I'm noticing that the 'slow blink' routine is working on the kittens

[Siwsan]

I've moved the food and water bowls closer to the screened in porch. Spooky Jr. is out there, right now. He saw me standing behind the screen door and froze so I did a couple of slow blinks and he went right back to eating. It has worked on Mittens and Scooter, too.

They are still very nervous and keep me at a distance, but that distance is shrinking by inches, every day. Just the fact that, every morning, they are waiting right outside of the porch door and staring up to see if I'm there is pretty gratifying, even if they do still scoot when I open the door.

[SheltieLover]

1. I use it with my ferals too

They can't seem to resist it.

[Siwsan]

2. It sure worked on Skittish and Spooky Sr.

He now settles down beneath a bench and watches me when I'm outside. I'm absolutely thrilled at his transformation - both physically and his improving comfort zone. Not so long ago, if he saw me even at a great distance, he'd take off running in the opposite direction. I can now get to within about 3 feet of him.

[SheltieLover]

3. Kudos to you!

[niyad]

4. That is such great news. I look forward to the updates and your progress with this

precious little family.

[Foolacious]

5. Those are cat smiles.

The slow blink or half-open eyes indicate tranquillity; by contrast, wide-open, staring eyes indicate aggression.

[chowder66]

6. Have you tried lying down outside and letting them suss you out?

It may not work since they are feral but I took in two cats that I had never met and I slept on my living room floor. It took one night with one of them and about 3 nights with the other one. Obviously the setting is a bit different but maybe you have something you could lie on for a while and see what happens?

[Siwsan]

10. I have tried sitting.

When Skittish was still, well, really skittish, that would sometimes work. Even now, if I sit on the deck (it's a very low deck) the kittens will turn around and head back to the food bowls.

I'll try your suggestion. Thanks!

[chowder66]

12. I slept so maybe just find a little spot to lay out and soak up some sun and/or relax for a bit.

My situation may have been dumb luck but it worked and I plan on trying it again when I adopt again.


Good luck and thanks for keeping us all posted on your progress. : )

[Ocelot II]

7. It sometimes works on Mr. Cat. I've gotten a few slow blinks from him.

And sometimes he hisses at me, but then he'll come right up and start eating while I'm spooning the cat food into the dish, only inches away. And once he softly meowed at me after he stopped hissing.

[Niagara]

8. The slow blink works on lions too.

I got to slow blink this handsome guy (Mufasa) some years ago before he passed away. He seemed very pleased with slow blinks.

I'm so happy to hear that your feral family is doing well. Love the updates!

[EndlessWire]

9. Slow blinks?

Interesting. My first cat taught me a lot of cat language, but not that. Except, he taught me that when you squeezed your eyes shut, it meant, "Let's sleep."

The neighborhood feral cat was content to eat at the buffet on the patio. One day, she showed me how smart she was. I was sitting at the kitchen table inside, and she got up on the plant table on the outside, and screamed at me, "Hey, it's time to eat! I'm hungry! Bring me food!" And, boy, I did. Later, when she had kittens, rather than teach them how to hunt, she taught them how to come up to the house and beg for food. I caught one of her kittens and kept it inside for years. Good cat.

[wnylib]

11. The slow blink is cat language for

"No hostilities, here. You can trust me." It's the cat equivavalent of humans showing empty hands, palms up to each other to say, "No weapons here." Or holding up a white flag in diplomacy.

My furry miss was born in the hectic, everyone-for- themselves (people and animals) dysfunctional household of a coworker. She had not been socialized with humans or littermates when I got her at 9 weeks old. She was the runt of her litter and had to fight her siblings for food. She had been attacked by her older half brother. The day I picked her up, I saw the coworker flip kitty on her back and roughly rub her belly until kitty's whole body vibrated and she bit and scratched to get free and ran to her one protector, the family's dog.

When I got her to my place, she would not let me touch or pet her without hissing and spitting. She did not trust human hands. Whenever she could she attacked mine - not playfully, but seriously, as enemies.

Then I read about the slow blink and tried it. After a few times, she blinked back. I used it every time she got testy and defensive. It worked wonders. She calmed down, let me pet her. Now, 5 years later, she nudges my hand to pet her, rubs my face with hers, and purrs up a storm when I scratch her head and behind her ears.