Cammie Upgrades to Windows

There have been a couple of changes in the household. Last week, Rachael went back to her long-term foster-home after staying with me for several days. I had been pleased to see her. She was rather hissy and growly the first day, understandably, but after that she was very friendly, friendlier than I remember, which, I believe, is a tribute to the care she has received from her long-term foster-guardians. Nonetheless, after being stuck in one room for seven days, with only periodic visits from me, Rachael was undoubtedly happy to get back to her usual haunts and routine. I am told that she made her feelings known by being extra appreciative of her foster-guardians after her return.

This left the back parlour free for Cammie to move up from the isolation ward (the downstairs shower-room). The journey, though a short one, was traumatic for this poor orphan. She fought being put into the carrier but was eventually installed therein. Then she escaped while I was out of the room for a few minutes. In that way of cats, she managed to push the top door of the carrier open an inch and squeeze herself out. And she wasn’t going back in. I earned her enmity in trying to replace her. For the rest of the night, she growled and hissed at my mere presence.

The next day, a lady from the rescue group with which I volunteer, and of which Cammie is now part, came over and slipped the new cat into a carrier with no trouble at all.

Cammie is now safely in the back parlour. She has windows out of which she can look. She has more room, comfy furniture and a nice view, even fresh air. Her first day was a hot one, so the air conditioner was on for much of it. In the evening, that was shut off and the windows opened. Cammie had no idea the windows opened. She was astonished. And then she was frightened. I came back in to the parlour later to find her hiding at the base of her cat-tree.

The noises from outside were indeed intimidating to a little creature unused to them. Crows were having a raucous time on the back lawn, and there was an automobile show in town this weekend, so people were driving up and down streets showing off their vehicular knowledge by pressing down on accelerators. Her curiosity got the better of Cammie after a while, though, and soon she was peering out at the wide world; eventually, she was lying on the sill of the window itself.

She passed a quiet first night, ate and used her litter-box. When I brought in her soft-food breakfast this morning, she came out, remembered that she hates me, hissed and went back to hiding. But she will get over that. Now that she is in the back parlour, she will see me often, and I can come and go without bothering her. I will talk to her but not press her to be friendly. Now, she can get used to me at her own speed.