Just about all of you have asked about it, and for those who haven’t, I’m sure you’re wondering.
How are the two furry members of our family handling the arrival of Alexander?
In short, they’re ambivalent, but overall things are good.
We were definitely concerned about how Alexander would respond to the felines, and vice versa. When Alexander first came home, we watched for immediate signs of allergy– that was one of our biggest concerns before China. I was fairly paranoid if our little man sneezed or rubbed his eyes, but now that he’s been home for several months and has inadvertently eaten his fair share of cat hair, I think we’re in the clear.
We tried to ease Alexander’s experience of his new pets by introducing them via little stuffed animals that are kept in his crib. I doubt if he sees the connection between the stuffed animals and the real thing, but as he becomes more able to interact with the cats, the stuffed animals will be good teaching tools.
Valentine posing next to who we call “Young Val”
Alexander is thrilled with his new pets. He squeals when he sees Benny and Valentine, and he responds positively with a distinct “la” when we say and sign the word “cat.” He loves to hear the cats meow, and now he crawls at top speed in an attempt to get close enough to one of them. We’re still working on being gentle with the cats, as Alexander’s attempt at petting them mostly ends with a handful of fur and a feline yelp.
From the cats’ perspective, we are surprisingly pleased with their initial reception and how they continue to adapt to our constantly changing little boy. We’ve heard about cats spraying or making a significant mess after a new baby arrives. I think we’ve been more than fortunate that Alexander rarely cries, and when he does it’s not that loud or high-pitched. The cats seem most irritated by Alexander’s increasing movement, but it hasn’t really discouraged them from trying to scope out this little boy. I do find it hysterical that when we put Alexander in his bouncer, the cats immediately emerge from whatever corner they’re in because the boy has been “contained.” They’ve also made a few attempts at “borrowing” Alexander’s toys– believe it or not, soft toys bear a strong resemblance to cat toys, minus the catnip!
Personality-wise, the cats have changed a bit, too. For those of you who have spent quality time with our black cat Benny, you know that he requires a lot of attention and affection. Alexander’s presence has mellowed him out quite a bit, though he is still fairly dramatic if Alexander is crying. (He yowls– we’re not sure if it’s sympathetic or in frustration from the noise!) Valentine, on the other hand, has become crazily affectionate with us. She was the free cat in our BOGO cat adoption because of her incredible shyness. Though it took almost three years for her to fully settle in, she’s gotten more affectionate in the last three months than the last three years. I think some of it is a bit of competition for attention, but in any case, we have a happier cat.
Benny is trying so hard to get in on the action.
Though the cats have been good sports so far, there is no doubt that at 8:01 PM after Alexander goes to bed, life is good. They love getting to spend quiet time with us, and I think that amount of normalcy for them has kept them in good spirits and willing to continue to adapt to the daytime changes.
We liked him better when he wasn’t crawling.
We really look forward to Alexander learning to interact with the cats more. As it is, Benny stays very close to Alexander. When out little guy learns to pet his new furry friend gently, I think we’ll have a match made in heaven!