Category: Lovie and Jester

Lovie and Jester went to a new home just over a week ago, and I’m so happy for them! Their new person, Minsu, is a first-time pet owner, but he has the best instinct of all – he listens to them. We’ve been fostering Lovie and Jester since November, and they have come such a long way! They came from a farm and had no people experience; Jester in particular was very frightened. But we respected their boundaries and gradually gained their trust through treats and playtime (so important!), until we started to reveal Jester’s inner lap cat. But they are cautious with new people, and will need patience to continue the process.

Minsu spent quite a few hours here, over a couple of weeks, to get to know them, and for them to get to know him. He has sent reports and pictures – thank you, Minsu! – and the reports are good. They’re starting to love their new home with him!

We love Lovie and Jester – but they’re ready to bond with their forever person! They are an oddly mismatched pair of probably siblings – or at least half-siblings. Superficially they are so different: long-haired floof Lovie has a thick, beautiful tail that she arches over her back like a squirrel when she’s happy. Jester is the classic-plus version of a tuxedo cat – short hair, black and white, with the bonus of adorable face markings.

Beyond the surface they continue the differences. Lovie is a sweetheart. So is Jester, but Lovie is inclined to be trusting and would love to warm up to and snuggle with a human, whereas Jester started out suspicious and initially quite frightened. Over time that has changed to almost a game.

We’ve watched these two grow from half-grown kittens to full adults, and they are ready for a forever home. It has taken patience and lots of Churu treats, but they are both realizing their potential as warm, friendly, people-oriented kitties. Lovie is always eager for interactions with the humans. Jester is now responding to pets and will sit in my lap for Churu treats and pets. They are both super playful and a joy to be around.

The are ready to transfer all the trust they’ve learned to a new person, and have a new home where they really belong.

If you might be interested in adopting Lovie and Jester, this bonded pair of lovable characters, please contact me to arrange a virtual meeting to introduce them to you. They’re still shy, so that’s the best way to see what they’re really like. Please also submit an application to 9 Lives Rescue, the organization we foster for. Be sure to mention Lovie and Jester on your application.

We’ve had Jester (male, black and white) and Lovie (female) for almost three months now, and they’ve been quite fun. They came from the same farm as Nalia and her kittens, Lady Felix, and Foxfire and her kittens, all now adopted. We got Lovie and Jester later (November) and they were more shy of people, but in three months they have come a long way.

Lovie is really a lovie, and was first to warm up to people. She can still be skittish, but she likes pets and snuggling – and loves Churu treats. She is very playful and has so much fun with toys.

Jester has always been more shy, but he continues to make progress every day. At first he hid a lot, but was gradually tempted out. He has learned to enjoy treats, but he really loves toys. Jester takes his playtime much more seriously than Lovie. Where she flips toys around and rolls around on them, Jester is more likely to smack the toy down and chomp on it.

They are still likely under a year old, and I think it’s also likely they are siblings. The vet thought they were a couple of months apart in age, but it’s hard to know for sure. They certainly look different! But Nalia and Lady Felix were the same (one long-haired and tabby; the other black and white and short-haired), and they were definitely sisters. Lovie and Jester act like siblings.

Lovie and Jester are available for adoption through 9 Lives Rescue. Go to the Adopt page if you might be interested in them, and submit an application. Mention them by name in your app. You can also contact me from my contact page and arrange to come and meet them. Lovie is still very shy with strangers, but she is ready to bond with her own forever person. Jester is not a lap cat – yet. He needs a sympathetic and patient person who enjoys developing that trusting relationship. He will be a snuggly one when he gets there. They have a strong bond and should go to a new home together.

It seems like Jester may be teething – but I don’t think it’s possible; he’s too old! He is certainly older than 9 months, when a kitten should have all his adult teeth. But he is sure into chewing! He chomps on toys and finds various things to chew on. So I brought him a couple of sticks and he loved them!

Lovie didn’t really get it.

This is one of the special times in fostering kitties that are so rewarding. We’ve had Jester and Lovie about a month, and in that time, Lovie has gradually become more trusting. She loves to play, and looks forward to mornings and evenings when George or I will bring out a toy that she can play with without getting too close to the scary humans – something on a wand and string, or sometimes even a peacock feather gives her enough distance to feel safe. Lovie has gotten more and more confident during her playtimes, and has progressed to where she trusts us enough to not always watch out of the corner of her eye to make sure we’re not sneaking up on her. She really lets loose, and it’s joyous!

Play has been the most wonderful ice-breaker for most of our feral and semi-feral kitties. They love it, and want it so much that it starts blurring the boundaries they have created. At first they often won’t play at all, and will stare at me, refusing to even look at the toy. But they can’t resist forever the lure of the stalk and pounce.

For a month Jester has been watching the toys fly around, watching Lovie enjoy it more and more, watching the toy come close enough to touch, but always remaining perfectly still, only moving his eyes. But only recently – twice – has he reached out and touched it himself.

Tonight we enjoyed a delightful breakthrough. Jester played.

It wasn’t quick – I spent probably 20 minutes or longer playing with Lovie. She was having a blast! With the bottom of the cat tree as her base, she would attack the bird toy whenever it came close, leap after it, roll around with it, and chase it out a few feet, or up onto another level of the tree.

Jester watched the toy, watched her enjoy it, and I would occasionally flick it over near him. When that happened, he would watch me instead of looking at it, to keep an eye on the biggest danger. He didn’t move from his spot, just moved his eyes.

Then I flicked the toy so it landed right in front of him, and his paw was on it before he could think. I didn’t move, and I could see his paw twitch, and then he sniffed it, then bit at it. I tugged just a little, and he renewed his grip. I gently tugged it away, and sent it back to Lovie – but he was hooked.

After that I alternated between Lovie and Jester, and soon he was immediately pouncing when it came near. Once he was committed to that, I flicked it just out of reach, and yup! He darted all the way out of hiding to grab it. Feeling very exposed, he then hurried over behind the cat tree, and true playtime entered his life. From there he played all around the base of the tree – warily watching me, but really enjoying himself.

We played for several minutes like that – Lovie was tired out and flopped down by the wall, so he had it all to himself. Eventually my feet went to sleep and I had to move, but Jester didn’t run back to his corner when I stood up, so I think real progress was made.

These guys are so different, but from the same farm and probably related. Lovie is more confident, so I have been able to take lots more photos of her. Jester is adorable! He’ll be showing up in more pics as he gets more confident.

Lovie is the most amazing floof! She’s good at grooming, because her fur is never matted – which is good, since she isn’t trusting enough yet to be touched, much less brushed. She’s a sweetheart, probably 9 or 10 months old, and very playful.

Jester is younger, maybe 7 months, and a beautiful tuxedo kitty. He is very suspicious of humans, but very interested in the toys they bring. He has only just felt confident enough to occasionally bat at one, but they will soon win his heart.