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"New arrivals" and thanks once more for all your sympathy

(23 Posts)
grandtanteJE65 Sun 31-Jul-22 14:40:35

To all of you who so kindly expressed your sympathy when we, last summer, lost our old cat and a young one in quick succession, thanks once again for all your kind words.

Yesterday, I fetched these two kittens from a friend of a friend of a friend. They were born on a small-holding and there were at least six kittens to chose between.

I went by the time-honoured method, and chose the two who seemed most interested in sitting on my lap.

They are said to be 13 weeks old, but I doubt that, both seem younger, especially the tom kitten (the ginger one) would really like something to suck!

The took a three-quarter of an hour drive relatively well - the protests were due to the little tom having an upset tummy and being forced to soil the newspaper lining the cat-basket, whch as we all know shames a house-trained kitten.

Arriving home, I deposited them both in the cat tray that was ready for them, whilst rolling up the soiled newspaper - then made sure they both knew where their bowls of water and food were. They were too busy exploring to be interested in any of the above.

Inspected the sitting-room thoroughly, made my husband's acquaintance then sat down, one kitten on his knee, one on mine, After a little more e xploring and a bite to eat, both settled down and slept soundly, waking up to eat more and play.

No accidents of any kind. Both went upstairs, at different times . The tom made such a racket bouncing down the stairs that we are calling him Tigger as he seems just as full of bounce as Pooh Bear's friend. His sister is Trubel, due to DH having said once when we were watching the TV Series "Grimm" that Trubel would be a good name for a queenie cat.

The photo was taken this morning while I was drinking a cup of coffee and had to remain seated for quite some time, as I had not the heart to move them.

Judy54 Sun 31-Jul-22 14:42:45

They look absolutely adorable and how lucky they are that you have given them a new home. I am sure they will bring you lots of love and joy!

SueDonim Sun 31-Jul-22 14:44:26

Oh, that’s just lovely! ????????

GrannySomerset Sun 31-Jul-22 14:49:34

I am so envious - lovely kittens and lots of fun to come. At 80 feel it unfair to embark on another cat as our last pair (black and white and ginger, unrelated females) lived to be 19. Keep us posted with pictures!

Fleurpepper Sun 31-Jul-22 14:51:34

How lovely.

GrannySomerset- some animal charities need foster homes- and/or will garantee to re-home in a loving and caring home, if and when.

Smileless2012 Sun 31-Jul-22 14:57:52

They're lovely grandtante and I'm really pleased for you.

I lost my beautiful boy in March and am determined that I wont get another cat, but it's so hard and I miss him. We have our dogs and go away a lot which of course means having to put a cat in the cattery.

I had 5 at one time, he was my lastsad.

Nannagarra Sun 31-Jul-22 16:05:25

We lost our 9 year old golden retriever on 27th May as she had septicaemia. It has left a huge dog-shaped hole in our hearts so it’s easy to understand the loss you felt. Your new kittens will be a joy, I’m sure.

Loulelady Sun 31-Jul-22 16:07:05

What beauties! Congratulations! I can’t believe how quickly they’ve settled.

MayBee70 Sun 31-Jul-22 16:15:52

I love black cats but have always wanted a ginger one. Although they do tend to be a bit vocal! When I moved into this house decades ago I heard someone rattle the letter box and it was the ginger cat from next door who had, at one time, had lived in this house. A friend of mine had a farm and many of her farm cats were ginger. Some of them were female which surprised me as I thought ginger cats were always male.

sodapop Sun 31-Jul-22 16:20:47

Beautiful kittens grandetante you will have a lot of fun together.

Joseanne Sun 31-Jul-22 16:22:27

Cute. I hope you enjoy their company every day.

Nannagarra that is so sad. We lost our 8 year old golden boy, and like grandetante the new kid on the block is going some way to healing our broken hearts.

Aveline Sun 31-Jul-22 16:47:38

I'm so glad GrandtanteJE65! I remember your sad news last time. These two look a whole lot of fun but also seem very pleased to have been chosen. There's nothing like a cat on your knee - unless it's two cats! Happy days. ??

Nannagarra Sun 31-Jul-22 16:57:48

Thank you Joseanne. They were both far too young. Pets are important family members and make a house a home. grandtanteJE65 has embarked on a wonderful new chapter filled with fun and love.

Auntieflo Sun 31-Jul-22 17:04:19

Congratulations GrandtanteJE65 on giving these beauties a loving home.
MayBee70, we always thought ginger cats were male, until we had one. When we thought he was hurt, making a lot of noise, and took him to the vet, we were told that he was a she! and calling for a mate. You learn something every day. ?

Georgesgran Sun 31-Jul-22 17:51:33

Lovely kittens - I’m sure you’ll give them a good home and they’ll thrive on your love and care. I’ve a soft spot for gingers, although our last was a Maine Coon, who was daft as a brush. X

Aveline Sun 31-Jul-22 18:04:51

Auntieflo I always thought all ginger cats were male too!

Blossoming Sun 31-Jul-22 19:04:47

Oh how beautiful! I’m missing my cat.

LadyGracie Mon 01-Aug-22 08:42:30

Aren’t they beautiful! There’s nothing better than a loving faithful cat or two on your lap.

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 01-Aug-22 08:51:21

Glorious. I always wanted a ginger cat. Milo is black but Ripley has some ginger bits!

Nandalot Mon 01-Aug-22 09:26:45

They look well settled. They know they have landed on their feet with you.

Dogsmakemesmile Mon 01-Aug-22 09:30:11

They are gorgeous. Congratulations. I've always wanted a ginger cat too!

Grandma70s Mon 01-Aug-22 09:46:44

Lovely kittens.
When I was a little girl I had a female ginger cat called Marigold. For years after she died I planted marigolds in her memory. After that I mostly had brown tabbies, but my last cats were twin male gingers. Lovely cats. One lived to be very old, one was killed on the road whe he was 12. There wasn’t a mark on him, but he must have been knocked out fatally by a car.

I can’t have a cat where I live now, so I have a cat calendar with photos. Not the same!

grandtanteJE65 Mon 01-Aug-22 12:45:53

Granny Somerset: I insisted on kittens this time, as on average our cats have lived somewhere between 10 and 16 years. I am 70 now, so felt this was the last call for kittens.

The nearest cat and dog home told me rather rudely that I could in no circumstances have either a kitten or a young cat and tried hard to foist an 11 year old cat, who looked moribund to me onto us.

I know from relatives in the UK that various animal shelters offer older pet lovers the assurance that they will re-home a pet in the eventuality of it outliving its owner.

I also know that a lot of grown cats suddenly find themselves without a home - either because care facilities won't allow pets, or because of their owner's death.

So while I agree with you that kittens are probably not a wise choice once we are past 80 (I doubt I will be up to sitting on the floor playing with two kittens and a piece of string in 10 or 12 years' time) if you miss a cat, I am sure you can find an adult or even an old cat that needs a good home.

I shall keep you posted, and probably bore you all out of your minds about this pair!

I too have formerly had a female cat that was ginger - they are rarer than the ginger toms because according to genetics the orange gene has to be present in both sire and dam to give you a ginger female, while a queen who carries the orange gene can produce a ginger tom, even if the sire didn't have the orange gene.

I think it even works the other way too, in that Mr. Marmelade Orange can produce marmelade sons without the mother having the orange gene, but only orange daughters if she also carries the gene.

You never know what you will get, as they can be every colour under the sun with no hint of ginger in their coats and carry the orange gene.

We shan't be experimenting though, these two have the same sire but different dams, and I doubt my ability to place an entire litter of kittens. Also our next door neighbour has an entire tom and I don't want him fighting my Tigger, so when I take them to be chipped and vaccinated I shall be making enquires as to what age the vet prefers for neutering.