Young Miles

I was thinking about dear little Monroe (now Miles) Trimble, so I  sent his mom a quick note  to see how he was getting along.  

The last time we emailed, he had only been with his new family for couple of days and things were going remarkably well.  Well, things are even better.

Here's what Mama Emily had to say...

The kittens are doing quite well. Miles is a little over 5lbs now and has completely gotten over his shyness. He's almost never under the bed (he prefers hanging out on the kitchen table) and he'll even come and hang out with strangers, particularly if there's a laser pointer involved. He bounds around the house and spends a lot of time chasing and being chased by Cordelia. He seems to be quite happy :)


And here's Miles curled up next to Young Miles, a book from the science fiction series that inspired his name.





We're always happy to hear our kittens are doing well, but we're even happier to know things are going so great for this little lad.  He was a very special one.

Thanks for the update, Emily!    Give that boy (and his sister) lots of love from all of us!

xoxo

It's Lonely at the Top

But not for long.

A Monroe Report!!!

Since Monroe left our nest, I sure have been thinking a lot about him.  I was so happy when I received an email from Emily, Monroe and Fisher's new mom.  

I'm thrilled to report that things are going REALLY great.    In fact, better than I ever expected.    Read for yourself...


We've named them Miles and Cordelia and they're settling in quite well.  Miles spent Monday under the bed, as we figured he would.  But yesterday he started coming out and letting us pet him and today he actually came up to me and started purring when I came in the room.  He seems to enjoy laying on us, purring, and then licking our noses.  


Cordelia is a spitfire.  She plays, eats, and occasionally passes out for a few minutes and then gets up and plays some more.  The two of them are getting along just fine and spend a lot of time chasing each other.  It's incredibly adorable. 


Our older cat, Cleo, is a bit perturbed but seems to be accepting things.  We've still got the kittens confined to the guest room, but will probably let them start venturing out into the rest of the house tonight.  We'll see how it goes. 

Of course we're missing Monroe, but so thrilled the boy is doing so well in his new home with his new little sister!!   I'm so proud of our little guy.

Here are a few pictures from our last morning with Monroe ( I mean Miles).












 And his new little sister...





Thanks so much for the update, Emily!   And thank you once again for adopting this special pair of kittens.   We're so happy they're in your home. 

A Home for Monroe

I usually reserve my adoption tales until after our kittens have left the nest, but with Christmas just days ahead,  I thought the timing would be perfect for a good ole' heartwarming story.

I'll just spoil the ending right now and tell you we've found the perfect home for Monroe, and he'll be leaving us right after Christmas.  I am overjoyed that a pair of very kind kitty parents found their way to us.   Honestly, I couldn't dream up a more perfect home for this boy.

Emily contacted me shortly after I posted THIS post about Monroe.   She and Ty were looking for a pair of boy kitties, and wondered if Monroe and Wee Willard were available.  Willard was spoken for, but Sue, over at Pitter Pats, had a fluffy little tabby boy named Fisher available.  We had talked earlier about possibly pairing them up.  

I told Emily about Fisher, and while we were in the middle of our email exchange, I got a call from Sue.    She had just returned from picking up Fisher at the vet - it was surgery day.  

As it turns out, Fisher ended up getting spayed that day, not neutered.  They discovered he was actually a girl!   These mistakes happen every now and again at the shelter.   Sometimes it's just hard to tell boys from girls when they're tiny and floofy!   It was a huge shocker for Sue, and she wrote a great post about it here.    

I thought that might put a wrench in our plan, but it didn't.   We moved ahead with our meet and greet, and they visited us last night.

 I was preparing dinner for the kittens when Emily and Ty arrived. I  was hoping to use food to encourage Monroe to stay out in plain sight and not retreat behind or under anything while they were here.   He was wise to my plan, and quickly darted under the bed when I went to answer the door.    

We chatted for a bit and I managed to persuade Monroe to come out from under bed. I carried him out into the living room, set him down, and the frightened little fellow dashed right back to the bedroom.

A few moments later, Sue arrived with Fisher.   Fisher was eager to explore this new place and checked out every inch of the room with her nose to the ground.   She discovered the giant basket of kitten toys, and made herself right at home inside of it.

We all chatted a little more,  got to know Emily and Ty a little better, and talked a lot about Monroe.  The idea of having a kitten like Monroe in their care, did not worry them a bit.  They have had special needs cats before, and were willing to do whatever it would take to get little Monroe through his adjustment period.

The more we talked, and the more we got to know them, the more I knew they were JUST the kind of people that Monroe needed.  

I went to check on Monroe again, and he was asleep on top of the bed, so I was able to easily scoop him up and bring him back to the living room.  I held him and although his eyes were big,  and he was a wee scared,  Emily and Ty got to see him up close and give him a few pets on the head and scritches on the chin.

We chatted a little more and we watched Fisher run around and do all sorts of goofy kitten things.

Charlene came out to say hello, and Fisher got all growly and silly. Unflappable Bean just looked at her.

And then Emily and Ty they said they wanted to adopt Monroe and Fisher.    Of course there were lots of yays and happy tears.

As I mentioned before, I couldn't dream up a more perfect home for Monroe.  It's a quiet one.  Most evenings there are spent reading books or watching television.   Ty works from home, so there's almost always someone around.

 Of course Fisher, our little extrovert kitten, will be keeping our little introvert company.   Monroe will also have an older woman in his life - they have a very spry, nine year old lady cat.  

In addition to all of this, he'll have very kind, calm and patient parents who will cater to his needs, accept his quirks, and help him through his transitional phase.   I wish all kitties on this planet could know the love this little fellow is about to receive.

I know once he gets settled in and lets go of his fears,  he's going to be such a happy little boy, and will thrive and shine in his surroundings.



And wont he and Fisher (below) make a lovely pair.




Such a happy holiday this is!

Hello in There

I think I know that nose.





And that giant paw, too.







Well, hello Monroe.

And What Big Paws You Have, Monroe.

A Home for Monroe

The Trimbles were very shy kittens when they moved in with us, and we've worked very hard with them trying to cure them of this behavior.  Willard and Bess are doing well, but Monroe just isn't 100% there.  He's made a tremendous amount of progress during his stay, but still has his scaredy-cat ways.

At times, he seems completely fine and acts like your typical squirrelly kitten.  He's very comfortable when he's in the guest  room.  It's his space, and he feels secure there.

He likes being up high on things, and is at ease on top of the bed.  When he's there, he's happy to receive love and pets and happy to show his affection in return.   He's quite cuddly when he feels safe and comfortable.

He's less comfortable in open spaces, like the living and dining room, and if you walk into those rooms and he's playing on the floor, he'll dash under the couch or table.

If he's on the back of a chair or on the couch, you can come right up to him, and he won't retreat.    If you're sitting on the couch, he'll join you there for a cuddle.

He's kind of complex, but I think we've figured his patterns out.

I know when he leaves our nest, there will be a big adjustment period for Monroe.  We really need to find an adopter that is patient, calm and loving and willing to see him through this phase.  The ideal home for him would be a quieter one.  I feel one without small children would be best.   I think he would enjoy the company of either an adult cat (he adores Charlene) or another kitten.

He's a fabulous little fellow, and worth the wait to get to know.

With all of our kittens, it's important that they're placed in a home that suits them best.   Because he's such a sensitive little lad, it's extra, extra important for him.

So, if you're in the Seattle/Tacoma area and feel you  might be a good match for Monroe,  please send an email of introduction to kittywrangler(at)gmail(dot)com    Or, if you can think of someone awesome, please send them our way.

Thanks for your help, friends.

In the Morning Light

A Lot of Fluff and a Feather Tuft

Schoolboy Crush

Just a few days after the Trimbles moved in with us, when they were still living in the wire kennel, Charlene sneaked into their room.   The second Monroe noticed her, he came to the front of the cage and started rubbing his little face and body against the bars.  It was love at first sight.

He still has a thing for Charlene, and when he sees her, he just gets goofy.   He'll drop on the floor and roll over on his back in excitement.   He'll start cooing and chirping to get her attention.

I think he's got a bit of a crush on her.    See for yourself...

He's Very Hairy

His furry collar could swallow him up.

 

Kinda Shy

The Trimble Tabbies  are a little bit on the shy side.  Shy kittens like to hide, and we don't want them retreating to the nooks and crannies of the guest bedroom,  so I've set up a wire kennel to house them in until they're feeling a little more confident.   It works well.  They feel safe and I don't have to fish them out from under the furniture.

Several times a day,  I put them in the bathroom (aka the exercise yard)  so they can run and romp.   We join them for playtime and work on building their trust.

They're improving daily - everyone is purring, and they're getting more comfortable with us.   They still have their scaredy-cat moments,  but they're getting there.

One of the greatest things about fostering kittens is witnessing this transformation.

Meet Monroe

My, Monroe.   Aren't you an adorable handful of floof.