Playful Herman

I managed to get a much better picture of Herman this morning. Since I knew that the light level was high enough that the flash wouldn't go off, I got much closer to him. I know now, thanks to your kind advice, that I shouldn't be shooting toward the window, as I still am here, but I was close enough and low enough that the picture came out all right. I took this picture just after our cuddle and play session and he was still making biscuits on the carpet. He loves it when I get down on the floor with him. I think the hopping up on the bed and hopping off was him testing to see whether it was allowed and if he felt comfortable enough with me to join me. He slept on my feet for a few hours Wednesday night. I was expecting him to meow me awake for breakfast Thursday morning, but he didn't. This was probably because I noticed just before I went to bed that he had eaten almost all of his Stinky Goodness, so I gave him some more. I think one of his previous families had punished him for jumping up on the furniture because when I got up early to put out the trash bin, he was sitting on a big pillow I had put on top of some storage boxes in front of the window near the bird feeder. As soon as he noticed me, he jumped down and ran as if he had been caught doing something wrong. He is slowly learning that jumping up on the furniture in this house is allowed, though he still very rarely does it. When I went back to bed after putting out the trash and making sure that he wasn't ready for more food yet, I had just gotten settled in good when I heard a meow from the foot of the bed. I scratched on the covers and told Herman that it was OK and he joined me in bed. He came up to me and I gave him some scritches. Then the most amazing thing happened. I had my hand flat on the bed scritching his cheek when he nestled his head into the palm of my hand, closed his eyes, started purring and went to sleep. Now that is trust and love.

Herman is making great strides in the playing department. At first he would only bite and paw at his toys for a minute or two, then lose interest. After I got him the kicker toy, he started bunnykicking. Today I noticed that he is batting them around. Tomorrow I am going to try out Da Bird on him again. The first time I tried it, he just watched it for a few seconds, then walked away. The second time, I waved it around slowly, then let it stop and he walked up and sniffed the feathers for a bit before walking away. Now that he is batting toys around, maybe he will bat at it. This morning I rolled a ball for him and he chased it. That was the first time that I had seen him show any interest in the ball at all. I found one of his little mousies in the kitchen and scooted it across the floor to him. He batted it around so vigorously that he knocked it under the dishwasher. He was so disappointed when it disappeared. I got down and looked, but couldn't see it and I couldn't feel it, as far as I could reach. I think he must have knocked it over the hose and way to the back and it just might have to stay there. He meowed at me for a long time after I gave up trying to get it out. Of course, I brought him a new toy when I came home from work. It's like a miniature tennis ball with a fuzzy tail. He groomed the tail, but didn't seem much interested in the rest of it. I do notice that most of the toys change position during the night. I think Herman will be completely over his depression very soon. I got his vet papers today and they state that he just turned two in June. The shelter had told me that he was three or four. No wonder he was so depressed, going through two homes in one year and eleven months, with the second one not being much of a home at all. I wonder how long he will sleep with me tonight.