Sam is a sweet-heart. He, like his brother Max, absolutely adore heavy scratches around the neck and shoulders especially. Sam turns into liquid cat.

In my eyes Sam does fairly well with the other cats, kittens included. He loves attention, but like his mother, Mercy, Sam can be a bit touch-phobic initially. He loves hanging out in the sink outside. Sam also enjoys 'flavored waters' -- you know, like rain-into-mop-bucket flavor, gravel flavor, anything but plain water. Please watch out for that. :)

Sam has been spending more time with Julius; and both have been leaving the yard more frequently.

I believe this handsome young man will integrate nicely with anyone willing to engage on a regular basis.

Sam has a moderately strong bond with Julius. I think if they can stay together that would be great for everyone.

Julius is a cuddle-monster. He loves being held, even as he grows into an adult. I actually think he was coddled a bit too much because when he's tried to venture off on his own, he'll come back after 1-2 weeks, but he's all beat-up. Poor guy.

Julius is a very gentle cat. Does well with kittens, likes everyone initially, will fall in love with anyone who gives him a chance.

Julius has a moderately strong bond with Sam. I think if they can stay together that would be great for everyone.

Snow has striking blue eyes; I apologize I could not capture it on photo.

In my experience, Snow exhibits a kind of intimacy with mildly exagerrated aggression; 'love-nips' to her are 'love-bites-that-leave-marks', yet I think she means well. I have also found that 'prolonged' interaction with her results in territorial behavior; other cats that request my attention are swatted away, etc.

I suspect that she'll learn to adjust to any particular person's preferences over time and egagement re: how hard she bites during petting.

My final take: I think Snow is an absolute sweet-heart. I think she'd become especially spoiled if she were the only cat in the home. If a person is looking for a single cat to love them fiercely, Snow is their ticket.

The photo shows her eating from my hands; she CAN be gentle. I think she needs a safe, consistent home to help elicit that behavior.

Of all the cats in the backyard, I think Mercy is most-acclimated to living outside. I have seen her hunt, capture, share, and eat rodent-type prey. I have seen her sneak and pounce and otherwise frolic in tall grass. She enjoys naps in high places under the sun.

And she's a total sweet-heart. In my experience, Mercy (or 'Merc' for short), is very touch-phobic initially. When pressed for interaction she'll either quickly pivot and leave or allow for more. I don't think it's her playing hard-to-get. I think she requires a much more consistent sequence of safe interactions in order for her to begin initiating interaction.

Merc has been a dedicated friend to me. She's brought me many mice, some dead, some almost-so, a few large cockroaches, and one time, bless her heart, a bundle of sticks.

I suspect Merc would probably do better as an indoor-outdoor cat, at least initially. She gets along well-enough with other cats, in the sense that I have rarely seen her start scuffles. She isn't afraid to slap back though.

When it comes to food, she is incredibly patient. I have seen her stand-off while the rest of the colony devours whatever is before them. Merc will wait for her turn. When her turn arrives, she will tend to swat-away other cats who try to feed alongside her. Her kittens have been an exception to this.