Mina and Dorian in their new home

Thanks to their new mom Angela, I have some pictures of Mina and Dorian all settled into their new home. These look like some seriously happy kitties. They are reported to be the most loving and sweet cats this couple has ever known.

Soft Kitty, a photo essay with Alan Quatermain

Soft kitty

Warm kitty

Little ball of fur

Happy kitty

Sleepy kitty

Purr, purr, purr.

Wait... you tricks me lady! I no like dis soft life of warms!

But... it is so warms here. Bah...

2015: State of the Kitties

Patient Zero, budding artist

Patient Zero
Status: Adopted
Now named Subzero, this feisty little guy was my first catch of the year. He now owns a human named Angel and is appropriately worshiped.


Number One and Caramel
Status: Adopted
Under the new assumed names of Sable and Carmy, these two cuddled their way right into Sue's heart, her bed and pretty much everything in her house. It's actually their house now, but they let Sue stay because she gives good snuggles, has thumbs and is experienced at opening cans.


Cheeto and Dorito

Caramel, Isolde, Scully, Cheeto and Dorito

Status: Adopted
These ginger brothers were rather hard to tell apart, so it's good that they went to a new home together. They now live with a nice lady who found her house to be devoid of cats. The boys have fixed that.


Isolde
Status: Adopted 
This tabby darling is now the sweetheart of a boy named Tristan. But, it's not going to work out like in the story, because that would be weird.

Edgar Allen and Montressor

Status: Adopted

Edgar and Montressor came from the Halloween trio of black kittens who all won themselves Poe names. This pair of brothers was adopted by a pair of sisters and collectively, I imagine they are plotting some world domination or maybe eating tuna and finishing homework, respectively.

Annabel Lee and Lenore

Status: Adopted / Returned / Adopted Again

Both of these girls had a rough time before they were fostered. Annabel so underweight that we really concerned for her health and Lenore with a tail so broken that it had to be amputated. Their first home didn't work out because they helped their new dad rediscover his asthma. After a brief stint back at the Kittenasium, a home was found for them that was just right. Annabel can live on Jennifer's face and chest while Lenore can chill with Justin. It's working out nicely.

Catherine Earnshaw and Linton

Status: Adopted

Catherine and Linton were a sibling pair that just would not be parted. Thankfully, they found a family who was totally ok with that.

Heathcliff

Status: Adopted

Mina and Dorian

Now known as Jake, this little ginger fella is enjoying life with his new moms. He is being spoiled rotten with a ton of new toys and is working on winning his way into the heart of his older adopted sister kitty, who still isn't too sure of his intentions.

Mina Harker and Dorian Grey

Status: Adopted

The inseparable pair of siblings arrived and left together. Mina was aggressively friendly and like to hang out on faces. Dorian was cool just hanging out next to humans. Thankfully they found a new mom and dad who adopted them together so they continue their madcap adventures and hardcore naps together.

Allen Quatermain... waiting

Allen Quatermain

Status: Fostering

This grey and white little fella isn't too sure about people still, but he came from the mean streets behind a 24 hour Checkers. We're still trying to convince him that people are swell and have nice food for him. Right now, he really likes it under my bed.

Scully

Status: Foster Failure / Adopted 
After taking the professional name of Scully, the kitten formerly known as Rolo decided she liked Kristen the Cat Lady rather a bit and wanted to keep sleeping on her pillow. So, there she stayed. Seriously, she's still there, on my pillow. I think the whole bed may be hers now, but she lets me sleep there... for now.

Kitler

Status: Back from Meowschpringe

Hopefully for good this time. This cow kitty needs to stop falling out of first floor windows. He's still pretty sure everyone is going to murder him, but he now contemplates his paranoia in the same room as guests. People now can believe that Kitler really exists.

Neville

Status: King of his Castle

Neville is large, in charge, and as friendly as can be. I see none of this changing.

Overview: By the Numbers

• Housecats at beginning of 2015: 2
• Housecats at end of 2015: 3
• Fosterlings: 17
• Fosterlings adopted: 16
• Remaining fosters from 2015: 1
• Litterboxes: 5
• Toys on sticks that survived the year: 4
• Toys on sticks that did not survive the year: 3
• Happy Kristen hearts: 1

Holiday Adoptions

Mina Harker and Dorian Grey

Mina and Dorian have been adopted together and will be picked up tomorrow by a lovely couple. I am so very happy this bonded pair of siblings will get to stay together.

Until then, Mina is busily spending as much time as possible on my face and overlapping my personal space. I'm fine with this right up until the time she puts her nose inside my nose. Currently, she is sitting on my shoulder like a terrible parrot while I type this.

This makes it pretty hard to type, you know. I put up with a lot.

Heathcliff

Heathcliff was adopted and picked up by his new moms today. He's settling into his new digs and even sent me the following 'letter' and selfie:

Hey foster mommie! I have had a full day...lots of new places n sounds. I am a lil skidish but am being a good boy. I just had dinner and played with a fishing pole toy n gettn used to my new digs. I will keep u posted. I hope u arent sad!

Well, this may be the first time I have received a letter from a cat, but I do hope it isn't the last. This little fella was such a sweetheart and I can't even begin to say how happy I am that he has such a loving new home.

Happy holidays!

A Portrait of Dorian Grey

At first blush, this kitten is beautiful. He started off a little bit shy when he first arrived and I've discovered that his skittish behavior is triggered by loud people who are moving around a lot. However, as soon as everyone settles down, Dorian Grey is ready to make some friends.

The genetics of cats are a fascinating thing and there are so many factors to consider. With stray and feral kittens we very rarely can know what parents (other than the mother) were involved and what the father might have looked like. One litter of kittens can have multiple fathers, which makes things even more difficult. What I can tell you about Dorian is that he is decidedly grey. His coat looks similar to that of a Russian Blue but he has an elongated face which is reminiscent of Asian cat breeds like the Korat cat. In bright light, you can see distinct stripes on his tail which may point to a tabby pattered cat in his ancestry. Regardless, he's glorious.

He's also a very friendly little man. While his sister Mina Harker is almost aggressively friendly and will climb up to rub herself on faces, Dorian is a bit more laid back. He's content to receive love while sprawled out along side you on the couch or to drape himself across your lap.

Mina Harker and Dorian Grey are a beautiful and friendly bonded pair of siblings. I'd very much like to find them a home together. It will need to be the right home though... it will need to be a home where someone will be happy with two kitties that will adore you, sometimes getting in your face about how much they like you.

These two have a lot of love to give. I just need to find them someone who will love them back just as much.

Mina Harker is a Face Cat

Some people think cats are standoffish and not as friendly as man's best friend, which just means they have never met a Face Cat. Have you ever met a face cat? No? Let me tell you about Face Cats...

Mina Harker wants to be close to you...

What I mean by close is mostly: overlapping.

I have to tell her she is too close when her nose is *inside* of my nose. I'm not that kind of cat lady.

Want to read a book? Ha! Face Cat needs your face and that book is in the way of what this kitten needs. Want to watch TV? Ha! A Face Cat needs all of your attention.

Face Cat also learned how to tap the phone to take photos and how to swipe through photos. I found this alarming. Thankfully Mina Harker is a Face Cat and needs my face, otherwise I might be more worried. If she learns how to open cans though... my days may be numbered.

If you need a lover, Mina Harker and Dorian Grey might just be the kittens for you. While Mina wants to share the same space that your head is occupying, Dorian is cool with laying on your lap or just chilling out beside you with his head on your leg. They are both such beautiful cats and so ridiculously friendly, well, someone is going to be a lucky pet owner if they adopt this pair.

 I'll try to get some pics of Dorian tonight if Mina does not swipe the phone...

League of Extraordinary Kittens: Mina Harker and Dorian Grey

Mina Harker

Clad in black and sharp in tooth and claw, this girl kitten is approximately 8-10 weeks of age. She is a touch shy at first, but warmed up after a few minutes of sitting still she became curious and approached me. Within moments, she had climbed into my lap for cuddles and the booping of snoots. She took quite a while to examine me, and when she was done I started with the petting. And then the purring began. She is all black in coat with just a small cluster of a few white hairs at her throat.

"I feel a wonderful peace and rest tonight. It is as if some haunting presence were removed from me. Perhaps..." Mina Harker's Journal, 5 October 1891.

Dorian Grey

Dorian Grey is a Russian Blue mix with a coat like smoke. He is at first quite timid and was less brave than his sister. After the liberal application of cat treats, blinky eyes, cat toys and soft words, he finally approached me. His fur is amazingly soft. It took a few tries to get more that just a single pet. After another couple dozen minutes we settled into an amicable arrangement of gentle petting and soft purring.

“Behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic.” The Picture of Dorian Grey