Our little cat Lilly was just a baby, when we got her little more than a year ago. She was shy and easily frightened. For example the cleaning lady visiting once a week made her hide for most of the day on a low windowsill behind my sweetheart’s writing desk in the office. She came out of her hiding spot hours after the cleaning lady left.

Now, a year later, she stays around to watch, what goes on. And let herself even be stroked briefly by that stranger.

Also, our cat sitter, a professional, who comes around to feed the cat and look after her, when we both happen to be away for a few days, reported, that Lilly was snooping at her hand for the first time last week. I was in Austria and my sweetheart had to play Bridge in Kassel for the weekend.

She also tries out new sleeping places. Although she still comes every night to our bed to cuddle up between us, in the mornings I find her rolled up in the ironing basket. Maybe she finally got fed up being woken frequently by my tosses and turns during sleep.

And whereas she used to be frightened of the noises, all our household appliances made, she now chose her own TV: she sits in front of the washing machine, watching it run. Until it starts to spin, that is. Here she draws a line and still hides for safety.