We had to say goodbye last August to our beloved cat of 12 1/2 years. It was my boys’ first loss that really affected them. They immediately asked when we would be getting an0ther cat. My husband and I both agreed we needed to wait a little bit so we could all grieve. I really want my boys to learn to process difficult things so that they don’t just push them down. So my husband and I decided that surprising our boys at Christmas with a new kitten would be a good way to welcome a new member to our family.
I went to an animal shelter in early December to see if they had kittens. Kittens are not always easy to find. They are adopted quickly when they do come into shelters. That day, there were three kittens who had been brought in the day before. They were born in late September so they were a little over 2 months old. There was a girl and two boys. I Facetimed my husband to show him the two boys (our previous cat was a male so we wanted to stick with what we knew worked for us). “Noodle” was a tabby cat and “French Fry” was a smokey grey cat. They were brothers but looked very different. The lady working at the shelter that day mentioned that it is beneficial to adopt 2 cats together so that they have each other to play with and they also learn from each other how to appropriately “fight” and interact. We had not considered getting 2 cats, but guess what? I left that shelter that day with two cute little kittens.
The boys renamed the kittens. Noodle is now Skramble and French Fry is now Skamp. They are spelled with a “k” instead of a “c” in honor of Skippyjon, the cat we said goodbye to last August. I am raising some sentimental boys, and I love it.
Below are 10 things I have learned so far with having these fun, cute kittens in our house now.
- Kittens are a lot like toddlers – they get into everything and make a mess.
- Kittens fight and play with each other like human siblings.
- Kittens are fast learners and curious by nature.
- Kittens are super adorable.
- Kittens can get along with dogs if introduced at an early age – our previous cat did not like our dogs at all, but that is because he was alone for a while in our house before we added more pets or children. He was a full grown cat before our first dog Clare came along. The kittens are doing well so far with Clare and Janis (our German shepherd).
- Kittens sleep a lot, but not as much as full grown cats. They spend a lot of time exploring and playing right now.
- Kittens are fun to observe, and I don’t get tired of it. They make us laugh often with their antics.
- Kittens are very different in personalities, just like people. Skramble is adventurous and very vocal. Skamp is a lot more cautious and rarely meows.
- Kittens love to be held and cuddled, and they purr a lot when it is happening.
- Kittens love to eat, and they eat a lot. In that way, they are not much different than my two growing boys.
Losing a pet is so heart wrenching. Pets are family members. They are cherished and leave a hole when they are gone. Adding new pets to the family brings a lot of joy and a little frustration at times. One thing I do know is that life is better with our pets. They bring us laughter, comfort, and joy.
What pets are a part of your family? How have they benefited you? What have you learned from them? I would love to hear from you!
