Cats are enigmatic creatures. Most are aloof while a few are surprisingly people lovers. They’re picky about who they allow into their inner circle of feline friends.
In a family, members may compete to come out on top and be the one the cat gravitates toward. Just because someone regularly feeds a cat and has the stinky job of cleaning out the litter box doesn’t necessarily mean that person will be the one a cat prefers.
They’re independent critters and believe they don’t need people. Sure, they love a good ear scratch or an under the chin rub. But the next second they’re hissing and swatting at you.
Cats are moody. They are curious. Cats are slightly crazy. They are affectionate but on their terms.
Dr. Jessica Vogelsang has a cat named Apollo who lives in a bustling house full of dogs and kids. When her sister stayed with them, she wasn’t a cat fan.
And Apollo sensed that… The mischievous guy couldn’t help but mess with her.
He glued himself to her sister and wouldn’t leave her alone.
“Apollo would be pleasant enough to cat lovers, but he thrived on being with ailurophobes. The more they were threatened by him, the more allergic they were to cat dander or grossed out by the sight of a feline licking his hind end, the more Apollo was determined to do that on their lap.”
Grace was rescued from an animal shelter several years ago and is considered an independent cat by her mom Jeannie Seiler-Laderer.
“Grace is a very friendly cat, but she does like to keep her distance. She wants to snuggle on her own terms, but on her terms only.”
When Jeannie became pregnant, she wondered how Grace would handle the arrival of a new baby. Not all cats fall in love with noisy, crying, sticky babies. Out of their three cats, Grace was the one she figured would stay as far as away from the new baby as she could.
As soon as they walked in the door with Baby Jensen, Grace ignored him. Just as everyone figured.
But then, something happened. Grace fell in love and found her hooman.
“It took a solid six weeks for Grace to realize the baby is a new human and that she favored him. She follows him EVERYWHERE now.”
Even stranger is that Grace became quite protective of Baby Jensen, almost like a guard dog if she were bigger.
“When we go to leave, she blocks the door, so we have to try to hold her back so she doesn’t try to come with us. When we come home, she’s the first one to greet us at the door, and before she couldn’t have cared less.”
The second Baby Jensen crashes for naptime or bedtime, Grace is right there, ready to cuddle. It’s now one of her favorite things to do, to have human contact with Jensen. Thankfully, Jensen doesn’t mind at all.
“During all of Jensen’s naptimes, she has to be curled up next to him or on him, especially during his evening naps. They cuddle together during just about all of his naps, and also she’s been trying to sneak into his bassinet in the morning to also cuddle with him, but for safety reasons we have to keep her out.”
Never did Jeannie image that the detached cat they brought into their home as a beloved rescue would latch onto the new baby with such fervor.
“We were so surprised with how much she loved him because for the longest time, we just never thought she had her specific person. When she was bored, or lonely, she would go seek out someone to love on her but it was never anyone specifically. Now she always seeks out Jensen.”
How absolutely adorable is this particular pairing of a socially distant cat and her super cute buddy Baby Jensen? They’ll undoubtedly be best friends as Jensen grows older.