Merry Christmas to you and your family from the peeps and furballs at 50K!

When we entered the villa on Tuesday after work to deliver dinner and hang out, Alvin was lounging in the corner behind the space heater, as usual. We pulled him out and sat him between us on the futon, where he purred while we stroked him. Then he hopped down for a bite.

Meanwhile Merlin raced up and down the cat tree and wandered around, hissing at Alvin when they encountered each other. Gabby came out from under the futon and approached Alvin near the bowls, then growled and took a swat at him.

That was enough for us. Alvin is a brave little guy, and he hasn’t seemed intimidated by his bigger roommates, but he needs a buddy and playmate, not a mother-and-son harassment tag-team.

We immediately transferred Gabby up to the playground (master bedroom and bath), confining our staff cats to the other half of our second floor.

That left Merlin and Alvin alone in the villa, and paired kittens would rather be friends than enemies. So Merlin and Alvin stopped hissing at each other overnight.

By Christmas morning they still weren’t napping together, but they’d begun to eat side by side, and we saw the first playful tail swats between them. Most important, all the stress in the villa seems to have evaporated. Alvin has abandoned his corner fortress and naps on the cat tree now.

Merlin is still much bigger, but Alvin is eating well and growing steadily, so pretty soon the size difference won’t matter.

And with a spacious new territory all to herself, Gabby seems much happier – if a little starved for company. When we enter the playground, she jabbers at us non-stop until we pick her up, plop her on the bed, and start petting her.

Any adopter looking for a loquacious couch potato with elegant and luxurious fur should look no further. Gabby wants to meet you and head home.

Speaking of home, we received some nice pix of Stampy Cat (formerly Nimue) from her new dad.

Stampy’s new family also includes two adult cats and a seven-year-old girl, so we’re guessing there is plenty of activity for her to participate in.

Judging from the photos, Stampy is one satisfied young cat.

filed by: TS

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