Acclimatizing Lily

I don't know how it feels for the cat, but for me, it seems like we've had her a lot longer than a mere two and a half weeks!  Telling the younger two numerous times throughout the day, "Don't pull her tail," "She doesn't like to be picked up,"  "Put her down," "Don't chase her," "Lily's scared," and "Honey, you can't pet her that way" has all gotten really old, really fast!  There's variation to those sentences and different volumes of my voice as I say them, depending on the intensity of what the kids are doing.  Perhaps the secret meaning behind my first cat "Tiptoes'" name - when I was under four in Kamloops - was that she had to sneak around quietly, away from me.  Lily's addition to the family is certainly keeping me on edge and I often see her skulking around during daylight hours when the kids are about. I never know what Ai and Iz are up to!   

Last week I dumped a nicely folded stack of laundry on the floor when I entered Ai's room a split-second before he closed his T-shirt drawer with Lily stuck down in the corner!  He must have inspired Iz, as I later found her peeking in her clothing wardrobe where I found a scared Lily tucked in her clothes.  I think the words, "Why did you do that?!" (and maybe a few others) escaped my mouth.  Then the vague memory of the Kamloops basement came to mind.  My Mom was doing laundry in the basement corner nearby while I stuck Tiptoes and the neighbour's cat together into a large doll house.  Not cool.  Their hisses got Mom's attention pretty quick.  

So I get the impulsive nature of (some) children - I have quite a few stories of my own ill-thought-out actions.  But all the same,  Lily and I aren't particularly enjoying the whims of my little tag team! Thankfully my ears heard the sound of the freezer closing the other day, which indicated a no-no.  The kids have explicit instructions not to open the downstairs freezer.  As I walked down the stairs, I heard Ai telling his willing accomplice, "Quick.  Pass the cat!"  I rounded the corner in time to see Iz passing Ai a scared cat with the intention of putting her inside the freezer!  Discipline was pretty swift on that one . . . 

Often they are sweet (or intend to be).  They definitely are thrilled to have her and like to tell strangers about Lily and what she likes to do.  She's extremely tolerant in what she puts up with and won't scratch them - though I wouldn't mind if she would!  She sometimes lets them come in for a cuddle and enjoys when they pull the string around for her to chase.  As expected, A has been more than fantastic with the cat and Lily has given her further opportunity to be the typical older sister:  "Mom!! Iz is sitting on Lily!!"  Because A and I both needed more opportunities to tattle on/reprimand "team trouble!"

Considering the major changes Lily has gone through in the past weeks after three years with a quiet bachelor, she has adjusted well.

In the evenings, she loves to chase the reflection of light that I shine on the walls and floors.  It's a nice way for me to sit while she exercises a bit.  We've had nice warm weather over the past week and initially, Lily wouldn't go anywhere near the open doors and found the noises outside terrifying.  Suddenly today, I found her out on the back porch exploring, then later today out in the front.  She's always been an inside cat and I may regret that I've given her the taste of freedom.  Tonight she was meowing to get out and took a run for the door when I went to put out the garbage!  I could think we've traumatized her and she wants out, but really, she's a chunky cat who's used to being alone in a small apartment all day.  I think she's embracing her inner cat, realizing there's a whole world out there.  She's not a super jumper, so I don't need to worry about her going over the fence, but I will need to figure out a way to block the area under the back gate.  I've meant to all winter anyway, to keep out the nasty alley cats (who've sprayed my bike trailer numerous times!).

Anyway, I think Lily is figuring things out.  I'm figuring things out, too.  Gone are the days I can make A's lunch and rush her out the door to catch the school bus without first putting the meat away.  Lily has enjoyed some tasty treats atop my oven and counters!! Gone, too, are the nights where I can leave my door open a crack so I can hear the kids call in the night.  At the slightest door crack, there will be a loudly purring kitty on the pillows.  And goodbye to the thought that I could ever go more than a week without a good solid vacuum.  Thanks to the new area rug I bought days before Lily, I now have the shedding of wool fibres and cat hair to deal with.  But for all this . . . there is something endearing about a cat's nudge on the leg and the mew to sit on one's lap.  Deep inside, I can't deny that I really love cats and thankfully, this one is growing on me.