Monday, June 13, 2011

A big welcome to Fennec



It is with one part embarrassment, one part shame, one part dismay, to ten parts glee, that I tell you we have adopted another animolecule. I'm afraid the spring kitten fever got us. I can also blame it all on The Husband, who pulled one of those "let's just go look" stunts.


He's from our local Humane Society. We'll be keeping him in isolation for about a week (or as long as we can stand), to make sure he isn't harboring a URI, which so many shelter kittens get. I can't wait to see what kind of reception he'll get from our other kitties. Well, actually, two of them are a given: Cleo (our wild black girl cat) will hiss at him and never let him get closer than a foot or two, and Miss Lemon of course will claim him and treat him like her own offspring.

But how will Rumi, Lynx, and Gadjo react? It will be interesting. Stay tuned.

When we went to the shelter, I told The Husband that the only way I'd consider adopting another would be if we found one that was truly a lovebug. There were a lot of kittens at the shelter, and I saw this one on a woman's lap in the meet room. The little guy had fallen asleep on her lap. As kittens tend to just be wiggly blurs, I found it very endearing and envied the woman. 

Later, while we were meeting with other kittens, this one got put back into the enclosure with all of them (and us). I picked up this little guy and he started purring and just wouldn't stop. He just wanted to snuggle and be held, and give mini head-butts, and purr. I've never met a more loving kitten at that age (he's about 2 months). 

But the woman who had met him hadn't made up her mind yet, and she had first dibs. I told The Husband I'd leave it up to fate: if the other woman decided not to take this kitten after all, then he'd come home with us. If she did decide to take him, then we wouldn't bring home any other kitten.

So, unless his personality radically changes, we've got our lovebug.


 In honor of his tiny face, huge ears, and coloring, we have named him Fennec, after the foxes (which, sadly, like much wildlife, are illegally sold as pets--please don't support this or any other illegal wildlife trade).

11 comments:

Nancy B. Hartley said...

So adorable, Congratulations!! He looks so sweet, just like a love bug!
Happy purring to your already happy house full of four legged love!

Caroline Simmill said...

He is so lovely, his white socks make me smile. I never knew you had a wild black girl cat do you have photos of her? A big welcome to Fennec!

ELFI said...

c'est un modèle de pastel ..cette couleur est magnifique..je comprends que le coeur craque..un si joli chat!

Fernando Pena said...

Jala, precioso el gatito, entiendo porqué ahora lo tienes tu

Sonya Johnson said...

Awww....he's so cute! And a tuxedo, to boot! Congratulations on the new addition to your hoar...I mean family ;).

Such are the dangers of going to the shelter to "just go look".

My sister just adopted a new fur-unit into hers as well: a purebred Siamese she named Taylor (for the bright blue eyes). So, kitten fever is going around.

suzanneberry said...

congrats on the new addition!! he's just so adorable. good luck with the brood!

Janelle Goodwin said...

Aw, it's easy to see why you couldn't resist this little love bug!

Viviane said...

Congratulations on your new addition!!! This is great news indeed. I can't wait to see pictures of the "new kitty reception" the other four-legged cuties will give him. I foresee happy, busy days ahead for Fennec, don't you?
What a lucky little guy he is to have found your home.

Jala Pfaff said...

Hi everyone, thank you so much! Sonya, I've always wanted a tuxedo kitty, actually. This one comes in orange. ;) Viviane, I do see happy days ahead for him w/the others, but Gadjo is currently sulking, suspecting what's happening.

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

I just love that 'the husband' is such a generous soul when it comes to shelter animals. Who could 'just look'?
Not I.
My two little monkeys are giving us a run for our money here ;)

Diane Hoeptner said...

Congratulations on your new family member!!! Fennec is darling. My Layla was the same way, instant cuddlebug from very young.