As anxious as I’ve been about bringing Simon the cat with me to France, we had a pleasant surprise today.

I ordered a well-reviewed cat carrier from Amazon (Priority Pets TSA Airline Approved Travel Pet Carrier with Mesh Top, Soft Mat and Sides | Tote Bag for Dogs and Cats), which arrived today. I opened it up and left it on the floor, without even trying to introduce Simon to it.

Two hours later, he had moved in and settled down for a nap.

Color me grateful for small victories.