I know what you're thinking... "What? Noooo way. I'm just here to look for a kitten and there's no way I'm gonna take any more than that."
OK - can't say I blame ya. Just 4 years ago I would have said the same thing. But that was before I discovered how much more fun it is to have three, than just one or two!!!
Let me tell you the story of these 3 little guys.
A few months back, a man in my neighborhood approached me and said he knew I fostered cats, and would I be interested in taking this pregnant cat that was in his yard. I said OK, but she gave birth the day I was supposed to take her, and he decided to keep her so the kids could play with the kittens.
It's 2 months later, and the guy has asked me to help him find a home for the remaining kitties. Two of the kittens in her litter have been given away. There are two left and they are cuter than cute. Seriously. It hurts to look at them sometimes because I would love to keep them but I already have 4 cats and am seriously pushing it with the boyfriend who's very allergic to cats.
A friend of mine whom I work with found a possible adoptive family and I am still considering her if she wants the kitties (she has not seen them yet). However, she can only take two, and over the weeeknd I got to spend some quality time with these felines and the bond between this mother and her babies just struck me so hard... I know it would break my heart to split them up. See if you don't agree with me by looking at these photos. They all love each other so much! The woman who wants just the 2 kitties is really nice and it sound like it would be a great match but I just don't know if she's ready for 3 cats!
I sent my other cat lady friend the photos, and even though she was all set to give them away to the friend of hers, she said, OH MY GOD. Please... try to keep them together! My other cat lady friend said the same thing. We're all in agreement - these kitties have a real special bond and we're just hoping we can find the right situation that would enable them, by some miracle, to stay together (I've heard it's rare, but it can happen!)!
I know they say that cats "get over it" (the separation process) after a while. While I like to believe that this is true, I have yet to hear this from an actual CAT. So I thought it couldn't hurt to do this post. I may still have to go with someone who can only take two - which I completely understand. But can you blame me for trying? Look at these pictures - if you had to see this every day wouldn't you at least want to give it a shot?
I also want to tell you something about having 3 (or more) cats. It is actually a lot of FUN. Just 4 years ago, I was NOT a cat person, even though I had a cat (I loved him, but he was a little crotchety, being used to having everything his way because he was the only cat). I have always been a total "dog person." As a matter of fact, i'm dogsitting two great german shepherds right now as I write this, but I have cats at home. Four of them. And I wouldn't give them up for anything in the world. My cats are AWESOME!!!
I can be in the WORST mood and the moment I walk in the door, the cats completely change my mood. Cats are SO MUCH FUN to have. They make me laugh a lot.
It's especially nice when you have multiples, because they can take care of each other so whatever amount of attention you can give them feels really satisfying to both you AND the cat (it's strange how it almost makes me want to give them even MORE attention when i have to spread it around more).
I used to have just one cat, and I loved him, but it just felt different. There was a whole different dynamic, like - I felt really guilty about not giving him constant, one-on-one attention. Then a few years ago, I started fostering kittens and ended up deciding to keep one. Then another (to keep the second one company). Now I was up to having three cats and somehow it just felt so much more fun than just having one. Coming home to a house of lovey dovey fluffy furballs had this element of fun to it that I never experienced with just one or two cats. I ended up adopting two more (a feral mommy and her feral son, whom I couldn't bear to leave behind). And they are GREAT cats!!!p>
It hit me about a year ago that I LOVE having a lot of cats. Once you get over the idea of being "the girl with the cats" and realize that you're still cool (coolER, in fact), it's great! I will never forget the day I was in a horrible mood and came home and the moment I walked in the door, I was suddenly in the best mood. Suddenly it hit me - it's like that every day. The moment I walk in the door, I am in a great mood, and it's because my kitties are all there to greet me (yes I know they're hungry but I'm OK with this, as they are affectionate and loving many other times of the day as well : )). I have a routine where, as soon as I walk in, the cats come running to greet me (the house shakes like thunder) and I call them all by their names and suddenly I am in a GREAT mood. It works like magic. Now I realize why they put animals in hospitals to play with people and keep them healthy. It really works to lift your spirits and elevate your mood!
It's true, five is a handful. It's extremely rewarding, but a lot of work. But I'm not talking about five, or seven or eight or nine like my other cat lady friends have - I'm just talking THREE. MAX. I think three is really a good number for kitties in a household, because then they can kind of "bounce off each other." There are always new stories to tell about who did what. They can take care of each other. There's just a great dynamic with three (coming from a family of 3 siblings I have seen for myself that it works well!). Plus, I have this theory about kitties. Even if you think you just want two, chances are really good that some force of cosmic kitty nature is going to throw some kittycat your way in the future and make you want a third! Don't fight it.... come join us....
If you need a little reminder of how much fun it could be to have a few kitties, please watch the Engineer's Guide to Cats (or in the likely event you've already seen it, watch it again>
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mHXBL6bzAR4
The mother cat is so affectionate you would not believe it. On the day I went over to pick her up, I hadn't even seen her before and she came right over and started meowing at me and rubbing up against my foot. She purrs loudly and has a lot of "kitten" in her (I don't think she's more than a year and a half old!). But as young as she is, she's a really, really good mother. She is even still nursing her babies! Which could be a cool thing for your kids to watch if you have them.
The Mommy cat and kittens have had their shots, courtesy of my friend Gina, who is a seasoned Cat Adoption expert who has worked for years with the Homeless Cat Network. So the adoption process would go through her, and she's wonderful. She's a bit like someone who works for Child Protective Services - always going to bat for the little guys, making sure they find good homes.
If you would like to set up a meet and greet and just see for yourself how sweet these kitties are, please feel free to email me and I will make arrangements. I know, it happens sometimes (it's happened to me on both ends) but we're hoping of course that we can find a good "forever home" with someone who will recognize how great these kitties are as a team!
And for anyone who has never had a calico or orange tabby... oh man, I have to tell you - this is a really good combination of kitties. Ask anyone who has an orange tabby and they will tell you - for whatever reason, orange tabbies are always really affectionate! I don't really understand why this is true, but it is. I have an orange tabby and my old roommate said he was the sweetest and most affectionate cat he'd ever known. But, until the day I got him, I had to say the coolest cat I ever had was a female calico I had when i lived in Hawaii. She was so full of character, bright and independent, and yet also very affectionate. I loved her so much and my Mom and sister (who raised her for 18 years) agreed, she was the best cat we ever had.
Oh yeah - one more thing. They come with their own Littermaid Litterbox! Woohoo!
http://www.woot.com/Images/Sale/Littermaid_LM920_Self-Cleaning_Litterbox838-detail.jpg
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me any time. I do realize that adopting 3 cats is no small matter and would require a good amount of thought and consideration, so take your time... think about it. For future reference my email address is tealephotography@gmail.com.
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Laura
]]>
Raven (Female) is a
very pretty short haired black kitten with the sweetest personality. I’ve always
found black kittens to have the best personalities and be so loving and
loyal. She has to be in your lap and has such a nice purr. She will
give you whisker kisses and she likes to sleep with her foster mom.
Squeak (Female) is a
beautiful short haired gray tabby. She has wonderful soft fur and
beautiful pronounced stripes. She is loving, gentle, and playful.
Squawk (Male) is a
pretty short haired gray tabby kitten. This boy has tons of energy
and loves to play. He too, is gentle and loving.
Carmalita (Female) is a
gorgeous short haired silver gray tabby kitten. She is a delicate girl,
but has a strong purr and is very loving. She is a people person kitten who will
talk to you with small gentle mews and follow you around like a puppy. She
also likes to watch TV.
Connie (Female) is a
beautiful short haired gray and brown and white tabby kitten. Of the two
sisters, Connie is the follower. Where ever her sister goes, she must go
to. They share everything and play wonderfully well
together. When you see these two together, you will understand why they
should remain together.
Carlos is very
unusually colored. He looks a bit like a wolf, with his smokey gray and
silver coat. He is a very striking short haired kitten and we all wonder
what he will look like when he grows up. He is an absolute gem of a
kitten. He wants to be in your lap and licks your face. He has a
great purr and is just as gentle as gentle can be.
