Percival Unbound

Percival came out of the library to meet his roommates last evening. It was a very interesting hour.

He was not reluctant to emerge. Perce is a confident fellow, but neither is he over-confident or arrogant. He walked about the apartment, going everywhere, checking everything out. He was happy about being free of the library, and his tail was well up the entire time. He especially liked the views through the glass door to the concrete ditch.

He found the toys fun. He battled the Kick-a-roos and wrestled with the elongated ball on the cylinder-house cat-tree. Not every animal finds that appendage amusing.

His reactions to the other cats was the most intriguing aspect of his time out. He had almost no interest in them at all. He acknowledged that they were there, but it didn’t matter to him. The most interest he showed was a brief sniff at Neville’s tail when the Nevsky was on the floor.

The perma-cats (and for convenience Imogen is included in their number for now) were more attentive to the newcomer than he to them. Renn followed Percival into the sitting room. Eventually, the two ended up on the carpetted ledge under the glass door. The door was open to the screen; I thought the outside scents would prove a distraction. They were about two feet apart; Renn emitted his usual interloper-inspired low growl – which never ends in anything more aggressive than his retreat – but Perce seemed bemused by it. Then Renn left.

Neville cared so little for Percival’s presence that he came down from the cat-tree at one point and lie in his usual spots: by the ottoman in the sitting room and by the bedroom door. It was in the sitting room that Perce sniffed his tail. Neville made a small comment but remained where he was.

Imogen’s response is the most extreme, though ‘extreme’ hardly fits it. She has hissed at the latest cat and, for the most part, kept her distance. Yet, like Renn, she deliberately follows him and watches. Though she clearly doesn’t like the addition, neither is she entirely put off by it. Her reaction toward me has been a relief: after Perce went back in the library, and even while he was out, Miss Silky rubbed up against me and enjoyed head-rubs. She seemed to view me as some assurance against the intruder. She is hopefully unchanged by this latest challenge.

Percival is out again as I write. Reactions are the same as last night. I think what will be is of immeasurable assistance in Percival’s integration is the fact that he appears to be much more people-oriented than cat. Things may change but, as a friend pointed out, Perce’s responses so far to the others are similar to how I described his interactions with the feral colony where I first saw him: indifference to the other cats, and an emphasis on people. Unless that changes, the latest resident at the Cosy Apartment may have an easy time of his integration.