Who knows how much of a cat's behavior is inherited and how much is environmental? I sure don't. Take for example my brother (Fred) and sister-in-law (Jennifer)'s three cats.

1. Pippin: probably a Maine Coon cat mis, 18-pound polydactyl longish-haired yellow tabby. Been with Janny since he was a kitten, been loved and spoiled rotten all that time.

2. Lukas: Fred found him behind the bathroom trashcan in a friend's 2-room, 14-cat apartment. Fred was told "Oh, that's just where he lives, he's always there! He's afraid of everything!" He looked at the trembling bundle of terrified kitten, picked him up, tucked him in his leather jacket (Lukas is black, too), said "Okay, little buddy, it's okay, you're coming with me" and took him home. Lukas is now a fairly big guy, plush long black fur.

3. Trillian: Rescued sick and starving with her abandoned siblings by friends of Fred and Jenn from the basement of an abandoned building. A delicate Tuxie, she permanently looks only about 3/4 grown. Said friends were cat-allergic, and found homes for all but one kitten, and were worried she wouldn't do well at the shelter with her infected eyes and health problems. Fred and Jenn said "We'll take her," and home she came.

Now which of these cats have I never met in person, because they are terrified of strangers?

Which have I only seen in a windowsill waiting for Mom to come home (and then disappeared when I exited the car WITH Jenn.)

Which is the one who loves everyone, and will rub itself against your hand if it is dangling by your side, and follow you from room to room?

*****





Not the ones you'd guess.


If there weren't pictures and a liberal application of yellow cat fur on the green couch, I wouldn't know Pippin existed.

Lukas, the terrified, shell-shocked thing, is now Mister Love. The touch of a hand starts the motor purring.

Trillian, the youngest when rescued, I have only seen in the windowsill, and once I saw the points of her ears (she'll push the blankets on the bed til there's a big enough "lump" for her to hide behind.)