viewing shelves

Over a year ago, I built a window shelf under the large front window on the enclosed front porch. In the warmer months, Max would frequently be found sprawled out on the shelf, enjoying the view of his front yard. He seemed to enjoy being higher up and having a broader view of the front yard.  Of course the birds in the rhododendron kept his attention.

Willow and Nahum have been enjoying this view and Willow also uses the shelf to get better access to bugs.  Occasionally, there is a kitty traffic jam - one cat tries to leave while the other obstructs the exit. This problem is currently being reviewed for possible solutions.

Since the one shelf gets cramped with two cats, I figured with the addition of the new cat, we needed more window shelves! So, after a little measuring and cutting we now have two additional kitty viewing platforms. The new ones are on the back enclosed porch, under the back and side windows.

Judging from the amount of use these new shelves are getting, they were definitely necessary home improvements! Next up may be a shelf widening project.

cat gear

Theo needed to shop for a new harness for class - kind of like the kid needing a new backpack for school even though last years is still quite serviceable. My AAT instructor informed me that the harness I was using was not appropriate for animal therapy work and needed to be replaced by one that doesn't adjust with the cat's level of movement.

I had been using a Come With Me Kitty Harness by Premier (which is the cat equivalent of the Gentle Leader dog harness.) The nice thing about this harness was the shoulder straps tighten and loosen as the cat moves around without putting pressure on the throat. On a traditional harness the strap around the head can press against the throat if the cat jerks fast.

So we head over to Pet Pros, our local pet store chain, where I buy the cat gear. I like the smaller store, it tends to be a less crazy atmosphere which is more cat friendly. The woman working the store was very gracious and allowed us to try on each of the harness options for Theo. The harness needed to fit well and be stylish. We eventually settled on a basic black step-in.

Theo was like a kid in a toy store! He checked out a bunch of toys but finally settled on the Kong Kickeroo, which now lives in the middle of our living room!

lessons learned

I realized after the Pet Partners class, that one of the lessons I learned came not from the information being presented but from the experience. When I take my therapy cat to work, I need to learn to split my attention three-ways instead of the usual two. I will need to be attune to the client's condition and needs, the cat's condition and needs, and my own condition and needs.

That is going to take a lot of practice! Christi, the instructor suggested I take Theo out to public places and walk him in front of stores where people are coming and going. That way he gets exposure to unknown people wanting to touch him and unusual sounds and smells all in unfamiliar setting. It would also give me the chance to develop my attuning skills in a less intense environment than in my work.

free of fear

Even though two thirds of my biggest fear came true, I am on the other side of the first day of class feeling like it was a big success. My biggest fear - Nahum freaking out, me feeling horrible about his stress and then feeling overwhelmed by shame for being exposed as a terrible pet owner - only partially came true.

Yes, Nahum freaked out from being overly stressed and yes, I felt like a horrible pet owner for putting him through that torture, but I never went to the shame place. I don't really know why I didn't feel the shame as I was sitting up by the instructor, practically in front of the whole class (an attempt to add more distance between the dogs and Nahum). Perhaps it was because my attention was split between trying to comfort Nahum and listening to the instructor leaving no brain cells for the shame to use. Maybe it was the presence of a room full of potential therapy animals. Or, perhaps it was the payoff of years of working on being more self-compassionate. Regardless of why, I am very thankful that shame did not visit.

My concern for Nahum's comfort certainly overshadowed most of my headspace and I wasn't able to fully enter into the excitement of the moment. But, overall I feel the class was fun and I am very much looking forward to more. I anticipate the next class to be much more easygoing and enjoyable as Nahum will be home playing with his favorite string or snoozing in one of his many favorite spots and Theo will get lots of laptime in a room full of dogs and unfamiliar people.

first day of class

This morning I moved closer to accomplishing a dream. Wow, it is not every day that I can say that!

Before I get into that, let me backup and start with Sunday. On the eve of the first day of class, my anxiety was mounting due to my inability to decide who to bring to class, Nahum or Theo. So, I consulted with a previous graduate and my anxiety quickly calmed. (Thank you Lisa!) She suggested I not choose either-or but to bring both, which is what I did. Nahum was my starting cat and Theo was second string.

The class consisted of five dogs and my cat. Nahum was stressed. The combination of the two super-huge-giant dogs, three medium sized dogs and the unfamiliar space caused him a great deal of anxiety. About midway through the class Nahum was quite happy to turn things over to the backup cat.

Theo wasn't phased by the enormity of the two canine beasts nor the new space. He took it all in stride, spending his class time sprawled in my lap purring and occasionally meowing when he wanted the stalled petting hand to stop resting and resume petting.

On the ride home Nahum clearly communicated his displeasure with the whole experience and I realized then that he is not ready for such a class. As I am not a proponent of torture of animals, I can not willfully do something that creates that much stress on my Nahum. I don't know if he will ever be comfortable enough for such an endeavor but that's okay. I love him for his delightful way of being and his deliciously soft fur.

So, congratulations to Theo - he gets promoted to first string and Nahum gets to forgo the working life awhile longer.

first yardtime

Max loved his yardtime. When he heard the jingle of the harness and leash he would come running - he knew that soon he would be out in his yard, sniffing and rolling in the grasslike the big tough outside kitties. He never tired of taking excursions into the wild.

Today was Nahum's and Willow's first excursion in the yard. Nahum got first shift - he was a little put off by the harness and leash at first, but soon the adventure consumed his focus. He sniffed in motion and thus covered a lot of ground. When it came time for his turn to end, he firmly protested.

Willow watched longingly through the window while Nahum explored. When at last it was her turn, she was scared at first, but after some time under the large planter her curiosity took over and she was off. She very meticulously explored her new world. I was struck by how naturally and beautifully Willow interacted with the wild.

For the remainder of the day, Nahum was glued to the windows, gazing out at his newly discovered yard. It seemed that he desired more than anything to take another romp around the yard. If the dry weather holds, he may get another opportunity tomorrow.

For me, this yardtime was a mix of fun and sadness. It was a delight to see Nahum and Willow so alert and engaged as they experienced the big outdoors. A feeling of sadness and loss also stirred in my heart, as I remembered many of the wonderful yardtime memories that Max and I shared.

full kitty home integration

Today was the first day of a 100% kitty integrated home. And so far everyone has been getting along rather well. Willow seems to have accepted that Theo is not going away. She continues to generally ignore him but for the most part she has stopped hissing and growling.

There are still plenty of tense moments. Theo's favorite napping spot is on the ottoman in front of the fire. The problem is, that has always been Willow's favorite spot and whereas she will occasionally share her spot with Nahum, she has made it clear that she is not going to share with Theo!

Meanwhile, Nahum and Theo continue to figure out how to play with each other. They are both tentative but continue to try.