On This Day...

I'm itching for kittens, and I'm guessing you are too. I took a look to see what was happening on January 10th in previous years, just to see if we were "holding" then or not, and sadly most years we were not.

Here's what happened.



On this day in 2016, no kittens for us and the big cats were bored.

In 2015 we were kittenless too, but we had an update on Maeve and Delphine Kibblesmith to share.


In 2014, we were still on our break after the Panleukemia incident,  so no kittens then, just a young, loud Wylla.



 In 2013 we had kittens! The Tipton Tabby Trio had just arrived and we introduced the adorable Jimmy!

On this day in 2012 we were without kittens, but had an update on Bess and Wee Willard Trimble, who had just left our nest.



In 2011 the Bartletts were in residence, but getting ready to leave soon.

And in 2010 the Finch Brothers were just about ready to take flight.

On this day in 2009, I shared an alumni picture and we all took a guess at who it might be.  No kittens in our house then.

And in 2008, no kittens for us because Craig and I were off traveling in Australia.



SO, we've only had kittens 3 out of the past nine years! Sometimes by choice, but mostly by chance. I guess the odds are kind of against us, but WHO KNOWS what will happen.  Keep your fingers crossed that we're able to restock our kitten department soon!

A Jimmy Tipton Update!!

Jimmy Tipton was adopted by John and Monika, who just happen to be our very dear friends.  You can read his oh-so-happy adoption tale HERE. We do get to see Jimmy and his handsome tabby brothers, Howard and Junior, when we visit their home, and it's always a treat.  Those kitties are loved deeply and bring so much joy to their parents.

Here a few of my favorite pics of the young Jimmy Tipton:








And here are a few current pics of the boy and some words from Monika!

Jimmy Tipton has been the biggest surprise for us. He came to us, so tiny and timid. Now he is a sweet, GIANT blockhead. Still timid, he is completely attached to us. He's the only cat I've ever known to sleep, holding and periodically squeezing/hugging my arm. He's a great "Baby Huey!”

He loves to bring presents to his dad, John. No day is complete without this type of treasure...

Chatty and quirky, Jimmy now has us trained. He likes his water out of a glass, please, and his food served on this upside down colander! We love this guy so much!

Thanks for sharing these with us, Monika!  We love how you guys love your boy!  Please give him a squeeze and tell him we hope to see him again soon!


We're not done for today, folks! I've got another update to share later this morning and we'll be chatting about the upcoming FUNdraiser, too!   First, I need to check in with the Foster Department to see if your phone bank volunteers have arrived yet!  Stay tuned!  We will be back in a bit!

Jimmy Tipton!

Our dear friends John and Monika adopted Jimmy Tiption, so we've had many opportunities to see the boy since he left our nest.  He was such an adorable kitten, and he grew to become a very handsome young man.  He's absolutely adored by his parents.

Here's what his mom had to say:


Here's a shot of Jimmy, way back when, and another, taken yesterday. 

We knew he was special when he came to us, but had no idea of his talents He may not be the most athletic cat, but he's proved to be quite the hunter. No basement mouse, moth or fly escapes his quick responses. Jimmy's still skittish about people, but dedicated to his friendships with siblings Little Howard and a reluctant Junior. Jimmy's no lap cat, but instead prefers to burrow. Then, he sleeps next to us and periodically, he actually squeezes our arms between his paws and forelegs. I've never met a cat that gave hugs, until now! We absolutely love this 17 lb. tall guy with a fat bottom!



Thanks for the great update and lovely photos, Monika!  Please give our love to Jimmy and his brothers!

Proud Jimmy

Oh dear, take a look at this!  That's our Jimmy Tipton walking proudly with his delicata squash!

From his mama, Monika...

Your talented foster son, Jimmy Tipton, is now nearly one-year-old! He seeks out fruits and vegetables which he proceeds to carry about the house. He also finds peanuts and places them in our empty shoes. So funny, smart, inventive and dear...

Thank you for this great picture and good laugh, Monika! Please give that silly boy some love from all of us!

Jimmy Tipton!

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a party at Jimmy Tipton's home. The handsome young man is doing great.  He's a smart, sweet, happy, social fellow.   As you may recall, he was adopted by two very dear friends of ours, John and Monika, who are outstanding kitty parents.   They've done a wonderful job raising the boy.

He gets along great with his older tabby brothers, Junior and Howard, but on occasion,  it is necessary for one of them to put kitten Jimmy in his place.

Here's Jimmy, not all that long ago, shortly before he was adopted in late January.



And here he is today!






The photos below are from a few months back.  Who goes to such lengths to entertain their cats?  John and Monika, that's who.  They are awesome.






Thank you for sharing the photos, John and Monika!  And thanks for giving Jimmy such a wonderful life!  He's the luckiest kitty in the world!  

Jimmy's Destiny

 Do you remember meeting our kitty-loving friend John?

Well, I am happy to announce that John is now Jimmy's dad.

We couldn't be happier that John and wife Monika adopted the boy.  They are two of our favorite people in the world, and they are also the awesomest kitty parents ever.

To illustrate their awesomeness, I will share this photo with you.


Photo courtesy of Monika

Yes, they built this little squirrel dining room outside their kitchen window so their big kitties, Howard and Junior, could observe and be entertained by the squirrels in their yard.   Isn't that brilliant?

John has seen many of our kittens come and go over the years but there was something about Jimmy that caught his eye and according to Monika, he just couldn't stop talking about that boy.   Monika realized this was more than just an infatuation, so she asked me if Jimmy had been spoken for.

At that point in time, I was in the middle of an email exchange with a woman who was interested in possibly adopting Jimmy and Royal, and we were trying to figure out a convenient time to meet.  It sounded very promising, and I shared this with Monika, and told her I would keep her posted.

But before the meeting happened, the gal emailed to let me know that they had adopted another pair.

Shortly after I received this message, the phone rang, the caller ID read "Monika", but it was John's voice on the other end of the phone.  I told him what had just happened, and he told me he wanted Jimmy.  Sight unseen, he knew that kitten was meant to be theirs.

John had plans to head out of town for a weekend with the guys, so Monika was the one who came down to Tacoma to fill out the adoption paperwork and pick up dear Jimmy.

Well, John couldn't stand not being there when Jimmy arrived, so he cut his weekend plans short to be at home for this momentous occasion. Yes, John chose his kitten over a weekend of card-playing, cigar smoking, and drinking with the boys.

It was all worth it though - here's the magical moment when John met Jimmy.



Photo courtesy of Monika

I've talked with Monika several times since Jimmy moved in, and things are going great.  REALLY, really, really, really great.


Those tabby boys, Howard and Junior, accepted Jimmy nearly instantly, and they're already sleeping in piles and playing together.  Jimmy does a good job at keeping them on their toes, and now before Howard and Junior enter a room, they always look both ways to see if Jimmy is near and ready to pounce.  I had to laugh when she told me that because Jimmy was the king of the ambush wrestling match, and was always taking down his unsuspecting brothers.  He's got some very sly moves.

Here's the little tabby family.  Howard on the left, Junior in the middle, Jimmy on the right.

Don't they look like they belong together?


Photo courtesy of John

I think they do.

It's funny how things play out.  It seemed at first there was another destiny for Jimmy, but now it's clear he was meant to join this family with John, Monika, Howard and Junior.

You'll be happy to know, we'll be getting lots of updates.  John is already planning to set up studio lights in their home for optimum kitten photographs, and I promise to give you a report every time I pay the happy family a visit.

So Jimmy, we won't say goodbye, we'll say SEE YOU LATER.  Because we will.

  

Jimmy Tipton's Adorable Kitten-Pits

Every square inch of Jimmy is adorable, especially his little kitten-pits.  Please roll over Jimmy, we need to see them.












Thank you for sharing, Jimmy.  They are spectacular.

Adorable Distractions on My Desk and Some Huge News, Too.

I've been spending a lot of time at my computer these days, so I put a little bed on the corner of my desk, so Charlene can keep me company.  She loves it there, and I love having her close.

The Tiptons, who get more and more adventurous each day, discovered they can climb my pant legs and make their way to the top of the desk.  They too keep me company, but their adorableness is a tad distracting.

And like to steal my pens and post-it notes.

And they spill things.

But mostly they are adorable, so I let them stay.


















So why am I spending so much time at my computer these days?

(Here's the huge news part.)

I'm writing a book.
Yep, an Itty Bitty Kitty Committee book.

And the manuscript is due very soon.

It's been in the works for quite some time, and I've been slowly sharing the news.  Some of you local  folks may have found out about it already if you happened to catch this podcast I did with my friend, Marguerite.

I'll be telling you more about it later, and promise to share every last detail then.


: )


I can hardly believe it, but a dream I've had for a very long time is coming true.

The next couple months will be hard ones, but don't worry, it shouldn't interrupt your daily dose of itty bitty kitties.

This Is How Jimmy Naps

Arms tucked in,



toes stretched out,



and belly spilling over.

Jimmy Tipton - Art Enthusiast

Sir, could you please keep your paws off the art?

Three Little Tiptons, All in a Row

From left to right:
Royal, Jimmy and Floyd

Jimmy Wins

And he's proud.

Just Jimmy.