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End of June/Early July – Cali has been spending more and more time out of the bedroom! She likes to sit on the stairs and watch what is going on. But she’s also been coming down more often to eat or explore a bit. She seems to have a secondary safe space, under the couch in my office. She also occasionally plays with a puff ball.

Unfortunately she also seems to have some bare patches on her arms and one on her stomach. I’m guessing it’s anxiety over grooming. But we have an appointment Thursday to find out for sure. All I can think of is the noise of the ACs. Or the fact that she’s being brave and coming out, so grooms to soothe herself.

I’ve been trying to pet Henry whenever we do Churu and that seems to be working. He seems to expect it (doesn’t immediately flinch away) and while he doesn’t necessarily like it, he seems to tolerate it. I’ve pet his head, and back, and even his paws and stomach. Trying to get him used to humans touching him so I can eventually cut his claws and so the vet can examen him.

July 5 – This morning, I pet him twice while we were in bed (no churu!).

July 9 – Well. The vet gave me gabipentin to give Cali ahead of time. One 12 hours before appointment and one two hours before the appointment. She was finicky about it but I managed the one the night before. It was buried in tuna and wet food, then topped with churu. And I had to spoonfeed it to her. The next morning, she was on to me and not eating anything. Getting her into the carrier was a very stressful ordeal. I cried at least once. We got her there at least. Luckily, the dose from the night before was enough for her to be examined. And…likely just stress. It was already growing back so was either stress or allergies. Of course now I had to put her under more stress just to get the diagnosis. But at least I won’t worry that it’s something else. I think I need the anti-anxiety meds next time.

July 13 – Woke up to Cali and Henry in my bed! And then Gwen joined us. So happy. We went down for breakfast and churu and Cali came down with us (she usually sneaks to the stairs while I’m opening the cans). We did churu on the floor rather than on the stairs. And she even got up on the couch.

July 21 – The cutest thing this morning. All three cats were out and about. Henry went into the cat tunnel. He jumped out to scare Gwen, as he does a lot. And accidentally scared Cali, who took off running. Poor Henry stuck his head out and 100% looked like he was saying “oh no!” As he looked in her direction. He slowly came out and meowed in the direction she ran. Then slowly walked to her. It completely seemed like he was saying “I’m sorry, come back”.

July 23 – She was on my daughter’s bed with Gwen, and Henry was on a bench in her room.

She’s been sleeping on the first floor quite a bit. I sometimes come down in the morning and find her on the chair in the living room or on a chair at the kitchen table. So happy she doesn’t feel the need to hide away as much.

I’m actually surprised by the kitchen chair choice. It’s very much in the middle of everything and has blind spots. She also spends some time in the tall cat tree I have upstairs by a window. That also makes me happy since when she came here, she was very much a “floor cat”. I think being on the floor gives her a sense of safety, that she can just run away quickly. So I’m happy to see her brave enough to get higher.

Since the vet appointment, she did overgroom again, so I’m pretty sure it’s stress. It seems to happen when either there’s a lot going on at home (air conditioners, or people, or noises) or when she has a big brave moment. It grows back, so it’s not a constant thing. Per the vet, I’ll keep an eye on it and call them if it gets bad.

She looks a lot more cat-like now. I don’t know really how to explain that, except she has more often normal cat postures and normal cat face. Again, all good signs that she is settling in.

And I know this was largely a Cali update, but that’s because Henry had mostly already settled in. Not a lot new with him, except I sneak in the occasional pet. He seems to tolerate it more and more. He’s very curious and doesn’t at all seem afraid of anyone or anything, including the vacuum! He’s such a BOY, in that he fearlessly gets himself into trouble. He also LOVES to chew on cardboard boxes. He completely chewed off a flap and one side of a box. I figure it’s like brushing his teeth, so I let him. In case you ever wonder why there are bits of cardboard everywhere. He doesn’t eat it, just bites it, rips it off, and spits it out.

Gwen seems to have accepted her new companions. She and Henry will groom each other, which eventually leads to play fighting, then back to grooming. She no longer blocks the stairs to Cali. And as I said earlier, they were in bed together earlier (where Gwen used to hiss and scare Cali off).

All in all I think things are going very well and I can finally see a future where life is “normal” here. Well, as normal as it can be with three black cats.

Cali playing on the stairs, close up of Henry’s adorable face, all three on my bed (ignore the clutter), all three playing on the stairs, Gwen and Henry snuggled up next to me on the couch, Cali snooping from the stairs, and Gwen and Henry playing in a Chewy box.