In October, Night – now named Mug – was adopted and joined her new home. A spirited, shy cat, we got this amazing update from Mug’s family:
Hi GTHS!
I wanted to send an update on Mug now that we’re coming up on two months together. She’s about eight months old now, and it’s been really special watching her grow.
When I first met her at the shelter, I actually visited three times before deciding to adopt. Each time, she stood out to me. I felt connected to her. While the other cats were more social, Mug always stayed close by without engaging. She seemed really curious, but too shy to join in. On my first visit, after sitting on the floor for almost two hours, she finally allowed one tiny pet before walking away. It felt like a small win. On my second visit, she came up to me again, and by the third visit, when she came up to me again, it felt right to bring her home. I really appreciated the shelter’s patience while I took the time to make sure we were the right fit.
When I brought her home, I set her up in her own room and gave her space at first. She was very nervous and spent a lot of time hiding. I noticed early on that she felt more confident in the dark, so we spent a lot of time just sitting together with the lights off. I did quite a bit of reading on cat body language and socialization, which helped me understand her better.
As she settled in, her personality started to come out more and more. Because she was so curious and smart, I chose clicker training specifically as a way to help her adjust, build confidence, and associate people with positive experiences. She took to it right away. She learned her name quickly and now knows several tricks, including coming when called, sitting, standing on her hind legs, jumping down from counters and jumping up on the bed. Training has been a really fun bonding experience for us.
Now, Mug is extremely affectionate. She follows me from room to room, waits outside the bathroom door, sleeps in bed with us every night, and purrs constantly. She loves being pet and seems to want affection all the time. She loves to be picked up. She and Milo (our other cat) are doing really well together and have become very close. They groom each other, nap together, and spend a lot of time playing and chasing around the house (often in the middle of the night, much to our chagrin).
Most days, she can be found curled up by the fire, rotating between long naps, playtime, and snuggles. She loves food, toys, and being wherever the action is. She is also QUITE the mischievous cat and has been known to go for some night swims in the toilet…
But in all seriousness, it’s been amazing to watch her turn into such a confident, happy, and loving cat. I’m so grateful to the shelter for caring for her and for being patient with me while I made sure adoption was the right choice. We love her so much, and she truly feels like she belongs here.
Happy Tails, Mug! We are so excited to hear how you’ve come out of your shell and how much joy you are bringing to your family!
