aloof cat becomes friendly! (yaaaaaaaay!!!!)

Our 3 yr. old female has never been very social. She'll let you pet her, but only on HER terms, and never for very long. She doesn't like being handled and clipping her nails was always a 2 person job (ever since we got her at 8 weeks old). She very rarely purrs. But for the last 2 months or so, she's done a near 180 degree switch. She's friendly now. She'll cuddle with you at least once a day, she PURRS!!! and she will let you do her nails while she dozes (she'll twitch her foot every once in a while, but doesn't take off at a dead run like she used to) IT'S WONDERFUL!! I was sitting crouched on the floor a few nights ago, and she waltzes right up to me and curls up in my lap. Although her definition of "curl up" is jump up on your lap, select orientation and softness of thigh, then flop, and just hope you have a free hand to keep her from sliding right off! Then she's bury her nose in your armpit, make a deep sigh and off she goes to la-la land. Meanwhile, both your arms are occupied with holding on to her. We're holding our breath that this change is a permanent one!!!

That is very exciting! I'm happy for you. I have an aloof kitty I'm hoping that happens too. I see improvements from when I first got her but there's room for more! Of course any way it turns out... I'll love her anyway!

We've seen a similar change in Suzy, who is just past 4. She was never a particularly affectionate, cuddly, demonstrative cat, and after the disappearance of her sister (at 11 mos) became even less so. She spent more and more time outside, and it actually got to the point where we counted ourselves lucky if we saw her for a few minutes every four or five days. We were recording "Suzy sightings" on the calendar, just to keep track of when she had last been seen, so we'd know if she was away longer than "usual".

And then -- ZAP -- just about mid-summer, I guess, all of a sudden she was home. We were recording "Suzy sightings" EVERY day, several times a day. She was sleeping on our bed, in the livingroom, in the study, on the ironing board. AND, this little miss, who had been quite disinterested in human attentions, was looking for scritches, brushes, petting; not irritated when some dumb ol' human presumed to interrupt her snooze to say hello -- far from it, she was responding with friendly eyes, and hand licks.

Yes, she goes out -- usually after supper for an hour or so, but that's about it. This will never be a mushy kitty, but the turnaround is phenomenal, and utterly delightful. It's like the prodigal has returned from her travels. I know just what you mean about hoping that the change is permanent!!

*Clapping* Great to hear of the progress being made! I know how good it feels when they purr and cuddle with you, and you feel like the best cat parent in the world. I am sure it will continue for you.