Crouching Tyger Hidden Lilly

I first must give a huge thank you to my Chocolate Bunny (insider) for such a wonderful title!

Tyger Lilli

I have two cats. Tyger Lilli & Lilly. They are unrelated and at times have difficulty relating to each other and they couldn't be more different. I was bamboozled by Tyger Lilly to bring her home when she was 6 months old and living in an animal shelter (she is quick witted, mischievous, has a an interesting sense of humor and an affinity for bacon and fried chicken); a year later I thought (foolishly) that she was lonely and needed a companion as I was frequently not home attending to my life beyond my four walls.

 I found a picture of Lilly hanging on a utility pole one day while I was out and immediately felt my heartstrings tug as I read about her rescue from the streets, her difficult birthing of kittens when she was still just a kitten herself and the fact that the woman who rescued her could not keep her for fear that her 5 cats (yes 5) would beat her up...or something like that.

Lilly

I made plans to meet Lilly and her present owner soon thereafter and was taken aback as I witnessed the most scared animal I had ever come across. Not to mention Lilly's living arrangements were a bit questionable- the woman's house was very clean but she kept Lilly sequestered away from the other cats in a tiny bathroom where I presume she ate, slept, and relieved herself- the only contact she had with others was about once or twice a day when the owner would go in door closed and spend time petting her and talking with her, I raised an eyebrow at the description of Lilly's life. I do believe the woman had good intentions and thought that Lilly's isolation was necessary for her own safety, however, that left any new owner with quite an interesting task (as I would learn first hand) anyhoo in spite of Lilly's downright nasty disposition (clinically I knew that fear many times manifests itself as anger and aggression although I had up until this point only encountered this phenomena with people, I was undeterred) I figured Lilly needed a loving home, space, and I must admit I had fantasized about her and Tyger Lilli becoming the best of friends...you know...like in the YouTube videos and those cutesy emails.

Think again genius!(is what I said to myself many times over) Upon entering her new home Lilly promptly found the stairs ran up them found a corner and hid in it, all before Tyger Lilli got a chance to introduce herself or I was able to give her the grand tour. When we finally located our new addition she was shaking like a leaf and hissing...after speaking in loving tones for a few minutes and being met with more hissing, I informed her matter of factly that this was her home now and she should get used to it (funny I never thought about taking her back)

Fast Forward to present day (two or three years since her first day) it has been an interesting dynamic to watch unfold. Lilly is actually a very affectionate cat but it took me at least a year to find that out and she is just beginning to find new places to hide although she still has not ventured down the stairs...ever. As for her relationship with Tyger Lilli - it too is evolving and I am noticing that when I am home Tyger Lilli (who acts more like a dog than a cat most of the time) will split her time between me and Lilly- I have even caught them just hanging out together in their room...all peaceful like.

So the saga continues but at least it seems to have been one of healing, learning to trust again and friendship- the ups and the downs. Perhaps they will have their YouTube moment after all. One can dream...


CL

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