Three years ago, we lost Leo, the liveliest cat on the planet, to a fox. He was eleven. He went the way he lived, and as much as I miss him, I know it was a death of honor for him.
Then we lost Sasha to old age in January. Which left us with Esmerelda, the 22 year old Siamese; Athena, a very fat 13 year old silver tabby, and Jack, who isn’t that old at 8, but has had a couple of knee surgeries and other ailments, and was slowing down.
For months I’ve been looking out of the corner of my eye for young animals. Christopher Robin wants us to provide homes for old dogs that nobody wants (which just shows you what kind of man he is and why a person might love him), and I’m fine with that, but just now, this house needed youth and exuberance.
Enter kittens. Two kittens, siblings, Rafael and Gabrielle, tuxedo babies who are shaking everything up. Suddenly Jack wants to play. Suddenly Athena is aware that there is life beyond the back porch (mainly growling, “No, I said I do not want to play tag. Get lost.” Over and over again). CR has discovered he might actually be a cat person. I have learned to type with one kitten on my head and another wrapped around my neck, giving me purring in stereo.
Not everyone wants the chaos animals bring into our lives, but this was the answer for us. Welcome, babies! We’re so happy to have you!
(That’s Gabi in front. Rafe in the back. My legs are their bed. :))
*Couldn’t resist the play on How to Bake a Perfect Life, which will be out in just two months! (December 21). It must be time to give away an Advance Reading Copy!
Congratulations! They look *adorable*. There’s a special place in my heart for tuxedo cats–I had one that changed everything.
My tuxedo cat was Jack. I miss him.
Hugs, Keziah.
Kim, I love them, too. All black & whites, actually so smart and cute.
Love it! Rock on, Barb.
That is so wonderful. I have been so busy catching up I didn’t look at your blog for some days. When our sweet Burmese cat died at 18 1/2 this summer it was heart breaking. That’s how I ended up with five hedgehogs. They hide (one at a time) in my shirt while I type. lol Page
How sweet, Page!
They look like little cuties!
Currently, we have the ‘Sadie Baby’ a tortoise shell cat that we rescued from a cow barn in the winter (deep in Southern Ontario). And before that, we sheltered ‘Big Kitty’. We always seem to have room for one more.
Sadie is now a glorious seven years old and very healthy.
I love cats. Their independence, their antics and their love.