Heartwarming Tale

It has only been four short months since the Bayless family expanded, welcoming home a sweet little girl by the name of Duchess Pita of Bayless Barn. Duchess Pita, or as she prefers, Duchess, came into a home with two established cats, Shadow and Pipsqueak Bayless. They initially regarded her with suspicion, wondering whether she was a friend or enemy and how long her stay would be. They ostracized her, consistently leaving the room whenever she entered it, and greeting her only with hisses and growls. Pipsqueak staged a hunger strike for a week, which gained him plenty of extra attention but failed to accomplish his true goal: removal of Duchess.
Now, however, open hostilities have ceased, as the two brothers have learned to accept their younger sister as a part of everyday life. All three cats have been known to sleep on the same couch without incident, and the boys no longer leave the room whenever Duchess enters it. They have been trading tricks as well. Shadow has taught Duchess how to meow at top volume in the morning when it is time to eat. Pipsqueak has taught Duchess how to scavenge for food continually. And Duchess has taught Shadow and Pipsqueak the joys of roaming wild and free on the kitchen countertops.
Still, it's not all peace and quiet at the Bayless Barn. Duchess insists on using Shadow's and Pipsqueak's tails as toys, and especially enjoys stalking them while they drink at the water fountain. Pipsqueak finds this especially annoying, and the two of them happily race around the house hissing and jumping on each other. Shadow is not quite so tolerant, and will generally box Duchess' ears if she provokes him too greatly. On the whole, however, the three cats have come to love each other in a very special way.