Don’t worry!  I’m not going to tell you the story of my life one day at a time!  But I will let you know about my first few weeks in my new home because it’ll tell you a lot about living with cats.

 

We cats don’t really like big changes, but if big changes have to happen – which they sometimes do, we like to be able to ease into them.  Number one big changes for us are moves.  We are very territorial which means, we like to map out our space and claim it as our own and not have to change it too much.  We get to know it thoroughly.  We know all the little nooks and crannies, all the smells, where all the resources are (food, water, elimination areas, where we get the best seats in the house, the best views and vantages of our world.  This is all vital information for survival in case we have to run, hide or fight in an instant.  (We are still after all, basically tigers in smaller form!)  So, if we have to move, be patient with us – it’s a very stressful time; and don’t let us outside in a new place because we will immediately try to figure out how to get back to our old place!  We need time to adjust to our new home and reclaim our territory.

 

Another big change for us that takes getting used to is when new members (be they human or animal) come to live in OUR space.  So, Charlie and Sybil were understandably very curious about the new noises and smells coming from the small room in the basement following my arrival.  They sniffed under the door and I sniffed from my side and we were all able to get a lot of information about each other that way.  Charlie is an older male cat which meant I’d likely have to watch my step around him. Sybil was closer to my age, a young female cat which meant we’d likely be more on even ground socially speaking that is!  I also had a steady stream of humans that came in to admire me because my markings are quite distinctive (and beautiful if I might say so myself!).  There were boy and girl humans coming in all the time to cuddle with me (though I’m not much for that – too much to do). 

 

Then, the big day arrived and the door to my room was left open for me to explore the rest of the basement and to meet, face to face and paw to paw, my new feline family.