Jill & her feline friends

Jill is easily the most laid-back cat I have ever met. She has a preference for calm surroundings too. My permanent resident cats, Adelie, Mou & Bug, are not always calm. Mou is a formal feral girl who can be quite opinionated about her personal space. She is sometimes not friendly to new cats. Bug is a goober. He sometimes runs like a tornado through the house. He is also a momma's baby (that's what my hubby calls him) and he likes to be cuddled and expects to have the #1 spot in his momma's arms. Adelie is the dominant cat. She's playful and needy. They are all 7 years old.

It's often hard for our resident cats when we bring in a foster. But we use APA's methods to introduce them slowly (after Jill goes through an quarantine period in our study). This went so smoothly with little Jill, but no one was fast friends. As time has gone by, its been interesting to watch their tentative friendships unfold.

Jill is definitely welcoming & friendly to strange cats. She has no hostility and is not bothered by new felines. My cats were bothered by her; she was not bothered by them. Even when my cats hissed at her, Jill just ignored them. She wouldn't even change course - she'd just walk by! I admired her spunk. Bug was peeved. His hiss should be viewed as the most ferocious thing in the world, right??? With time, my cats got curious in her...except for Bug. Jill loves to cuddle almost as much as him and he won't come near me if Jill is there. This leaves him in a puzzling cuddle deficit...

Adelie was the first to really begin to become interested in Jill. One day I was watching TV and Jill was sitting next to me. Adelie jumped up into my lap and invited herself into the snuggle pile. She sniffed Jill...Jill was nice back. Adelie (who looooooves to groom people and other cats) tentatively licked her. Jill was a little worried - was this a hostile poke or a nice lick? but let Adelie continue...Adelie got more into it when she realized she was allowed to groom Jill. By the third lick, Adelie was pleased that Jill was being sweet, and Jill burst into appreciative purrs. Now those two girls can regularly be seen sleeping together on the couch. They don't cuddle up together, but they sleep within a foot of each other. A big step after such a short time!

Bug took one claw-free swat at Jill one time. Right in front of me (tactical error!) She looked at him like he was crazy and continued about his business. But the next time he tried to give her a stink face, she hissed at him, one time. It was enough. Since she stood her ground, simply and firmly, I regularly catch him sleeping on the bed with Jill when I am not home. The don't sleep close together, but they are still sharing the same space. He quickly gets up if he sees me coming - like he doesn't want to get caught. But I am on to him...