May Fourth

 "May The Fourth Be With You"...

We really need to make a new graphic for today.  Why?  Well, it's old.  But also because...

Today is Lapis Lazuli's (Laz) 3rd Gotcha Day here.  What a mess he was then...  Trembling, frightened, traumatic due to his first couple years with pit bulls and grabby kids (most of you know the story, but new visitors don't).  

Laz seems to have healed mentally.  These days he doesn't bother Ayla (I've seen them nose-sniff and walk past each other peacefully).  Lori has helped soothe his troubled mind for the past 18 months.  I continue to give him special attention (as I do all The Mews but they don't realize that).  But with Laz, it is a bit different.  He is still a little nervous sometimes; but it is so much less.  I think some memories have faded.

He adores being outside (and he and Lori are never far apart there (as in indoors).  I suspect being able to engage in natural cat activities has also helped him a lot.  He is happy to wander around in the fenced backyard hunting mousies and watching squirrels.  

He comes in when called, which means he likes me and the house (and it isn't always for dinner).  He is happy inside too.  He does something I can only call "the flop".  Marley sits on my lap and my newspaper.  Ayla calls to me for attention whenever I walk into the bedroom.  Lori stands on hindlegs and stretches up for scritchies.  Laz "flops".  That's his request for attention.  Previously fur rubs, but lately for chin scritchies.  Thats almost the only time he actually purrs.

So some early pictures...

He "hid" on the Mews Room platform tree...

And napped in the little cave at the base.

When I oped the door after a couple days, Marley greeted him nicely and they sniffed nosies.

But Laz did prefer to stay alone for days.

I think "alone" meant "safety" to him.

But he did like the room itself.  Maybe it was the first safe place he had ever had.

I went in one day and couldn't find him.  He had made a great leap to the top of the bar.

And felt really safe up there.   

When he finally came out of The Mews Room after a week, he liked the computer room chair.  

And finally, when he came out into the house, he found a box with a folded towel. He immediately settled into it.

That was Laz's first week here.  When he met Ayla, he attacked her (seeking a position in a multicat household).  You all know about that hard year.  But he has calmed down.  Ayla wanders around more freely now

So cheers to Laz on his 3rd Gotcha Day!  May his old memories fade further and someday trouble him no longer.  He has become a Good Cat.  

    ---------

If some manager wants to add Laz's Gotcha Day to the calendar, that would be good...  😻