catlover4ever
10-05-2004, 09:04 AM
I wanted to give everyone an update on Merlin. Things have been going pretty well. Merlin seems to be coming around on a regular basis...at least for dinner. He has put on a few pounds as well.
He is more trusting with me and last night I asked Mark to put his hand down to Merlin and talk to him to see if he would come close to Mark.....and Merlin did. He got a little loving from Mark and then ran the other way. This was important to me as I am leaving for two weeks and Mark will be feeding him while I'm gone.
Merlin wants to come in the house so bad. He is so funny...he will jump up on the storage bin on the deck and look into the house for me. On Saturday while everyone was outside enjoying a beautiful fall day I left the deck door open...hoping that while everyone was outside he may venture in and look around but he was too scared.....so instead, last night as I was going outside to sit with him he decided that was the right time to try getting inside.....only to come face to face with Smokey.....well Merlin flew out the door and Smokey howled and spit at the door.
Now here is my little problem with Merlin and where I need a little advise. Merlin will, at a moments notice, get really mean. He took a bite out of my arm 3 weeks ago and I have been clawed really bad a few times from him. He does this...just all of a sudden, with no warning.
Here is my dilema...I want him to know that I will not tolerate being abused by him...BUT I don't know how to let him know that his clawing and biting is a "NO NO". I don't want to loose his trust and run the chance of him not trusting me again and not coming back.....he deserves better than being out on the streets.
Can someone help me with a way to let Merlin know that biting and clawing is not acceptable....without loosing his trust? Thanks for any and all help.
He is more trusting with me and last night I asked Mark to put his hand down to Merlin and talk to him to see if he would come close to Mark.....and Merlin did. He got a little loving from Mark and then ran the other way. This was important to me as I am leaving for two weeks and Mark will be feeding him while I'm gone.
Merlin wants to come in the house so bad. He is so funny...he will jump up on the storage bin on the deck and look into the house for me. On Saturday while everyone was outside enjoying a beautiful fall day I left the deck door open...hoping that while everyone was outside he may venture in and look around but he was too scared.....so instead, last night as I was going outside to sit with him he decided that was the right time to try getting inside.....only to come face to face with Smokey.....well Merlin flew out the door and Smokey howled and spit at the door.
Now here is my little problem with Merlin and where I need a little advise. Merlin will, at a moments notice, get really mean. He took a bite out of my arm 3 weeks ago and I have been clawed really bad a few times from him. He does this...just all of a sudden, with no warning.
Here is my dilema...I want him to know that I will not tolerate being abused by him...BUT I don't know how to let him know that his clawing and biting is a "NO NO". I don't want to loose his trust and run the chance of him not trusting me again and not coming back.....he deserves better than being out on the streets.
Can someone help me with a way to let Merlin know that biting and clawing is not acceptable....without loosing his trust? Thanks for any and all help.