Inchworm

When I think of Parker’s integration with the other beasts, the song “Inchworm”, sung by Danny Kaye in the phenomenally inaccurate but enjoyable film Hans Christian Andersen, comes to mind. The lyrics do not apply, really, but the slow, eventual movement of my foster-cat toward becoming accepted by his feline roommates reminds me of the song’s title creature.

Renn and Parker have sniffed noses several times and, though these sessions usually end in warnings from one cat or the other, they continue to smell each other. Tucker, meanwhile, is less apt to scurry away when the sturdy orange boy approaches. He still does it, and one cannot predict when he will and when he won’t, but it doesn’t happen all the time, and that is progress.

Also progress is Cammie’s attitude. She formerly spent the entire time that Parker was free from the library up at the top of a cat-tree. Now, she will visit the litter-box, go to the other rooms, and wait for the food-bowl to be placed at her disposal, even though our guest is lounging about. Parker has taken an interest in the princess and stared at her too long too many times for my liking, but I suspect that will pass. Josie still dislikes Parker.

So, inch by inch, we creep forward toward integration. As I’ve written before, time is with us. If this is as good as it gets, then so be it. But it wasn’t always this good, and I predict it will get better.