Sparkle is a feral kitten who I have been working on for a couple of months or so. She is one of the most challenging cats I have met so far, as she is SO fearful. She still will hiss and spit, and sometimes swat, when first approached, but she is much more curious and outgoing than before, and seems to really long for contact. She now is mostly in the front of her cage, reaching out to anyone who passes by (especially me or some of the other volunteers who she is familiar with), and sometimes trying to play with someone in a cage adjacent to hers. She is growing, as she must be about 5 months old now, and is long and slim, her body type seems similar to some Siamese cats. We still have her in a cage with Wally, who is a very sweet grey and white adult kitty, and they cuddle together.
Sometimes recently I had been sneaking my hand onto Sparkle when the two of them were cuddling, putting my hand on Wally first and then going around the back of him to the back of her head and doing some TTouch on her that way. A few days ago, I decided to take a plunge and try touching her directly. In order to protect my hands, I have been wearing some rather thick, but snug-fitting gardening gloves, so I can be protected but still feel what I am doing. At first she will still hiss at me, but once I begin to do some raccoon touches on her head, she will settle down for a few minutes. I have been keeping these sessions short, as I don't want to push the issue too much, but if feels like she is beginning to get used to the contact. This is such an interesting ongoing adventure -- Sparkle is teaching me so much about being in the moment and being patient, and letting go of any expectations I might have.
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