About six months ago my "significant other" and I adopted a year old female
cat that had been rescued from an abusive environment. We named her Pebbles.
For her first month with us Pebbles lived almost entirely underneath the
living room couch, venturing out only in the middle of the night to eat and
perform her necessities. She then moved to under our bed, but would still
venture out mainly at night with an occasional foray during the day. After a
few more weeks she would let me touch her. Then her confidence must have
soared. Very quickly Pebbles began to spend her daytimes primarily on top of
the bed and her evenings cuddled up on top of the blankets but between us.
Now when Pebbles sees me walking towards the bed she runs and jumps onto it
and snuggles up close. She loves what to me is incredibly vigorous petting
and when so petted her purr motor goes into high gear. She rolls over onto
her back and stares into my face while I rub her belly. After about a minute
of such pettings she wraps her paws around my hand and starts licking with
that abrasive tongue of hers, but continues the loud purring while doing so.
I've had cats in the past, but none that is so wanting of petting and none
that responds so strongly when petted.