He is truly a Prince of Cats.
And I say this despite the fact that he wanted me to get up and let him roam around at three in the morning.
Before last night, I had been thinking that maybe Mother would come to visit Cat in the guest room, where he could feel safe and secure.
This morning when I moved to the door, he followed me. It was a lot noisier than last night, and he started to have second thoughts a few yards along the corridor, but he didn’t protest when I picked him up and carried him down to Mother’s flat. She was delighted to see him.
He was round eyed and scared; ignoring us, looking for dark corners to hide in. Maybe it was because Mother kept calling him a dog. I put a note on the door so that the carers would know he was there.
I told Mother that if we were calm and quiet he would settle.
She sat on the sofa and followed him with her eyes.
I broke the calm when he leapt onto the kitchen counter. It’s designed to accommodate people in wheelchairs so lower than most, but it’s years since he’s jumped on the counter at home. My “No!” was probably heard across the county. It worked anyway.
Sure enough he soon started to make himself at home. I’m sure he recognised Mother’s smell. He stayed at her old house a lot. When he jumped up and sat beside her on the sofa, she beamed.
The first carer came in and Cat, who was by this time asleep behind the sofa, enjoying the underfloor heating, snoozed on.
I swear as the day went on he started to enjoy the attention and admiration. Carers came in, he narrowed his eyes as they paid him compliments, allowed himself to be stroked and petted.
I even left him with Mother for a couple of hours while I raced off to see Aunt and get some shopping. When I got back, he was asleep on the largest chair and Mother was having forty winks in bed. Unusually, there was no evidence that she had moved anything about while she’d been on her own.
While we had supper, he went outside. I deliberately did not follow him, but kept a close eye. He seems to be bolder if I am chaperoning him, and I wanted him to stay close. After a few short explorations, he was sufficiently relaxed in his surroundings to dig a toilet. Hurrah! Less litter tray emptying for me.
We had another perambulation when it was time to relocate to the guest room, and he had his first ride in a lift. He took it in his stride. A member of staff who had just come on duty stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him sitting in the corridor. Another carer laughed, and told her he was a visitor not a trespasser. Cat promptly stood up, his tail up straight and confident and walked over to them.
He truly amazes me. I don’t know how many cats would be as adaptable as he is, to take on two houses and a boat as additional territories. The cattery owners described him as pretty well-balanced a while ago.
I think they are on the right lines, but he’s more than well-balanced.
I’d say he is a little furry hero.
Isobel (and Cat)'s Blog 
I’m most impressed by what he takes in his stride and I love the picture of him striding out down the hall. So positive that your Mother enjoyed his visit and it appeared to calm her.
Most cats I have known would be quite nervous about different environments. When I moved into this house, Sophie stayed upstairs under the bedcovers for the first month when I was out of the house. She then progressed to sitting at the top of the stairs and took about 3 months to range around the house when I wasn’t in.
Absolutely Sophie.
Aunt, who was talking to on the ‘phone a few minutes ago, says he is an exceptional cat, that most cats would hide and be scared. She has had cats before. They had to be robust characters as she ran children’s homes. I’ve never had a cat before, But he stunned me. To say I am proud of him is an understatement. Seeing him with Mother, witnessing her enjoyment at his being in her flat was wonderful.
My favourite pic is of Cat looking very comfily asleep on the sofa. He sounds perfectly behaved, Isobel. Good idea to take him to visit your mother! 🙂
Looks like a sofa, but is in fact a very big chair!
I’m pleased it got better, Isobel, having just read your previous post about the Great Clear UP.
Yes, Cat is most certainly the star of the show. Your mother looks so interested and engaged by him.
So delighted it worked out well. Well done to both of you.
oops please delete superfluous “was” in first line above.
Thanks.
Done!
Thanks Araminta. It’s quite exciting. If I can bear to carry both Cat and a litter tray as well as whatever else I need to take to Mother’s, it means he can accompany me from the boat and especially in the summer, that could work really well. I’d also be happy to stay in the guest room again for a couple of nights.
Amazing Cat.
Gently pull his ears for me, would you?
He’s the best.
I’ll pull his ears and scratch his chin, and let him disturb my sleep. He’s worth his weight in gold.
That was last night’s post. I’ll gradually get up to date. But now it’s time for bath and bed.
Sweet dreams.