Dear Supporters of Bacon,

As I spend more time as Bacon’s correspondent, I become more aware that Bacon is a very special little guy who needs and demands a lot of special care. For most cats, the act of getting to know them and then visiting them is easy. You show up, slowly approach them, and give them some time to get used to you. Then either you can make the next move or let them. Sometimes you reach out a closed hand and let them sniff, sniff, sniff. Sometimes they approach and want to walk around you. Gather a sense of who you are. This can take minutes, hours, days, or even months, sometimes. Some cats are social. Some cats are shy.

In the past, I’ve sometimes been able to make an instant connection in a matter of minutes. Some cats will jump on your lap, needing that hug, that affection. Some will accept the pet but want to keep their distance. Sometimes that connection has taken longer.

Bacon is in another category. He has a unique sensibility. The folks at Tabby’s Place do all they can to keep his environment calm and peaceful. I try my best to do the same.  So far I’ve let this special Munchkin call all the shots and make all the decisions. I figured all I can do is be there and provide opportunities. If he wants to take advantage, so be it. If not, that’s okay, too.  For example, when I’ve unzippered his mesh cage, he always has a choice. Every time, so far, he’s left his comfy home. He’s come over to investigate me. I’ve made no move to touch him or bring him onto my lap. I’ve moved very slowly. I don’t want to make any mistakes and cause him undue stress.

Before this last visit, I went a step further and reached out to a few of the ladies who work at Tabby’s Place for advice. Interacting with Bacon may not always go as planned, and I needed a strategy just in case.

Here’s what happened.

When I went to visit Bacon this time around, I went into Karina’s office armed with treats. There’s more than one way to a cat’s heart. I know from personal experience that cats will do almost anything if they believe a treat is involved. Shake that treat bag and you have their attention. Bacon is no exception! I also made sure to escort Marcia into her cage. It’s easier when you have only one cat on the playing field.

Let the adventure begin. Once I unzippered the mesh, Bacon was eager to come out and explore. Sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, I held a few treats out, and he gobbled them up. I put a few treats on the floor, and he ate those, too. Bacon walked around the entire room. Sniffing. Checking everything out. He sampled the food bowls. He drank from the bowls of water.

 Marcia watched quietly in the beginning, but then she meowed once, then again.

Bacon wasn’t perturbed. He circled around me, rubbing his body on my feet, on my legs. I took that as a good sign. Of course, I wanted to reach out and pet him. I almost did. But something held me back. Let him make the first move. I imagined him inching his way over and climbing into my lap. He almost did, but not quite.

 

Instead, he retreated to the side of the room where his mesh cage stands, but rather than going back into the cage, he went to the other side, under a desk, on a blanket. And he stood there watching me. Maybe he was taking in the situation. Getting used to the fact that I was there. Trusting someone does take time. Minutes went by. I thought, “Be generous—give him that time.”

Finally, I did have to go. And now I was faced with a dilemma—how to get Bacon back in his mesh cage or put another way–how to get Bacon back home. Everyone has heard the story of the children who drop the breadcrumbs so they can find their way back home again. And it hit me, maybe, that’s what Bacon needs—breadcrumbs to find his way back to his comfy home.

Slowly, I inched towards him. I didn’t have breadcrumbs, but I had to hope that treats would do the trick. I held some treats in my hand. I let him smell one and put it down in front of him. He ate it. I put another one down a little further away. He moved toward it and ate it. The treats acted like a lure. Bacon moved slowly but surely toward his mesh cage. The last few steps were tricky, but then he was in. I zippered up his cage, let Marcia out, and heaved a sigh of relief.

 All in all, a good visit.

I learned that Bacon had a wellness checkup this month. After he was sedated, he was physically examined, brushed out, and had a dental check-up! I did notice that he looked exceptionally handsome when I visited. I also heard a rumor that he’s been a bit fussy with his wet food, so the folks at Tabby’s Place are trying to accommodate Bacon’s need for variety by offering some new options.

Bacon and I thank you for your continued generosity. We hope that you enjoy the lovely weather we’ve been having and look forward to giving you the latest Bacon news next month.

Your correspondent,
Kate