Rue!

***Update as of July 11, 2011***

Rue!

 Rue has progressed fantastically since I took her in on March 21, 2011. She's affectionate and loving, and though she still gets a tad shy around people, she LOVES getting pet - and pet a LOT! When she gets a little bit, she meows for some more. She's got such a strong, resonant 'voice'! It just blows my mind how she went from hiding under the desk and skidding around to being out in the open, hanging in the window as a thunderstorm rolls by.

She loves her brother Lil' Bro, and had no problems when I integrated her with my own two cats. What a good girl she is, and such a gorgeous kitty.

Rue loves a good, deep, strong rub-down, and will ask for more when she wants it. Rue's more of a cat who lets me know when she's ready to be pet, though she allows me to approach her often - still not 100% of the time. Being around her brother and my personal cats has been great for developing the bond of trust, and it makes me so happy to see her allow other people to pet her.

She's scheduled for a visit with a friend of mine and her sister, and ideally, she'll go home with them next week. First thing's first- I want to get her to my vet for a final check-up and she's good to go!

She's a silly napper :)

Playing in the spinner. Rather, sitting in it as her brother knocks the ball around the edges!

Eating with her brother, Lil' Bro

:) :) :)

This gorgeous kitty is Rue! She's Lil' Bro's sister, and she sure loves spending time with her brother and her good friend, Sammy!


When I went to pick Rue up for transport and fostering, she gave some resistance - mostly just trying to hide from me - which if course is no shocker, since she is a feral kitty. Once in the carrier, she didn't make a sound, and though scared, she truly adjusted the quickest out of the three. When I placed the kitty carriers in the foster room, Rue was the first to come out and explore. A month later, she's still the first to try new things, and is the inspector of the lot - she explores her living area, and makes herself at home!

Rue's been taken to the vet a couple times now - once for a checkup and treatment of diarrhea and a mild case of hookworms (all three fosters came to me with hookworms and have been treated), and the second for her spaying. As with any cat - especially a feral one - there was a bit of resistance from her when I approached her, and especially getting into the carrier. Never has she ever lashed out - not even growling, hissing, no scratching, biting - and with honestly just a little effort, I was able to corral her and get her into the carrier.

This kitten - about 9-10 months old - has made a HUGE turnaround. She loves to hang out with her brother, Lil' Bro, and is a protective, affectionate companion to her friend Sammy (our gray friend). However, the biggest strides were made this morning - she finally let us hear her voice, and meowed a few times during early morning hours to let us know she was there.

April 6th, 2011 was her surgery day, and after a successful spaying, she was, of course, a bit groggy but had her wits about her. She ate enough food to her liking, but not too much, so no sickness. She also lapped up some homemade chicken broth (roasted bones boiled in water, nothing else added) and found a cozy spot to lie.

The next morning she meowed to me right as my alarm went off, so I crawled slowly under the bed to see how she was doing. She started to purr heavily and her paws were doing the "making biscuits" thing...then she reached out for me. Rue rolled on her back and started to slide toward me, and next thing I knew, I was petting her.

It's the first time she came right up to me!

Turns out she's quite the purr machine, even more so than her brother! She lay with her entire back against my arm, her head at my hand. She quite enjoys a belly rub - even a light rubbing over her shaved area (but of course not near the stitches!)!

This truly caught me by surprise. I knew Rue would come around eventually, but this turnaround was literally overnight.  It seems she's very, very relieved and the light in her eyes today is undeniable.  She let me pick her up and carry her to the room with her bro and friend Sammy, and immediately ran to her brother, who cuddled up right next to her under the desk.

She's such a special little girl; brave and smart, and now that her affectionate side is shining through, I've no doubt she'll keep progressing and will make a great addition to anyone's family!  I'm so proud of Miss Rue! 

Rue does get a bit fussy at night sometimes, so as long as I keep the window slightly open and the blinds raised, she's happy to hang out on the window ledge, watching the world outside. She never pines at the door to get let out, and as long as she's engaged in activity - she's already torn apart a toy mouse! - then she's okay. She 'speaks' a bit at night, and often it's to get her brother's attention!

Rue is litterbox trained, spayed, up to date on shots, and playful and energetic! She is a feral kitten (young, again 6 months old), and she is gradually coming around to me and on a daily basis, gets closer and closer to approaching me once again. I'm keeping her and her brother in the same room, as Rue thrives in company. She's a brave explorer, always the first to check out new additions to their play area, and coaching Lil' Bro in his explorations!