Fred Update

I had a major break through with Fred last week.  Since we found him on our doorstep a little over a year ago he has been a sweet boy, affectionate, purring, but he didn't come looking for attention.  He would sleep in the spot that I had set up for him on the daybed, and sometimes I would catch him looking at me as if he wanted to come over and get some love but he was afraid to.  And when I would reach out to pet him he would turn away, almost shying away.  It was pretty heartbreaking to see that reaction.  It made me wonder about his past treatment.  I kept at it, giving him scritches and kisses and nuzzling him and he has really started to respond.  He actually has started to arch his back when you stroke him instead of going the other way.  Then last week he came over to me while I was sitting on the daybed and he curled up next to me and he has been doing that consistently ever since.  And this past Tuesday I was out in the kitchen looking at a recipe and I felt a bump against my leg and there was Fred.  He had head butted me!  And he is finally understanding and believing me when I pat the bed beside me or pat my chest.  This evening he was looking at me sitting on the day bed and I patted the bed beside me and up he came up using a different path then he usually does and once he got up on the bed he almost got up on my chest.  I could see that he wanted to but didn't quite have the nerve so I picked him up and he lay curled on my chest purring up a storm.  He's curled up next to me right now, and when I'm gone during the day he curls up in my spot (see the photo above).  He is such a sweet boy, I really don't understand how someone could have just thrown him away.  I'm so glad that he found us.

He and Jasmine are getting along pretty well too.  He's still a little afraid of her, but she has gotten pretty curious about him and twice this week I have had book end kitties while I've been sitting on the day bed - one curled up on each side of me and both aware that the other was there, but totally cool with it.