It’s hard to believe it, but it’s already been three years since this little ginger waltzed in and spiced up our life!

When I picked him out from the shelter, the first thing the shelter attendant said was “He’s not friendly.” I smiled and said, “That’s ok, I have lot of experience with shy kitties.”

And it did take time… lots of time. Even now, three years later, we still see him opening up a little more with us. He’s even come out when company comes… though you’re not allowed to make eye contact with him.

Of all the cats, he’s probably the suckiest… or at least the most demanding. When he wants a lap, you better give him a lap… or better yet, two legs to squeeze between.

He sleeps on, or against me almost every night (unless there is mouse activity in the backyard… then he’s at the back door… enthralled). And when we wake up in the morning, he’s always curled up beside Relic on the blanket box at the end of the bed.

Relic and Rupert’s relationship is still evolving. Rupert still takes issue with Relic’s prescence on occasion. And Relic has less patience for Rupert’s antics than he used to, but for the most part, they co-exist pretty peacefully. We’ve even seen signs of play every so often, though it never lasts long.

Burton and Rupert get along great, but that’s mostly because, despite being the bigger of the two, Burton is happy to let Rupert be the boss.

And of course, Rupert still worships Peno, and knows she’s the real queen of this castle.

Like the others, his favourite place to be is in the backyard.

And while he’s not entirely sure the birds that hang out on the roof are trustworthy, he’s more than happy to patrol the yards borders, keeping it safe from scrappy squirrels and marauding butterflies.

From a shy scared stray, to a saucy little trouble maker, these three years have seen him grow so much. I can’t wait to see what the next three bring.