Grace was rescued from a shelter five years ago, and while she adores her family, she is also incredibly self-sufficient.
“Grace is a really nice cat, but she does want to keep her distance,” Grace’s mother, Jeannie Seiler-Laderer, told The Dodo. “She wants to cuddle on her own terms, and only on her own terms.”
When Seiler-Laderer got pregnant, the family rapidly began preparing to welcome a baby into their house, and they worried about how their cats, especially Grace, would respond to the new family member.
“We always joked that when Jensen was born, Grace would be the least interested of the three cats,” Seiler-Laderer said.
That appeared to be the case at first. Grace largely ignored Jensen when he arrived home for the first time. She didn’t appear to comprehend who he was at first, but then something clicked.
“It took Grace six weeks to recognize the baby was a new human and that she preferred him,” Seiler-Laderer stated. “She now follows him EVERYWHERE.”
When Grace discovered Jensen was, in fact, a human, he rapidly became her favorite person in the entire world. Grace now follows Jensen everywhere he goes, and her parents can’t believe how protective she is of her new baby brother.
“When we have to go, she blocks the door, we have to hold her back so she doesn’t come with us,” Seiler-Laderer explained. “When we get home, she’s the first one to meet us at the door, and she couldn’t care less before.” She has to be cuddled up close to or on Jensen throughout all of his sleep periods, especially during his nighttime naps.”
Grace was not a huge cuddler before Jensen came around. She still isn’t with most people, but it’s her favorite thing to do with Jensen.
Grace snuggles up near to Jensen whenever she can…
… or on top of him…
… and Jensen doesn’t seem to mind.
“They snuggle together during almost all of his naps, and she’s been attempting to sneak into his bassinet in the morning to cuddle with him, but we have to keep her out for safety reasons,” Seiler-Laderer explained.
Grace’s parents never expected her to be the cat who is so preoccupied with the new baby, but Jensen appears to be Grace’s person, and there’s no question that they’re destined to be best friends for a very long time.
“We were really startled by how much she liked him since we had never imagined she had a specific individual,” Seiler-Laderer said. “When she was bored or lonely, she would go find someone to love on her, but it was never anyone in particular.” Jensen is now her go-to guy.”
