3 years ago Walter (sig.other) trapped 3 kittens where he works. They
had not been handled by humans until then. The vet said they were about
10 wks old.

We had all of them for 3 weeks as they got their shots, worming, etc. We
worked for hours to socialize them, and had good luck. The orange guy
especially turned into a love bug.

We found a home for the orange guy -- a cat lover in Oregon. He was very
skittish at first, but came to love her and his new cat friend. I've
been keeping in touch with her since then, but here's the tough part.
She didn't answer an email recently so I called someone else I knew in
her office (a different branch of our company.) The cat-lover was in the
process of moving to Utah, without the orange guy!

She had decided that he did not take the last move to a new apartment
well, and didn't want to put him through a drive to Salt Lake. She gave
him to a co-worker and took the other cat with her!!!

I'm now in contact with the new owner and trying to provide support. The
cat is FREAKED. He has lost his home, his human, and his cat partner. He
has reverted to semi-feral mode. She has not been able to touch him for
2 weeks and he is hiding behind the appliances and in cupboards (which
they all did in our bathroom as kittens.)

She is a new cat owner and this is a lot to lay on someone who wanted
their first cat. I've been giving advice over the phone -- sit and talk
to him, get him used to your voice, lay treats in front of him, try to
play with him with a fishing-pole toy, etc. She is scared of him hasn't
gotten too close because he huddles away from her, and she is afraid he
will attack. He is not a mean cat and I told her to just go slow, but
it's important to start getting closer to him.

Any advice I could pass on? I told her I'd drive down there and help any
time. She had a friend who is a more experienced cat-person come over
and he talked baby talk to the cat, and actually got close enough to pet
him. The cat let him do it, although he was hiding and tense. She's too
afraid to attempt that on her own, and he went back in a cupboard as
soon as the other guy left. He is coming out when she's not there and
eating and using the litter box.

What can I tell her? I'm trying very hard not to be pissed that this cat
was left behind, but I am pissed. I cannot believe a 2-day trip could
have been worse than this.

Thanks,

Rhonda