It’s been pouring rain all day. The sky is heavy and low and gray and it’s very, very wet. Margot, Ruby and I lied in bed for a good bit this morning. Discussion began about what to make for breakfast and what to do with our day. Margot made a motion and had unanimous support: pancakes followed by a mellow day at home. Specifically, she requested we not go anywhere at all.
The girls spent a few hours dragging a hot pink string for our new cat who appears to be endlessly up for such shenanigans.
Just getting started
Alice contemplates this new family addition
Margot announces she so exhausted she must remove her pants and only wear tights for the rest of her life.
Ruby takes a break to talk about the intricacies of orange popsicles
And off again, with renewed effort now that Margot has on her ‘super-gripey-not-even-a-little-bit-slippery’ shoes. Alice decides chaos isn’t worth moving for.
Many of you asked for details on New Kitty’s reform. So, we brought him home from the Humane Society and the introduction to our house and the creatures who live here was unbelievably flawless and easy. As recommended, we placed him in his own space (the guest room) so all the animals could get used to each other through a closed door. This situation was to last 1-2 weeks. We let him out after three days because he was meowing and every animal was completely great and it felt like the right thing to do. It was awesome for a few days. He then peed on the guest bed once followed by litter box use for a few days. Next we had a bunch of company arrive and a week of gatherings large and small. He peed on the bed several times over the weekend and we thought maybe he had a urinary tract infection (we are very well-informed about this as Sam used to get them chronically until we switched his food
He is still nameless. ‘Norman’ feels off. It’s just not right. He stares at me and seems to tell me his name is Wayne. But, at this point, we all call him New Kitty which just might stick. Ah, what is in a name…
I overheard a cat-name conversation the other night:
Margot: I know! Sparkle!
Andy: How about Clarence?
Margot: NO WAY.
Andy: I wanted to name you Clarence if you were a boy.
Margot: Yeah, well, mama named me. And I think she gets to because she pushed me out of her vagina.
Andy: Trust me, pal. I was in pain too.
Margot, after a sigh: So, seriously. How about Sparkle?
43 Comments
ah Margot is looking so grown up now! So glad new kitty is settling in xxx
Welcome New Kitty! We have an adopted cat whom we initially called Phantom, because she was all black and white and part-feral and mysterious. Then she grew, but didn’t ‘grow up’ and the only possible name that works for her is Fluffy.
Fluff-Cat. Fluffy-face. Mad Cat. It all works. 🙂
Glad New Kitty has settled in. New pets often take far longer to get used to one another than we realise…
That cats name is John….I’m tellin you ….and I’m usually right about these things.
He is a very handsome boy.
X
He looks like a Tigger to me!
I frequently think “too tired for anything but yoga pants,” so I get where Margot is coming from.
Just so your readers know, Royal Canin Urinary SO diet can be an absolute miracle, but it is a prescription food. There are certain conditions it could make much worse, so it should be used only after consultation with a veterinarian. If anyone has recurrent problems with a kitty peeing outside the litterbox after medical conditions are ruled out, this site is brilliant:
http://indoorpet.osu.edu/
Now I will get off my soapbox and return to typing records on my day off :/ Glad it’s working out with your new guy!
Oh Shannon thank you for pointing out the vet consultation being an important part of the food. I will amend my post as well. 🙂
Dig…girl. Seriously.
Your pictures and stories consistently make me smile. (The last picture in particular, inspired me to finally write a comment after 2 years of following along). I absolutely love reading about your family’s adventures and being invited into your home to experience your every day, normal stuff. You guys rock, and often make my day!
Welcome to New Kitty, who seems to be a perfect addition to the clan! I had an awesome, energetic and loving cat growing up named Elmo who looks an awful lot like him. So for that reason, he’s looking a lot like a “Moe” to me. (…Or more affectionately, Moey or Moecat 🙂
Congrats on your new family member 🙂 And thanks for being awesome.
Hi Alison! Thanks for your words and Moe! I like Moe a whole lot.
FWIW, I loooooove Moe! (and Clarence)
One of my favorite actor rolls was that of Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke, a show I watched as a kid, ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047736/). So I started thinking that Mister Kitty might be a good choice! Then I remembered the scruffy deputy on the show and his name was Festus…and then there was Doc, Chester & Marsha Dillon! Not sure where I am going here but I like all of these names names….Doc would be apropos after his “doctoring/peeing” adventure! It would be nice to have Marshal in the house too! See you tomorrow….
xoxo
ps…I am looking forward to the Slumber Party at the Marriott too! :0)
er… that is Marshal, not Marsha!
He is SUCH a handsome cat. I’m not a cat person! kinda allergic, bleh– but he’s the kind of feller that makes me want to rub on him so he arches his back.
Cat names are funny to think about – you don’t have to holler tham on a regular basis the way you do with dogs! So you can go with something clippy, like Ted. Or Gus.
I had a cat growing up that looked very similar…….his name was Shirley……my 2nd grade teacher’s cat’s name was Shirley………and I did love miss olsufka soooooooo much. So Shirley it was.
I now want a new pet to name Memphis. Such a fun word to say….and so few chances to use it.
Mary
I vote to name the cat popsicle. I bet Ruby would like that name too. 🙂
Jasper! That’s my vote. And can I just please have Alice’s life?
Can you please tell me what that kicka$$ picture is in your living room? Some kind of family portrait? I have seen it a few times and can’t figure out the details. I really like it!
It’s by the incredible Holly Andres! It’s a photograph of a reenactment of a moment from her own childhood. Check out her website: http://www.hollyandres.com/. Click on the “Stories from a Short Street” series to see the rest that accompany this photograph. She’s AMAZING.
I’m voting for Moe, too – “Welcome to Moe’s!” (like at the burrito joint chain?). He definitely appears to be fitting in, and I’m glad the other critters have accepted him too.
And I totally wish I could pull off the tights look as well as Margot! She’s right, they are way more comfy than pants!
He stares at me and seems to tell me his name is Wayne – ha ha ha! He looks a bit like a Joe or Toby to me! Xx.
Dude, name him Dude! 😉 Moe is great too.
Girl knows what she’s talking about – tights for life. It took me 21 years to realize that pants are miserable. Give me leggings, give me tights.
Glad kitty is loving his new home! We lost our baby boy pup last week and I found such relief in Rubys comment about Olive just running around the block. Losing the ones we love is so hard, even our animal loves.
This could not have come at a better time for me to read. We have two little girls that are begging for an indoor kitty. We currently have a toy poodle that is an indoor family member and I love that you put all the information in your post as to the arrival and “getting to know” period. We have a local pound that had kitties coming in and out all.the.time. Sad, really, but we are on a mission. I just can’t decide if we go for new kitten or three month old kitten. How old might New Kitty be? He certainly looks to be at home and around other four legged family members with ease. So fun!!
He looks just the same as a Wayne cat we used to have living across the road from us. He was a lovely cat and he always came when he was called. To me its a great and funny name for a cat. We used to laugh everytime he was called. He looks gorgeous!
Really cold post, highly insightful and skillfully written.. Good Job
New Kitty is adorable! Is there anything cuter than kids and pets?
Also, this quote “Yeah, well, mama named me. And I think she gets to because she pushed me out of her vagina.” is just fantastic. What a poppet!
I can see him saying Newton…Sir Isaac Newton… (like Bond, James…)
Though you could call him Newt, New, or even Knew though. (Because don’t all cats know things you don’t realize until they explain them to you?)
I really hope my children will be as hilarious as Margot someday. She is like a comet. Bright and moving.
What about Todd? Todd, Alice, and Sam. BFFs.
Maurice? You know that he’s the Gangster of Love….
Love these tidbits of conversations from your lives, and to hear that new kitty is adjusting into the tribe. My 4YO daughter is convinced that our next dog will be a chocolate lab named butter. I’m a baker, so I’m not going to fight it….
Have a wonderful weekend. If I’m not mistaken, you were slammed this week with more of the energizing white stuff.
xo
Oh Butter is a FANTASTIC name.
We have an orange cat we got from our Humane Society who’s name is Kitty.
She is a wonderful kitty too 🙂
Love your posts, they make me smile! When I hear Norman I think of the Bates Motel or Schwarzkopf. You could name him after a famous redhead such as Vincent Van Gogh, TJ (Thomas Jefferson), Prince Harry or Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley.) On the other hand Sparkles is a fine name too!
PS I still have some unpeeled peachbutter to send your way…..one of these days!
Margot’s comment is hilarious.
Your kids are seriously the cutest!!! Love this post and the vibe of your house and home you’ve created. Totally made me smile 🙂 And New Kitty seems totes precious!
xo
Congrats with New Kitty!
Nici, I am jonesing to know who won the free pair of StullKnit slippers ;)))
xoxo
cathy
So glad that New Kitty is officially yours and settling in! I have a chicken that a friend gave me after the rest of his flock was killed by raccoons, and while she does have an official name (Baroness Elsa), I still just usually call her New Chicken. Whatever works! 🙂
I think he looks like a Wayne.
I’m jealous! My husband is allergic and I miss having cats prowling about. We always had two or three growing up. I have a special place in my heart for orange sherbet colored pusses too. And the girls’ antics are just the best. Thanks for making me smile this morning!
I am not sure if your husband wants to try to move past his allergy but I used to be SO allergic to cats. I had to figure something out because my husband (then, boyfriend) and I were moving in with his mom and her 2 cats. I took homeopathic tablets over the course of a school year, gradually increasing my dose for 5 months and then gradually decreasing. IT WORKED. I am not at all allergic to cats now. It’s awesome. 🙂
I don’t know about Sparkle for a boy… what about Spark? Or Sparky? I love Clarence, and I also like the idea of Rupert or John. Other ideas–Stanley? Warren? Frederick?
I have an amazing orange boy cat named Moe – it’s a great name. My grandmother was of the opinion that orange cats should be named Saffron or Coriander or Maramlade but he when he came home, he just looked like a Moe to me.
The only challenge was training myself to say “stop” instead of “no” since it sounds too much like Moe.
The right name will come to you . 🙂
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