Feline’s Progress

Rafter Rocco of the past

Rocco in one of his new hangs

When we last saw our hero, Rocco (duh), one short week ago today, he’d just emerged from his basement Rafter-ville, Garbo-esque semi-isolation and was back in magnificent Schmooze Beast form.

In these past days, apart from ONE episode, our fierce warrior prince has remained above ground. He hangs in the kitchen a lot but no longer hesitates to visit us in the living room. Yes. US! He’s no longer running in fear from The Amazing Bob (AKA The Cat Whisperer) — in fact, Rocco’s even allowing pats and chin skritches from our poor beleaguered TAB.

Our furry boy has picked out a few above ground hang spots:

• the pile of grocery bags stacked in a corner of the kitchen floor, next to a heating vent (smart fella)
• mystifyingly, my hard, wooden desk chair
• and occasionally, amazingly, he sits ON the couch!

 All this and he’s got a new bed. Months and months ago, I’d put an old fluffy blanket, all folded up, on the floor between TAB’s big easy chair and the couch. I thought it’d be a nice little day bed for Princess Coco. Eh, she never cottoned to it — after all, why sit on an impersonal bit of cloth when there are warm laps to be had?

Coco and her pet gryphon keep a close watch on our new housemate

Now when I’m up, rattling around in the middle of the night, Rocco can be found there snoozing away. I'm so proud of our former feral.

After 13 years of being an occasional porch visitor, then a regular and finally Veranda King, Rocco came inside. Four months later he’s out of the basement and, seemingly, all comfy on the northern front. If his acclimation to indoor life continues/escalates, how long will it be before TAB and I share our bed with two tuxedos, not just one?

He eats in the kitchen now. Always!

And how’s our princess doing with the big changes? Better. She’s no longer, according to TAB (designated hearer for our household), growling and hissing when Rocco’s in the same room. She hasn't, by any means, extended a warm welcome — no gift basket of Fancy Feast Shredded Tuna Fare and Temptations Mix Up Treats will be forthcoming — but she hasn’t swatted at him, chased him while yowling death threats or poisoned his Friskies Chicken in Sauce lately either. (OK, I don’t think she ever actually poisoned his brekkie but, quite possibly, while we slept, she whispered this potentiality to him.)

My full time gig now seems to be Cat Cosseter. That is, both our Tuxes are sadly insecure. They need near constant reassurance. Treats and a little kitty weed help.

I think that's a dandy prescription for us all.