PB & Peanut

Peanut was initially nervous around Phoebe. Whenever a kitten rejects her, she takes it as her mission to befriend them. With my guidance, she patiently—but persistently—waits for the kitten to accept her. Slowly, Peanut’s little hiss turned silent, and his swats became softer. Phoebe had been waiting for her opportunity to chin-hug Peanut, and when the moment came, she went for it.

Peanut was a little taken aback, but a few moments later, Phoebe offered him a toy—a move that has worked on many other kittens, including May-May. Peanut, who really wants a playmate, couldn’t resist any longer and finally let his guard down.

After fostering kittens for a while, I’ve noticed the natural roles each “nanny” tends to take on. Phoebe loves babies; I think she’s instinctively very nurturing. GB prefers older kittens and usually steps in once the fosters are more grown, at which point Phoebe takes a step back. When the kittens are more mature, they’re able to spend time in the same room as BB, where they learn boundaries from her.

Peanut and Buttercup are still not meshing, and we’re nowhere near letting them spend time together without close supervision. For now, having Phoebe—and occasionally GB—spend time with Peanut helps meet his social needs while we continue working toward a safe, gradual integration.