Minuet and the Threshold

Slowly, Minuet is growing accustomed to the other cats here. I am now allowing them to invade her sanctum – the library – for short periods, now and then. I don’t want her to feel insecure, but then again, she needs to interact with the others sooner or later, and the library must be open to all, eventually. The oldsters don’t seem to trouble her much; it may be the proximity of age. Renn likes to use her litter-boxes, which she does not mind.

Madame is also coming out of the library more. Her forays usually are of very short duration and she does not go far. I worried about her meeting the exuberant youngsters, but she has found a way of dealing with their forwardness. She emerged from the library a few days ago and was seen by Hector. My dark knight hastened toward her and I prepared to stop him. But Minuet let go one of her harsh and grating protests, like a particularly ill-tempered banshee, and Hector stopped in his tracks, turned about and trotted away. I think she would have clobbered him if he had come within paw-range.

Then, today, Auric observed Min in the corridor. He too hurried toward her, only to be greeted by another angry wail, like Donald Sutherland at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The Golden Boy halted, looked one way, looked another way, and decided to visit the litter-boxes instead.

I can’t guarantee that Madame will be able to take care of herself, so I will continue to open the library door only when I am present. She and I have become friends, and she seems always glad to see me. She frequently gets up from where she is lying when I offer to pet her and walks to my hand, and she will lean into it for attention. There is far to go but we are in no hurry. She is a permanent guest in the Cosy Apartment, not available for adoption, so she has all the time she needs to adjust. So far I am satisfied with her progress.