Or as I like to think, Mr. L is now completely outnumbered by females.
As I mentioned earlier, we have a new addition to our family, a cute little calico named Pumpkin. And I need to make something clear, if you saw Mr. L and I at Target last weekend buying a baby gate for "our kids", please don't rejoice (or panic) that we are suddenly going to be parents of children...we were buying the baby gate for our cats.
We had read the best way to introduce two new cats to each other was to install a baby gate on the room where the new cat is being kept (our spare bathroom). After a week of Tiggher sniffing the door we put the baby gate on, opened the door and let the two cats see each other. There was sniffing, paws on either side being put through the gate, but no hissing. After a few days of this (and feeding each cat on either side of the gate) we decided it was time to set Pumpkin free.
The first day there was much chasing and pouncing. Tiggher really had no clue what this new play toy was but she seemed to like it. I think they played with each other until they were both exhausted. The two of them sound like a herd of elephants running up and down the stairs chasing each other. First Tiggher chases Pumpkin down the stairs, then Pumpkin chases Tiggher up the stairs. Tiggher still sleeps with us, she still takes naps on our laps, but she's very aware that this thing that moves is around. Right now she seems to keep one eye open for Pumpkin.
Pumpkin is settling in nicely. She's still a bit skittish at times, but she learned right away that our bed is the most comfortable place to take a nap in the sun. She's learned where the little cat beds we've scattered around the house are, when feeding time is, that we regularly toss ice on the floor for Tiggher to chase, and that Tiggher tends to leave a little tid-bit of wet food in her bowl after being fed.
It was important for us that Tiggher accept Pumpkin and that she know that we weren't replacing her, just adding a new member to our family. We had no clue how long that would take and we were prepared for acceptance of Pumpkin to take months. Today though, made us realize that the two of them are probably going to be okay together. It wasn't that both cats were napping in the kitty condo this morning, but what happened this afternoon as Mr. L and I were getting ready to head out for a walk.
Tiggher had plopped herself on our bed in a prime spot in the sun. Pumpkin jumped up and plopped herself down right next to Tiggher. Then we watched as Tiggher put a paw on Pumpkin and started licking her.
And of course, like a proud mom, I cried.