11 Weeks
Posted By Judith on 11th February 2017
It’s now 11 weeks since Poppy came into our lives and on the whole things are good as we’ve all slipped into a routine. In the beginning she panicked if she thought I was trying to shut her in, now she panics if she thinks I’m going to shut her out, which has to be a sign of progress.There are however one or two unresolved issues.
For example, I can’t get her to use her scratching post. Despite my best attempts she just doesn’t get it.
Then there is the bizarre spectacle of Poppy sitting on the kitchen window-sill in the cold and rain, looking at me pathetically through the window. Yet only feet away the outer door to the porch is wide open giving her easy access to shelter, if not actually inside the house. But no, she waits until I stick my head out of the door and invite her in, then she enters at top speed. What’s that about?
However the major problem is that Poppy is afraid of everything and as far as I can tell always has been. When it comes to cars and lorries this is ‘good’ fear, but she’s also afraid of people, which in the case of strangers is also ‘good’ fear, but sadly she sometimes runs away from us too.
Admittedly she doesn’t run very far these days, usually behind a sofa, and it only takes a few minutes of ignoring her for this ‘flight’ response to subside, however it does cause a bit of unnecessary pantomime. I am getting better at wrangling her, though occasionally find myself wondering exactly who is training who!!
However, once settled she’s very affectionate and will happily sit next to me on the sofa stretching out as she gets warmer and purring contentedly. Sometimes she puts her paw on my leg and we just hold hands, but she won’t sit on my knee.
She’ll happily snuggle very close to me, but there’s more chance of me sitting on Donald Trump’s knee than there is of Poppy sitting on mine. But you never know.
That last remark is aimed at Poppy by the way, not a challenge to Mr Trump (he should be so lucky!!)
Just like Jackson before her she loves yogurt and like Leonard she loves being brushed. I think she loves prawns even more than Dulcie did and is quite upset when the tray is empty, as you can see here.
She now spends 95% of her time indoors (her choice) and the bald patch on her back where she was pulling out her fur (a sure sign of stress) is gradually disappearing. During the first few weeks of being indoors she slept for hours on end, but now seems to have got her second wind and my first job every morning is to play with her until she gets bored.
It’s been an eventful few weeks, but I’m now looking forward to Spring and Summer with her in the garden, though I suspect Poppy won’t ever be my ‘left-hand’ girl, but she does like having her picture taken!
