JD and Dusty's big breakthrough

[hazelrunpack]

We're about four-and-a-half months into the introductions and things are moving along. Dusty and JD now spend late morning through mid-afternoon unsupervised together in the Kitty Palace downstairs. Most of the time they just sleep, Dusty on a towel up by the window and JD in one of the kitty beds nearby. Toward lunch time (about 4 p.m.), they start getting a bit more active. They chase, they pounce, and, because JD apparently gets a little grumpy when he's hungry, he sometimes is rough enough to make Dusty spit at him--but usually, it's all, apparently, fun and games. After lunch, JD comes up to the family room and spends time with me and Dusty till suppertime. They greet each other sweetly, with Dusty usually licking at JD's ears for a bit before they settle.

Well, the past four evenings, we've had a bit of a breakthrough. Dusty and JD curl up either both in my lap, or JD sprawls in my lap and Dusty curls up against my hip. And tonight...well, tonight made my heart happy. They settled as usual, and then I caught JD grooming Dusty's face! (Up till now, I've only ever seen Dusty grooming JD, and then just as a short greeting!) Eventually, Dusty had had enough of it and they proceeded to bat at each other (gently and with ears up). So heart-warming to see them getting along.