Hi there, it’s Mom. Cats are said to have variety of characteristics depending on the breeds. Zoe is a mix of Norwegian Forest Cat and Maine Coon, both of seems matured and calm. Hugo is a genuine American Curl, which are playful and like people. The way that each of Zoe and Hugo fawns on me and Dad is different.
Zoe is good at understanding the atmosphere and fawns on me and Dad when she understands that we are ready for it. The way she stares at us tells that she fawns on us. Sometimes she kisses us on her nose. I am always fainted in agony by seeing her face with her eyes slightly closed when she kisses me. Dad makes it a rule to have time to cuddle her in a closed room every morning. That is the treasure time for them.
Dad likes to watch the cat documentary broadcasted by NHK and learns how to comfortably cuddle cats. So Zoe loves his cuddle. Every morning when she finds him awake, she trots toward him and jumps on the night table, and asks him for a cuddle. At first Hugo wanted to join them, but now leaves them alone as if he understands that the time is only for themselves.
Zoe looks a human daughter when she stays with Dad, but she also has a special relationship with me. She follows me wherever I am and watch over me. She stares at me when she has something for me to do. When she looks at me with some intention, I can see that she understands me. When she was left apart from me at the trimming salon, she immediately got ready for a fight and threatens the trimmer, and tried to run away.
I felt sorry for her after seeing that, I started to groom her by myself- trim the craws, brush her, trim the hair between the fingers and the vent. Zoe does not have too much dandruff and sebum, I decided not take her to a bath but wipe the body using the body sheet for cats. I brush her teeth with Dad (it needs two people). Some kinds of grooming are not what she likes, and those times she bites me with the molars. But I believe the grooming enhances the relationship between us. I whereas wonder why Dad is not bitten… maybe Dad is like a boyfriend for her.
Hugo seldom kisses us on his nose, but usually asks me for a cuddle by lifting my hand by his nose. At those times he walks across Dad’s knees and comes to me, as if he believes it is his right to fawn on people. He never understands the atmosphere; he does what he wants whenever he wants.
However, he cannot refuse my cuddle. As soon as I find that he is going somewhere, I start cuddling him. Then he changes his mind and decide to stay on my knee. He moves to my belly and starts to purr. Hugo also makes answers to me when I talk to him. The answers sometimes sound “krrr” and some others does like a silent “meow” with his mouth open like a kitten does.
When Hugo wants to be cuddled, he sometimes assigns the place, saying like “I want your cuddle here, Mom, see?” I wonder why he has such strong preference… When he does it he keeps steping back by staring at me. He is such a pampered baby.
The relationship between Hugo and Dad seems more or less difficult; it might be because they are male. sometimes they look to be in a tense atmosphere. At the same time, Hugo loves Dad’s hug. It might be because Dad is warmer and I as well as Hugo can look around from the height. Dad is in charge of Zoe and Hugo’s breakfast every morning and That is the time Hugo gets enthusiastic reception. Sometimes Hugo jumps on Dad sleeping and tries to wake him up asking for breakfast. Dad looks still fine though he is waken up in such a rough way 😉
Both Zoe and Hugo, having different ways of fawning, learned how to “effectively” fawn on is after becoming three years old. They became less enthusiastically fawning on us. I sometimes miss the days when they sticked around me, but a strong bonding made by spending many days is a symbol of a family, I believe.