Maybe they need therapy. Then again, when you’re in (stereotypical) therapy, you – the human bean – are lying on a couch, right?
So maybe living under the couch is Eloise & Lady Grey’s way of telling us they think we need therapy?
Whatever they’re trying to tell us, it isn’t “Life is swell and we’re so confident we could just dance the tarantella while singing U2 songs in Portuguese!”
Then again, far be it from me to decisively declare what any cat is or isn’t thinking. Heck, maybe a tarantella or two would help these sweet sad sacks.
As you can see, Eloise and Lady Grey (no relation to Mr. Grey) have made it quite clear they are not “ready for prime time.” The photos in this post are actually different pictures taken at different times, despite the fact that they look, well, identical. The fact is, this is how Eloise and Lady Grey always look. This is where we always find them. And, when confronted with a well-meaning, cooing human bean, this is how they always react.
Yep, these are another two of our “gotta-prove-that-we-love-’em-before-they’ll-emerge” felines. And, until we’ve suitably justified their trust, under the couch suits the girls just fine, thank you.
It’s not like you can blame them for being hesitant. Eloise and “LG” came from a house with approximately 40 cats, only to be whisked away, in their golden years, to this strange haven called Tabby’s Place. They’ve each had their share of hard knocks since getting here, too. For LG, that’s meant major dental issues and a hematoma in one ear. The older, elegant Eloise has faced even scarier shocks, culminating in a full chain mascectomy to remove supposed mammary cancer. And, all of this took place in the girls’ very first weeks at Tabby’s Place. So who can blame them for being so timid?
Their roomies, that’s who.
LG and Eloise just so happen to live with four of the friendliest, most exuberantly attention-adoring cats at Tabby’s Place. Cali and Lilly, the matriarchs of the “girls’ dorm room” that is Adoption Room 3, both love people fiercely, and will fight each other over a warm lap. (Fortunately, these two have a fan base to put the Jonas Brothers to shame, so they have plenty of laps available.) Cali is a marshmallow who never met a human bean she didn’t like. The same is true of Lilly…minus the “marshmallow” part. She once literally punched a nice old lady in the eye with a quick left jab (but I’m sure she had a good reason ;-)).
Dainty Jade is just about the cutest little head-butt champion you could ever meet, and Gabby lives up to her name with a musical meow and personality as soft as her snowy coat.
So it must be perplexing to this congenial quartet that their newest roomies prefer the subterranean life to human affection. Then again, it all works out well for Jade, Cali, Gabby and Lilly, as it means more cuddles and laps for them.
I can only hope that this constant parade of inter-species affection will someday be enough to convince Eloise and LG that we human beans aren’t prone to dastardly deeds (well, other than the veterinary staff ;-)). In the meantime, we’ll keep on loving them, cooing at them and blinking the “silent ‘I-love-you'” at them right where they’re at.
And when the day comes that these girls are ready to leave the couch behind, I’ll be the one dancing the tarantella!
With all they have been through since their arrival at Tabby’s Place, it’s no wonder they have taken to hiding under the couch, if I went through all that I would be hiding also (only I know I would not fit under the couch). Give them time and with all the love and affection they will be receiving from the staff and volunteers they will come around as so many of the other ones have done.
Aawwwww…..poor things! I’d probably hide under a sofa myself if I were a new kitty at Tabby’s Place, even though it is an awesome place for a kitty to be.