I Seem To Be Lily's "2nd Best" Mom!

Lily (at her other home)

Or maybe not even that!

We've had the kittens over a week now. Pete has settled right in. He's always hanging around (unless he's off somewhere asleep). He loves to sit on my lap (which is where he is right now, sleeping; oh by the way, he snores!) He is edging closer and closer to Lucy; he'll plop right down on the floor next to her bed (I'm sure sooner or later he'll be on the bed with her). At night, he'll jump up onto the bed (on occasion) and cuddle up with Mr. B, or me, I guess whomever is closest to where he jumped up at!

Lily, though, we'll, she's another story.

It's not that she's unfriendly, she just isn't very cuddly. When she is hungry, she'll come downstairs and DEMAND to be fed. She will tolerate being petted (I think she prefers to be approached rather than approaching herself). She has, from time to time, jumped into my lap (but she pretty much jumps right out of it). Yesterday she did follow me around some (but that is only because I had the "string shirt" on; a pullover I have that has ties at the bottom and top that dangle down. I can tell you, many, many kitties and cats have played with these strings!) She does hang around downstairs and play; usually in the morning and then at night. Sometimes she'll go back upstairs when she's done and others she'll go curl up on the leather couch. But, she NEVER wants to cuddle with me (or Mr. B, for that matter).

When she plays, she's funny. She growls at her toys (her favorites are these little puff ball things) and carries them around in her mouth. She will play with you if you tempt her. She interacts just fine with her brother and tolerates the dog (doesn't run away from her but isn't interested in getting too close). She mostly loves to sit inside Lucy's food bowl.

When we're upstairs getting ready for bed, she may hop onto the bed to play (with the bookmark Analee made me; she (and Pete) LOVE the pink ribbon!) but she never stays. In fact, she sleeps under the bed (this reminds me of poor Clyde) OR up in the perch. Pete, as I already mentioned, won't sleep on the bed all night, but he will crash with us for long periods of time.

She likes to follow you into the bathroom (as does Pete) so getting ready in the morning is "fun" for Mr. B (today he had to shoo her out of the shower) and she'll usually come in to see what I'm up to as well.

I've never had a girl kitty before so at first I wondered if it was just the difference between boy and girl kitties. My Father said she might be allowing Pete to get more attention because she's being "maternal" towards him (let him have the love, I'll sacrifice). He also said female cats are "divas". Well, she sometimes acts like a diva, but, you'd think she'd be trying to hone in on the attention Pete brings on himself if that were the case.

This past Saturday I took the towel we'd borrowed back to their foster mom, Christy. She said, "Oh, I hope you're experiencing how sweet they are, especially Velma! She just loved to be carried around and, the last few nights they were here, she slept cuddled up to my side!"

Say what? Are we talking about the same kitten?

I said to her, "Well, Pete is definitely very friendly and loving, but, Lily seems sort of stand-offish".

To which she said "She was the last one to "come around" when we introduced them to our cats. I gave her a lot of extra special attention from the beginning; I just took to her, I guess".

I suppose the bottom line here is; I think Lily misses her "other" mom. And, she has a lot of new things to get used to; me, Mr. B, Lucy, a new home/environment, different way of doing things, etc.

I sure hope she comes around, though! I feel bad for her but on the other hand, I don't want to "force" myself on her, either. I would, though, like to see this sweet little kitty Christy kept telling me about!

Any ideas/suggestions?

Mrs. B