (Jun 18, 2005)

LOL I do have a life besides this forum you know (well actually the cats own my life but I would not have it any other way!)

Right now Tony is laying next to my keyboard. :wink:


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