Progress Already!
Yesterday (day 2) was a good day for Buckbeak. When I went in to feed him in the morning, all of his food was gone and I could see signs of litter box use. Two steps in the right direction!
I then played the piano quietly for about an hour and I could hear him eating the new food I put down while I was playing. That means he was out from under the couch while I was in the room - and he knew I was in the room. It was really hard to not turn around to look at him, but I ignored him.
After I was done practicing, I got a cat toy on a string and ran it across the floor near him. He was not totally focused on it - he was also watching me to make sure I wasn't going to do anything scary. However, he was following it a bit, and that is good.
Later on I saw that he was no longer in his hiding spot behind the couch. He was sleeping in the cardboard box that I set up for him with blankets. I reached my camera around the front of the box and snapped this picture - he wasn't cowering! Another great step! It is hard to see because the sun was shining into the "cupola" window.
In the afternoon, I sat on the floor where he could see me and had a conversation with my husband. During that, he retreated to his hiding spot, but we ignored him.
I got him a cat nip toy and placed it in front of the cardboard box in the evening.
During the night we were woken up by a cat meowing - more of a yowl. I thought it was a cat outside, but my husband thinks it was Buckbeak. I got up and snuck down the hallway as quietly and slowly as I could, but I heard nothing coming from his room. I went back to sleep, but heard the yowling again later. I'm wondering if he was playing with the catnip toy.
When I went in this morning, the catnip toy was moved to the side of the box. I also heard him making noises - almost like whisper meowing - which I think was because I had food. When I bent down he was not cowering in his hiding spot. He was still under the couch, but closer to the edge. I slowly moved my closed fist under the couch and moved it toward the side of his face. I didn't move it close enough to touch him, but he slightly reached out his chin and smelled my thumb. Honestly, this is way more than I was expecting. I was hoping I wasn't going to get attacked.
I'm so pleased for Buckbeak. The progress that he has made in under 48 hours makes me hopeful for his quality of life in our home. I think his progress will be slower after this, but that is okay.
I then played the piano quietly for about an hour and I could hear him eating the new food I put down while I was playing. That means he was out from under the couch while I was in the room - and he knew I was in the room. It was really hard to not turn around to look at him, but I ignored him.
After I was done practicing, I got a cat toy on a string and ran it across the floor near him. He was not totally focused on it - he was also watching me to make sure I wasn't going to do anything scary. However, he was following it a bit, and that is good.
Later on I saw that he was no longer in his hiding spot behind the couch. He was sleeping in the cardboard box that I set up for him with blankets. I reached my camera around the front of the box and snapped this picture - he wasn't cowering! Another great step! It is hard to see because the sun was shining into the "cupola" window.
In the afternoon, I sat on the floor where he could see me and had a conversation with my husband. During that, he retreated to his hiding spot, but we ignored him.
I got him a cat nip toy and placed it in front of the cardboard box in the evening.
During the night we were woken up by a cat meowing - more of a yowl. I thought it was a cat outside, but my husband thinks it was Buckbeak. I got up and snuck down the hallway as quietly and slowly as I could, but I heard nothing coming from his room. I went back to sleep, but heard the yowling again later. I'm wondering if he was playing with the catnip toy.
When I went in this morning, the catnip toy was moved to the side of the box. I also heard him making noises - almost like whisper meowing - which I think was because I had food. When I bent down he was not cowering in his hiding spot. He was still under the couch, but closer to the edge. I slowly moved my closed fist under the couch and moved it toward the side of his face. I didn't move it close enough to touch him, but he slightly reached out his chin and smelled my thumb. Honestly, this is way more than I was expecting. I was hoping I wasn't going to get attacked.
I'm so pleased for Buckbeak. The progress that he has made in under 48 hours makes me hopeful for his quality of life in our home. I think his progress will be slower after this, but that is okay.
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