Warm Fuzzies

Nermie and friends Rocky and Nikita

Nermie really loves the other cats in the house.  It's kind of amazing because when he meets a new cat, he stiffens up, hisses, growls, the works.  Then when he gets used to the new feline, he starts to warm up to them. All three of our newer kittens have been adopted by Nermie and get love from him every day.  He cuddles with them, he plays with them, kisses them, and bathes them. We have a big bean bag chair that he likes to sleep on with his little kittens.  Sometimes I think that he feels like they are his children.  Once I saw him carrying Rocky by the scruff of the neck like a mama cat would.
Nermie and Rocky have the closest relationship.  Rocky has even adjusted his vocal patterns to match Nermie's.  Nermie trills like a Siamese and most cats don't.  Rocky has started trying to trill, but can't quite do it.  It seems like a little boy who is trying to copy his father. Nermie taught Rocky how to climb (he didn't need much teaching, but he did show him how to do it) and how to open Styrofoam and paper take out boxes (whether we're done with them or not).
Rocky took Phoebe under his wing too. Both of them had been strays in early kitten-hood, so they had that in common.  Phoebe was really intimidated by the new environment.  She didn't like the TV. It frightened her.  She wasn't used to being around people all the time. She liked to be petted, but she still seemed very shy.  Rocky seemed to understand her and started playing with her. After a couple hours, Phoebe had joined Nermie and Rocky's club and she started curling up with them on the bean bag chair.
Nikita and Rocky get along too. Nikita doesn't have any trouble getting along with us and she's not scared of anything, but he does play gently with her which seems to make her feel welcome.
When Nermie first came to our home, Hansel and Gretel didn't really accept him. Hansel would play with him, but Nermie played rough and Hansel didn't like it. After a while Hansel started avoiding Nermie. Gretel would just growl whenever Nermie got close. I don't know if memories like that stick with a cat or not, but I wonder if it could be possible that Nermie is so nurturing and welcoming with the new cats because he didn't get that when he was young.
Now that Nermie has his new friends, he gets along with Gretel and Hansel just fine. Hansel likes to hang out and not play rough and Gretel is just happy that Nermie keeps the kittens out of her hair.