Movie-night with Iago

I like movie-night in the Cosy Apartment for a number of reasons. One is that it gives me and a new cat a chance to get to know one another. I close the door and he and I are alone. I can gauge how he reacts to me, a stranger; how far he needs to come in socialising with strangers; how he shows anxiety, affection, curiosity. There is of course no wrong thing that a cat can do in such a situation. Nonetheless, it is always pleasing when a cat shows that he is the trusting kind, the sort who wants to be friends and isn’t too wary of a new human.

Iago and I watched a film last night, and he decided to give me a try. He sat on top of the carpetted bookcase for a while. I urged him repeatedly to join me on the couch, and eventually – probably in spite of my urging, rather than because of them – he descended Min’s cat-tree, walked down an arm of the couch and lie beside me. From there, he decided to test my lap.

Iago lie on my lap for about fifteen minutes, purring for most of the time. Then, he moved off and lie on the soft blue blanket beside me. I liked that because it told him that here was a comfy spot for him, if he wanted it. He is not a frightened fellow, and, I think, is eager to make friends, though not incautious about it. He meets me at the library door when I bring him his soft-food meals.

He dislikes his legs being touched, though this may be something that will be overcome, once he grows acquainted with me. However, I have noticed that he has a slight problem with one of his rear legs, the right, I believe, in that it sometimes causes him to stumble. It does not appear to hurt him, and may be an old injury. He also has two tiny pink nodules, one on the rim of his left ear, the other behind it. All these concerns will be addressed at the veterinary hospital Tuesday.

For now, though, Iago has made good progress, and will make more.