Yesterday was Day 21, the end of Week #3 since we brought The-Cat-Now-Known-As-Kali into her adopted home and introduced her to her new life. It was the week during which she finally asserted her right to a place in the household and began to make herself at home.

Week #1 was pretty much spent hiding under the futon in our spare room with the door safely closed most of the time, spotting by my security camera emerging only under cover of darkness.

Week #2 was when she learned to trust us, to come out when called to receive pets and food, to look out the windows to the outside world. Oh, and to occasionally play with catnip toys.

Week #3 was a time to venture out of her safe room and work out some kind of accommodation with Romeo, the last of our old guard. And yesterday, the end of the third week, Kali suddenly emerged to (mostly) take her rightful place.

This week’s Feline Friday photos are arranged in chronological order. Early in the week, it was still “upstairs downstairs,” with Kali in hiding under the futon in her safe room when Romeo was around. But she spent most of yesterday running from one room to another, mostly ignoring Romeo’s presence except when they occasionally came face to face.

At one point in the afternoon, Kali went missing. There is no way she could have escaped, so I knew she was somewhere to be found. Not in her normal safe place under the futon in the spare room. Not under our bed. Not hiding behind a toilet in either bathroom. Not in the living room, or under any chairs. Where was she? On my second or third pass through the house, I finally found her settled in on the high shelf in our small walk-in closet, above the row of clothes on hangers. She had deftly jumped from the floor to the top of the dresser at the back of the closet, then up to the top shelf where my pants are stacked. She seemed pleased with herself!

It’s been quite a few years since we’ve lived with a cat capable of jumping like that. Romeo can make it onto a chair, but can’t jump onto our bed any more. He has to wait to be lifted up to the bed.

Later, she and Romeo ate for the first time within a few feet of each other. Yes, I had staged the scene. Another milestone!

I am still not quite comfortable leaving the two of them unsupervised when we leave the house. But it seems like we’ll be there soon!
In any case, enjoy the photos! This week was also the first time I was able to take a camera in for a real photo session with her.