It's my birthday today, and I've gotten presents I didn't want (snow!) and presents I did (lunch with a friend) and presents I was very much not expecting.
That last is Apricot. You know I've been working on getting him to trust me enough to pet his tummy. I can usually get one pet in before the second pet makes him tense up and leave. That's where we've been in the process for the last year, I think. Every time I see him sprawled so his tummy is exposed, I go over very softly and slowly, saying how lovely his tummy is (and it is, it's a gorgeous plush tummy), and asking if I can pet it, and then (if he's stayed), I pet slowly and carefully so he can see every move I'm going to make before I make it.
Yesterday morning he invited the tummy pet. I petted once. Twice. He didn't tense up. So I kept going.
I got tired before he did! What an honor to be trusted that much by a feral-raised cat. It quite made my day.
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