The first few months he was around I don't think they were quite sure what he was and why he was here. They would come into the room, take a few steps towards the bouncy chair where he was hanging out, sniff the air and then make a beeline towards the basement.
Several months later, when he was able to sit up, they gave him another chance (at least Ivy did). She would lay next to him and he would reach out and grab her tail, pull her fur or try to poke her eyes. He also liked to lay on top of her or crawl over her. She was pretty tolerant but it only took a few minutes of abuse before she'd take off. Winston was still pretty scared of him and would only get close if I was there to supervise.
Now it seems that they have decided to make friends. Maybe they realize his potential to give attention where the larger humans in the household have failed. They don't enjoy games of "chase" as much as Samuel does, but they do come close now and allow him to pet them. Samuel imitates patting the footstool (which he's seen me do) to call them and they sometimes respond and jump up to see him. Also, he is learning to pat them instead of pulling fur which them enjoy much more. He also "talks" back to Winston and imitates his meowing.
Today, much to our surprise, Ivy showed the ultimate sign of acceptance. She laid on top of him while he poked/petted her with a straw. Here are some photos of them becoming friends:
