Here's Howie, the Rescue Kitten Reunited with His Siblings

[joeybee12]

Not the clearest photo, but you get the idea. There were four kittens total, two boys and two girls: Howie, Lesley, Jolane (yes, Jolane, not a typo) and Caroline. The second girl (Caroline) is still in the bathroom. I'm having trouble socializing her, she's better but still cringes at human touch. That may be the best she'll get. I'll take her out later this week and see how she gets along with the others. She's fine with her siblings, but I have other cats and I want to make sure she doesn't freak out.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. You are doing wonderful work here. I hope you know that!

[joeybee12]

8. Thanks

[Scarsdale]

2. Thank you

for saving, and loving these precious little souls.

[joeybee12]

9. Thanks

[Vinca]

3. One of my shelter cats has never been completely comfortable around people.

My husband, especially. I assume he must have been terrorized by a boy or man at some point. I know he was never socialized properly when he was little. He's still a sweet boy and loves to cuddle, but I don't know if I'll ever break him of being frightened of people.

[joeybee12]

10. The second boy, Lesley was tough

But now he's a sweetheart. Even likes cuddling form other people also

[Boomer]

4. Patience will out

As young as they are, there's plenty of room for improvement with Caroline. I spent a year socializing a local feral cat that lived in my backyard. She went from never allowing me to even touch her to begging to be petted. Just keep petting the kitten, and she'll come round.

[joeybee12]

11. One of my rescues still hides from me

I don't want her to turn out like that. This morning she was fine with me petting her while she was eating so there's some improvement

[Boomer]

36. That's how I started

I fed a young feral cat twice a day, and I used that mealtime as the training session. If she wanted food, she had to at least sniff at my hand, then I'd set the dish down.

After that, when she was comfortable with me standing near the feeding station, I'd touch her back just once at the start of the meal. She would leap up, back off, but that was fine. She always warily came back and I didn't bother her again during that meal. Once she got used to the touch on her back, I started a long stroke. Again, she would freak but only for a few seconds and I never pushed her harder. Eventually she got used to the petting stroke.

Then one day it was like a light switch had been thrown! She figured out that she LIKED being petted and would actually come up to me wind around my ankles until I petted her. It began to matter more to her than the food.

One day she disappeared and really feared the worst; ferals face so many dangers. But a few weeks later I learned that she'd found a new home (without as many cats as I have), and it was her friendliness that made all the difference in getting a paw in that door. I'm so delighted that she turned the corner from feral to a comfortable house cat.

[joeybee12]

37. Interesting because I'm finding that Caroline handles

Petting on the back better than a head scratch which cats usually love. The adult tabby in the photo is Blue, who was a terror for the longest time, found her at about six weeks and I was sure she'd never get socialized. Then one day, like you say a light switch went on and she became very loving. Now you'd never know she was feral.

[R. P. McMurphy]

5. I am glad there are people like you in this world.

Thank you for taking care of these sweet little creatures.

[joeybee12]

12. Thanks

[Hortensis]

6. Ah. Glad Howie is with his family now.

Let the play begin!

[joeybee12]

14. The girl who is out and about, Jolane

Won't stop playing. If her brothers get tored, she goes and digs up.something to toss around
She's taken to batting curtain rods now.

[Hortensis]

22. Lol. I remember our kittens playing until they

would just drop wherever they happened to be and conk out. We watched where we were walking in those days.

[joeybee12]

23. Oh yeah, they're so cute when they do that

I'm afraid il trip over them because they can drop off anywhere

[shenmue]

7. Squeeeeeeeeee

[joeybee12]

15. Thanks

[dawn5651]

13. howie

what wonderful work you are doing rescuing these 4 little souls...good luck socializing caroline...i have 3 former barn felines that my mom, sister, brother and i rescued.....they are still shy around humans after all this time but they get along with the others... so even shy is ok...<3

[joeybee12]

16. I have one rescue who hides from me still

Don't want her to be like that, just comfortable being near me of she never takes to being petted.

[spooky3]

19. Had 2 very cute rescue boys for 5 months

They hid as soon as I entered their room. One overcame his shyness with me in about a month but the other got only to the point of allowing petting only when he was eating. However, he followed me around the house to play and get occasional treats. Fortunately a patient young couple adopted them and they are still making progress. So I have hopes for Caroline!

[joeybee12]

20. I think the problem with Peter is I let him out

With the others too quickly. He's a timid cat and needed more time in a smaller space.

[Demsrule86]

17. Lovely, I rescued a kitten who was hiding under our home reno refuse pile.

We did keep him in an upstairs room for two weeks...we had other cats...he hid behind the dresser for a week. I left food for him...then I would sit on the floor as he came out...eventually he sat on my lap...he and my other cat are best friends and sleep together all tangled up...This cat is the sweetest most adorable cat I ever owned-Tango...he is so friendly and makes this weird chirping sound ...doesn't meow much. Our Siamese Amara hates all other cats...but she is not a mean cat so all three cats coexist. Felix was rescued ; he is a tiger and is our sulky teenage cat...he attempts to sneak out and pouts about it...never seen a cat pout. They are all wonderful cats.

[joeybee12]

18. He sounds like a real sweetheart.

Lesley was tough to socialize but now he is very affectionate, even around other people so there's hope

[Demsrule86]

25. My baby still is shy around people he doesn't know...and the 7 lb Siamese rules the roost which is

funny since Tango is huge...turned out he was a Maine Coon.

[joeybee12]

38. I have. Maine coon also a rescue kitten

Very loving but he's the boss and the others don't question it.

[Demsrule86]

41. The Siamese was here first ...so maybe that is why she rules the roost.

[joeybee12]

44. She probably laid down the rules when he was a kitten

[Demsrule86]

45. Yes that is it I am sure...Tango the rescued Maine was a tiny kitten. When we let him out of the

upstairs bedroom...he was a bigger but still small...he managed to get inside the wall! We were having some work done on our house and somehow he managed to get in the wall...I thought he had gotten out...but then I started hearing meowing...he had this weird trill almost like a bird before this...my family said I was nuts...but they heard it too eventually....we had to call our contractor and take down walls in the master bedroom, living room and eventually the basement...he fell between the fire wall and the wall by the chimney...he was there for a almost two days before we got him out. He was not hurt thankfully...most expensive cat ever!

[joeybee12]

48. Yikes!

Kittens will try to get into anything small, as you found out! Mine have never cost me. But they do find some really small places and I can'tfind them and think they've gotten outside

[Demsrule86]

49. It was so pitiful we were all crying even my husband...I don't know why I say even...

He is a very sentimental man. But it ended well. Although the contractor got scratched as he pulled the little kitten out...

[tblue37]

27. I have a Maine Coon girl kittie named Tango. nt

[Demsrule86]

42. My baby is a boy...the girls thought they were naming him after one of the dinosaurs on the

newest Jurassic park movie. But the name wasn't right...my son says we need a 'Cash'.

[japple]

21. Bless you for helping these little babies have a better chance at getting adopted

into a loving home. You're a hero in my book.

[joeybee12]

24. Thanks

[Demsrule86]

26. You are a great person. I chose my vet because when I got there one day...the vet was walking around

with kittens in her pocket who would have been put down at most rescues...bottle feeding them. I admire people who love animals ...it gives me hope for humanity. Our babies come and never leave because it take 10 minutes for the kids to become attached and then it is over.

[joeybee12]

39. I chose my vet because he runs the free monthly clinic

To fix ferals.

[Demsrule86]

40. There are good people in this world.

[joeybee12]

43. He does a lot with teaching as well

Also, I've found some vet's don't know much about cats, because they rather deal with dogs.

[Demsrule86]

46. That is wonderful.

That is true. My vet loves Siamese cats. He has pictures of them and pictures of James Herriot and the crew from All Creatures great and small books.

[joeybee12]

47. Good for him

I've have found, unfortunately, that a lot of vet's are on it for the money

[Demsrule86]

50. Yes there are...one in town who puts animals to sleep if they can't afford to pay.

[tblue37]

28. How is that cute Siamese boy you rescued last year? Any new pics of him? nt

[joeybee12]

32. He's good, going to be one year old on Saturday

I'm on my phone and will post photos later.

[ProudLib72]

29. My old boss was a cat person

She "rescued" cats from anywhere and everywhere. There were feral cats she coaxed into coming with her. There were cats that others had found (who knows where) and dropped off with her. She would keep cats until the right person came along, and then she would pair a cat with that person. Sometimes she had 12 cats, and sometimes she had 15 cats. I ended up adopting one of her cats. I was at her house, and "Mongo" (afterward became "Malka&quot came over to me and got in my lap. When it was time to leave, Mongo tried to follow me out the door. It was meant to be. She was the best cat ever, very sweet and sociable. Unfortunately, my girlfriend at the time took Mongo/Malka when we broke up.

Anytime I read about rescue cats, Malka always pops into my head. I have no idea what her background was (and my boss probably didn't know either). But she was super well adjusted, better than any non-rescue I've met. This could have been down to just her personality, but I like to think it was because my boss knew how to deal with rescues.

[joeybee12]

35. She sounds like a sweetheart

I've found that adult cats that are rescued are very affectionate, cats that had a home once. They know how tough it is out on the street and are so thankful for the second chance. I have three older females like that, all can't get enough loving.

[niyad]

30. May Lady Bast bless you for your good work.

[joeybee12]

33. Thanks

[crazycatlady]

31. Squee

And I'm delighted that you named one of the girls after me (Caroline).

[joeybee12]

34. Thanks

[hopeforchange2008]

51. I can almost hear the noms fr here!!

[joeybee12]

52. Hopefully you can