We often think of cats as fiercely independent creatures — and they are. However, kitties also appreciate companionship, and feline friendships can work well when the cats have different personalities. Such is the case for Courtney Conaway’s kitties, Milo and Lily, two adventure cats with very distinct dispositions.
Lily, pictured right, is the most valiant of the two. She’s always up for exploration and a new adventure. Meanwhile, Milo, pictured left, is curious, but hesitant and definitely most comfortable in a more predictable environment.
Milo and Lily love to watch ‘cat TV.’
Conaway cats rescued her kitties from a Pittsburgh shelter when they were 3 months old, and the purrrfect pair are now 11 months and 8 months, respectively. The two were very sick when Conaway adopted them, especially Lily, but luckily, the shelter provided everything Conaway needed to nurse her new fur babies back to health and happiness.
“My number-one goal is to make sure Milo and Lily have the best, most fulfilling lives possible,” Conaway told Adventure Cats. “After all, anyone could have walked in and adopted them. I want to make sure they’re thankful it was me.”
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Milo and Lily quickly made themselves at home in Conaway’s apartment, and it was immediately clear that they were both fascinated by the outdoors.
“One of their favorite hobbies has always been gazing out the windows,” Conaway said. “As I observed them more, their gazing almost seemed like longing — to see what’s out there, what it smells like, to romp through the grass! I started thinking, do people walk cats? Is that a thing? I spent the next few weeks reading [about it]. ‘You’ll be out there soon,’ I’d tell the kitties when they looked out the window.”
While Lily loves to explore Pittsburgh, Milo prefers to closer to home.
Adventures depend on ‘purrsonal’ tastes
When Conaway first took her kitties into the great outdoors, it didn’t take her long to realize that while Lily may be up for big adventures, Milo likely wouldn’t enjoy such excursions. Her kitties simply enjoyed different things.
Like humans, cats have distinct personalities. In fact, the ASPCA has identified nine “feline-alities” that shelters use to help match adopters to adoptees based on a cat’s playfulness, how a cat responds to new situations and how much a cat enjoys being petted.
Conaway says that of the nine “feline-alities,” Milo is definitely an Executive, meaning, he’s a busy cat who has to know what’s going on at all times, particularly if it’s outside his window.
“It took a lot of practice to get Milo used to wearing his harness, but now he is the one who sits by the door, crying to go outside,” Conaway said. “As far as socialization though, Milo prefers to explore without the company of others. His favorite thing is to dig in dirt and look for bugs in private — unless Lily is there; he always enjoys her company. He likes to sit quietly in the grass and watch birds as well.”
Milo takes in the sights near his home.
Lily, however, has the “feline-ality” of an MVP. She’s unflappable and loves explore, whether she’s walking on a leash or riding in Conaway’s backpack. In fact, Conaway recently took Lily to a local event for dogs where Lily was the only cat in attendance and easily the star of the show.
Lily proves that walks aren’t just for dogs.
“Lily is up for anything and loves attention and affection from everyone,” Conaway said. “People often say she is the sweetest, most chill’ cat they’ve met She loves going out in public, walking alongside dogs, or sitting on my lap while I eat lunch.”
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Conaway refers to Lily fondly as her “Pittsburgh adventure cat,” as Lily loves exploring all the city has to offer, including hitting up the trails in Schenley Park. Lily also enjoys looking in store windows, drinking from dog bowls outside of shops, and becoming the first feline to dine at local dog-friendly restaurants.
Lily is ‘purrfectly’ comfortable dining out.
But while Milo and Lily have very different personalities, Conaway says they’re both adventure cats in their own way.
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Keep up with all of Milo and Lily’s adventures on Instagram.
