Ember the cat is freaking me out with a miraculous behavior change.

[wnylib]

She has always DESPISED being brushed or combed. When little, she squirmed and wiggled loose. As she got older, larger, and stronger, she got more assertive - hissing, slapping me, and slapping the brush right out of my hand.

I tried different kinds of brushes and combs. Even tried a toothbrush in case the cat brushes were too harsh. Nothing doing. She howled and as if being tortured. I tried treats as a reward afterward and a lure before brushing. Ember wasn't having it.

And then, a couple days ago, the miracle happened.

I cleaned out a bathroom drawer and removed an old hairbrush of mine. I still had it in my hand when I walked to my desk, where Ember likes to perch next to me. I laid it down to type something. Ember sniffed it. Then she rubbed her face against the bristle side. I picked it up slowly and cautiously and ran it over the top of her head, where she loves to get scritches and even tolerates brushes sometimes, very briefly. I was shocked at her reaction. She leaned into the brush so that it ran over the side of her neck. I tried it on the other side and she leaned into it again. Dreamy, half-closed eyes of contentment. Was this my fierce Ember or an imposter?

I let the brush slide down a bit to her shoulder. No hissing. No finger shredding. No slapping at me or the brush. Nevertheless, I stopped, not wanting to push my luck. And then the second miracle happened. Ember looked at the brush and me as if wondering why the brushing stopped. She nudged the brush and my hand to continue. So I did.

OMG!!! Was this just a feline suckup job? No, it wasn't feeding time.

And it has happened a few times since then. I left the brush on my desk. When she feels like it, she rubs against it. That's my cue to pick it up and let her rub against it, then brush her.

Thus is so uncharacteristic that I am spooked.