Cookie, aka Cookie Monster, is the oldest now. He's about 9. My grandfather had a soft spot for cats and adopted his mother, who was pregnant at the time and gifted him with four kittens. When the kittens were about 4 wks old, Grandpa went in to have colon surgery. It was routine and when the kittens were about 5 wks old Grandpa came home. I had been visiting him while he was in the hospital, and came to visit him at home. All the great-grandkids were outside playing with the kittens and I could tell he wanted to see them. I brought in little Cookie-not named yet-and that little guy snuggled on Grandpa's lap for the next hour. It is the last memory I have of my Grandpa happy. He was back in the hospital that night and never came home. When I was asked if there was anything of my Grandpa's that I would like I asked for his pocket knife and his kitten...best inheritance I've ever gotten.
Tatiana, better known as Tottie, was from the feral cat colony that lives on my parent's street. She was caught by my mother when she was about 3-4 months old, because my mom knew that I wanted her. For the first week she lived at our house, she wouldn't leave the kennel she was transported in. She was totally feral and it was the first time she'd ever been in a house. Now, she runs the joint. She has the calico attitude, but with me, she's my snuggle kitty. Her favorite place to sleep is mine & Gregg's bed, and she's trained us that she needs a can of cat food first thing in the morning. She loves the Dachsunds, tolerates Cookie & Simon, and is adjusting to Clarice. Now if I could just convince her to stay out of Gregg's shop & off his cars...
Simon showed up at our house sometime after Halloween. At first, he was just the white streak running off the porch. Eventually, we figured out he had orange ears & tail. My son, Doug, set out to catch him. It took a couple of months, but Simon would come stand next to Doug & as long as Doug didn't try to pick him up, would stay there. Finally, the kids cornered him in the shop, and caught him. Doug believed he was a girl, and so he was named Sophia. Once caught, this little kitty became our most affectionate kitty ever! One day, while loving on me while I was sitting in my chair, he turned around & stuck his butt in my face, like cats will do. "Hmmm, testicles, that's awkward" was my comment at the time & Sophia became Simon. Simon these days will go outside, but once he realizes he's out there wants right back in, right now. He also loves everyone, but Doug is still his absolute & obvious favorite...he takes full advantage of Tottie's earlier training of us about the can of cat food first thing in the morning.
Clarice Olivia started out as a foster kitten along with her brothers & sister, but she stayed. When I brought the litter home to foster, they were about 4 weeks old and we were going to keep them until they weighed 2 lbs & could be spayed/neutered. When I got them I was told that Clarice was a boy...she started out as Clarence Oliver. It became obvious fairly quickly that she would be staying. Simon liked all the kittens, but Clarice was his obvious favorite...she was also my favorite from day one. A week before the kittens were going in for their surgeries I let the animal shelter know that we'd be keeping "Clarence", but I still maintain that she adopted us, she started posting her name on Facebook as Clarence Oliver Kirby. I dropped them off at the vet on the assigned day & an hour later got the call that Clarence was a girl, and she became Clarice Olivia Kirby...after I was told she was a boy I never double checked & she's a fuzz butt, so it never became apparent until she was shaved. Most days Clarice & Simon spend the morning running amok around the house-after canned catfood breakfast-and the afternoons sleeping in the sun spot on my chair, sometimes with Gracie Lou...and occassionally I'm invited to join them. She's also been called the "cutest kitten ever", mostly by me, but it has been said by others. She's also usually a crucial subject of my Daily Pile of Cute pictures that are posted semi-regularly on Facebook.
Cookie, aka Cookie Monster, is the oldest now. He's about 9. My grandfather had a soft spot for cats and adopted his mother, who was pregnant at the time and gifted him with four kittens. When the kittens were about 4 wks old, Grandpa went in to have colon surgery. It was routine and when the kittens were about 5 wks old Grandpa came home. I had been visiting him while he was in the hospital, and came to visit him at home. All the great-grandkids were outside playing with the kittens and I could tell he wanted to see them. I brought in little Cookie-not named yet-and that little guy snuggled on Grandpa's lap for the next hour. It is the last memory I have of my Grandpa happy. He was back in the hospital that night and never came home. When I was asked if there was anything of my Grandpa's that I would like I asked for his pocket knife and his kitten...best inheritance I've ever gotten.
Tatiana, better known as Tottie, was from the feral cat colony that lives on my parent's street. She was caught by my mother when she was about 3-4 months old, because my mom knew that I wanted her. For the first week she lived at our house, she wouldn't leave the kennel she was transported in. She was totally feral and it was the first time she'd ever been in a house. Now, she runs the joint. She has the calico attitude, but with me, she's my snuggle kitty. Her favorite place to sleep is mine & Gregg's bed, and she's trained us that she needs a can of cat food first thing in the morning. She loves the Dachsunds, tolerates Cookie & Simon, and is adjusting to Clarice. Now if I could just convince her to stay out of Gregg's shop & off his cars...
Simon showed up at our house sometime after Halloween. At first, he was just the white streak running off the porch. Eventually, we figured out he had orange ears & tail. My son, Doug, set out to catch him. It took a couple of months, but Simon would come stand next to Doug & as long as Doug didn't try to pick him up, would stay there. Finally, the kids cornered him in the shop, and caught him. Doug believed he was a girl, and so he was named Sophia. Once caught, this little kitty became our most affectionate kitty ever! One day, while loving on me while I was sitting in my chair, he turned around & stuck his butt in my face, like cats will do. "Hmmm, testicles, that's awkward" was my comment at the time & Sophia became Simon. Simon these days will go outside, but once he realizes he's out there wants right back in, right now. He also loves everyone, but Doug is still his absolute & obvious favorite...he takes full advantage of Tottie's earlier training of us about the can of cat food first thing in the morning.
Clarice Olivia started out as a foster kitten along with her brothers & sister, but she stayed. When I brought the litter home to foster, they were about 4 weeks old and we were going to keep them until they weighed 2 lbs & could be spayed/neutered. When I got them I was told that Clarice was a boy...she started out as Clarence Oliver. It became obvious fairly quickly that she would be staying. Simon liked all the kittens, but Clarice was his obvious favorite...she was also my favorite from day one. A week before the kittens were going in for their surgeries I let the animal shelter know that we'd be keeping "Clarence", but I still maintain that she adopted us, she started posting her name on Facebook as Clarence Oliver Kirby. I dropped them off at the vet on the assigned day & an hour later got the call that Clarence was a girl, and she became Clarice Olivia Kirby...after I was told she was a boy I never double checked & she's a fuzz butt, so it never became apparent until she was shaved. Most days Clarice & Simon spend the morning running amok around the house-after canned catfood breakfast-and the afternoons sleeping in the sun spot on my chair, sometimes with Gracie Lou...and occassionally I'm invited to join them. She's also been called the "cutest kitten ever", mostly by me, but it has been said by others. She's also usually a crucial subject of my Daily Pile of Cute pictures that are posted semi-regularly on Facebook.
