Real behavior modification with any species isn't flashy before & afters. It's slow to go fast & creating real emotional changes.
There's a still picture of Ellemere in this compilation!
When I first got Ellemere from the shelter, her anxiety was so intense that they sent us home with the cat tree that was her safe place, that I'm pretty sure personally belonged to the animal control officer whose office she spent 2 months in, and the volunteers and shelter behaviorist were worried that she would never be able to leave it and do normal behaviors--she waited to come down and eat or use the litter box until the room was empty, stress urinated whenever she was startled, and got UTIs all the time.
With anxiety meds and confidence and trust building exercises I was able to get her to explore normally and solicit cuddles, and eventually she worked up to living with a second human and even a puppy with no incidents! Now she hasn't had a UTI in years and she recently even solicited pets from my mom, who unfortunately is the person she sees 2nd-most-often but was still terrified of for years.
@thejunglenook gave me advice the whole time :)
Forever reblog the best baby & her amazing behavior journey
