Mr Whiskers After a TTouch Session

I was a bit nervous doing my first Tellington TTouch session with Mr Whiskers. Even though he had been spending time on the porch, he was clearly, or seemingly, very feral. I had seen him in my neighborhood for a year or more and my cat Cuddles was terrified of him. Oh, one more detail. I have two residences. My legal one, 10th Street, where I mainly see clients now, and my mother's house, the house of my childhood, where I live with Mia, my dog, Cuddles my cat, Scooter my mother's cat, and of course, my mother. My father passed away of Alzheimers and I had been helping out and then I got more involved, and long story short, here I am. Going to see Mr Whiskers at Carol's across the street, I brought with me a brush with a very long handle that I had fashioned and a long feather. I found out pretty quickly that he did not like the brush--he was very jumpy and nervous. The feather was bit riskier because my hand would be that much closer, but I decided to stay more to the side of him and not make direct eye contact (less threatening) and, well, he loved the feather idea. For the first time, I tried to touch him while he was eating. I know he's very happy with us humans when he has food. But the second time I visited, I tried working with him before he ate his second portion (did not want to try when he was really hungry), and he really warmed up to the idea. My gut told me he really wanted to make contact and did not know how. I tried a couple of quick brushes along the side of his face/neck. Then I waited and he walked around a bit. Then I tried stroking along the back of his neck, but a long stroke. I waited to see if he would begin to lean into the feather. and he did! I was so thrilled! So then I waited and tried again, Then he settled down on his side and I did some small circles down his side. Months ago, maybe a year, when he was in a cage, getting ready to go to be neutered, Sarah Hauser, a more experienced TTouch trainee had done some work with him. He seemed to really calm down. Who knows, maybe he remembered. After a bit he took a deep breath and settled more. This was the most relaxed I'd ever seen him on the floor of the porch with people around. "Yes!" I thought, he really does want to be with humans. I'll help and hold the hope we can find him a loving home. And so I continued to visit when I could. Now after only a few sessions, he wraps himself all around me when I go to visit. I start with the feather, but then he noses my hand so give him some strokes with my hand. The rusty meow is a sign that he was a house cat. Perhaps he got lost when he was a kitten or his owners let him go because he sprayed and was aggressive. Neutering mellowed him immensely. He is the third tuxedo I have helped to rescue and all have them have been tremendously affectionate. He is living up to the tuxey reputation.