Cleo the Charming Kitty

Well I've still got Cleo.

Cleo's such a pretty girl

I'm also seeing signs that she's at the stage where she'll do better with her forever family.

The longer she's here the harder she bonds with me and I cannot keep her.

Cleo would do better in as a single cat in the household. She did spend time with another foster kitten that was slightly younger and she did alright but her attention was on that kitten and she sought no human interaction. Its only after she's been a single kitten that we've had a lot more progress.

She would also do better with an older family or one with older kids that can read basic cat language.

Cleo isn't much of a handsy cat and doesn't like being held or patted if she doesn't seek it out herself. Over time I can pick her up and give her a cuddle and place her back down but when she leans away I put her down.

If a kid cannot read that she doesn't want the attention and give her time to seek it out on her own I fear she'll revert back to being timid and avoiding human contact.

There is nothing to say she wont eventually become a lap cat she's already allowing herself to be picked up without tilting her ears back (a sign of discomfort).

I have never seen Cleo reach the stage that she lashes out. She has hissed in the early days but it was simply a don't touch me warning.

Occasionally when she's being over patted she'll say she's had enough by turning around and grabbing your hand in her mouth. She has never bitten or drawn blood doing this but its also a warning to let her go. I notice she also does this right before a hit of the crazies so directing her attention to toys provides her a much better release for her cooped up energy.

I think the biggest thing I have noticed with Cleo is her not liking anything done to her where she cant react or get away. To be comfortable with something she has to make sure and check it out herself.

I had a friend over and it took roughly 30 minutes for Cleo to feel comfortable enough to allow said friend to pat her.
The friend won her over by playing with her and offering her treats. Once the friend had allowed her to sniff the back of her hand without Cleo moving away the friend was able to pat her without any problems and Cleo got more confident moving near the friend knowing she wasn't suddenly going to be picked up.

In the last week where Cleo has had no other kitten to distract her I often leave her for hours at a time to entertain herself giving her free run of the study floor. At one stage I wouldn't be able to catch her to put her in the cage overnight but now every time I step in I'm greeted with chirps and she's rubbing against my legs.

I am able to pat her without introducing myself first (by offering the back of my hand to judge her reaction) and I'm also able to pick her up give her a cuddle and put her down again with no signs of discomfort.

I fear the longer she is here the more she'll bond with me and that will be cut off dramatically when her forever home turns up. I am hoping said forever home turns up sooner rather than later for that reason.

If anything Cleo deserves a loving, understanding family so they too can be rewarded with this...

* Introducing self with back of hand - I once got told reaching for a cat with a claw like hand is often read as a threat by timid cats/kittens. By offering the back of my hand I hope to appear less intimidating and I can carefully read the kittens reaction before offering the back of my hand and turning it on the side before reaching to pat her. I very rarely if ever just reach for Cleo but she is getting better at receiving affection or pats when she's not even looking at me (often when she's weaving around my feet).