Wee Hours

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In the wee hours of the night, our little basement cat has been claiming the living room as her new territory. Once daylight hits, though, she's usually back downstairs, retreating to the space she's always considered safe.

More and more, she's been venturing upstairs, playing with her toys, tossing them high into the air, and somehow managing to lose them on top of the piano or the dining room table. They're all wonderful signs that she's finally settling in and feeling at home. She no longer runs from us when we walk down the stairs, and it's not unusual to find her on the couch, peacefully napping.

It will be exciting to see the progress she makes by the one-year mark. Maybe by then we'll even be able to pick her up! I'm not sure she's explored any of the bedrooms yet, but it's only a matter of time before she expands her territory even further.

She's still not a fan of any room with a television on and won't go anywhere near the tv even if its on mute. I'm not quite sure what that's about, but it has certainly limited the amount of TV Tim and I watch in the basement family room. I always have a television on when I go to bed, setting the sleep timer because I'm guaranteed to fall asleep within minutes, so I don't expect her to make an appearance in our bedroom anytime soon.

Then again, maybe one of these days she'll surprise us and jump up onto the bed. I'm not holding my breath, but stranger things have happened.

At least we can't complain about a cat waking us up in the middle of the night demanding food or attention. Our cat makes no demands at all. In fact, I suspect she's still surprised that humans can be kind and that food appears regularly in a bowl just for her. She seems to appreciate every meal, every treat, and every small comfort that comes her way.

She's got several cozy beds, dozens of toys, and more affection than she probably knows what to do with. I doubt she's even aware of how spoiled she could be! 

We've had her for six months now, and while the progress has been slow, it has also been steady. Considering we didn't lay eyes on her for almost the first three months she lived with us, every step forward feels like a victory. We'll gladly celebrate each new milestone, no matter how small. Watching her come out of her shell has taught us that trust can't be rushed, it has to be earned. And when it finally arrives, it's always worth the wait.

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." ~ Aesop