From time to time, we have guests who really don’t want to be there. Sometimes, the move from home to the boarding facility can be very stressful. Some cats hide and shy away from petting; other cats become aggressive and try to lash out.
One of our relatively frequent visitors is a cat named Cliff. He was at the cats only boarding facility when I started working there back in December. For those few days, he was one unhappy kitty, growling and hissing when anyone approached his condo. I was determined that the next time Cliff came to stay, we would become friends.
Guess who’s back? My pal Cliff.
When I told his owner about my goal — to make Cliff like me — she laughed. Cliff is very friendly and affectionate at home, she explained, but not very happy to be away. And just like last time, Cliff was expressing his displeasure with growling and hissing.
We did, however, notice that he seemed more at ease when he was in the playroom. During the day, we rotate cats into and out of the playroom so everybody gets a chance to climb or stretch or watch the world go by. In the playroom, Cliff became the cat his owner described: friendly and approachable. Back in his condo, cranky Cliff returned.
Because it’s a quiet time of year, we have a lot of open space at the boarding facility. Our two isolation wards (that are used for unvaccinated cats or cats with fleas and other parasites during the busy times) are empty. After a little chat with some of my coworkers, we decided to close off one of the isolation rooms and give the whole thing to Cliff.
And suddenly… cranky Cliff is no more. I’m not sure if it’s the size of the condo or the presence of other cats, but Cliff is a happy cat in the isolation ward. He was actually butting his head against me and purring while I petted him. Triumph!