Three weeks; he's still living in the bathroom shower.
Cotton is making steady progress every day. Tonight, for the first time, he spent about 10 minutes curled up in my lap! He will now (generally) let me pet him (long strokes, no patting or scratching). He seems to look forward to spending time with me. I've kept him so isolated that I'm his only connection to the world outside his enclosure. He's calmed down tremendously since arriving, no doubt in large part to the full bottle of CALM DOWN he's ingested over the last three weeks (did I mention it's 13% alcohol?)
I've yet to attempt to pick him up. He still has schizophrenic episodes where he will turn from a purring, sweet kitty seeking attention to a snarling monster with teeth & claws bared. He seems to get over-stimulated and doesn't know what to do with the anxiety. Even when he's 'calm', his tail is swishing nervously.
All in all, I'm amazed at his progress. When I used to visit my cousin, I never saw him act this nicely in his former home (always hissing & growling). She let him get away with a lot of bad behavior. Now, I reward the good and walk away when he acts up. He's catching on. Since most cats don't crave human acceptance the same way dogs do, it's tough to see where we're making progress. Patience will win out in the end.
Can't seem to catch him looking sweet & loving in pictures. Maybe next time.
