We also have two cats who hated the one man in the house. They would not even eat what he fed them - they would wait for a female food supplier.

However, they liked to go into the backyard on warm days, and if the man opened the door and waited, they would "sneak" by.

Then, they waited patiently near the back door hoping the man would open it.

One day, the man made a rule: if you want to go out, you have to tolerate 4 gentle strokes from the top of your head. It took about a month and they both came for the strokes and then headed out.

Winter came, and going out was not as enticing anymore. But they still came for the strokes, or now possibly a nap on a lap.