Thimble-kitten arrived in our lives on August 16, 2024; rescued from the parking lot of a local convenience store by our son, she was nearly starved, dirty, infested with fleas and lice.
Howard gave her the first of several baths, provided a month's worth of kitten food.
By the time we got her to a vet appointment four days later, Thimble, though still thin had found her place in our home and had begun to assert her considerable personality.
The vet judged that Thimble was between 8 and 10 weeks old, placing her birth during the month of June.
During these past weeks I've been telling her she is no longer a 'kitten' but a 'cat!'
Thimble is the naughtiest, most imaginative feline we've met in our decades of sharing our home with cats.
She carries her toys [a collection of green milk bottle caps] around like a puppy, bounces them down the stairs, waits for me to retrieve them from under shelves, from behind the piano, where ever they have landed. If we forget to pick up the lids and stow them in a drawer at bedtime, as soon as lights go out the 'toys' are located and clattered about the house.
Thimble is a rummager, an investigator, an acrobat, a too willing helper in every task.
The other cats do not enjoy her companionship; she chases, pounces, stalks. Rosie is her particular focus of torment and runs squalling while Thimble fixes her with a beady eye before launching herself in Rosie's direction.
Thimble's midnight antics often mean that she has to be sequestered in the sunroom for the remainder of the night.
And yet, particularly when she has created an uproar, sent objects flying from countertop or desk, splashed in the water bowl, there's that little whiskery face, those big eyes gazing at me; and so I scoop her up, let her clamber to my shoulder and purr in my ear. I tell her its a good thing that I love her!
First bath.
Anything to be noticed!
A moment of repose.
Any container must be tried on for size--the bucket of newspapers saved for fire starters.
Thimble never forgets that Howard rescued her, gave her a chance at life.
She makes it plain they have a bond.
Fearless!
Why shouldn't I make music?
The face of innocence.
A wastebasket full of fabric scraps, emptied on the floor.
This basket is the best fit.
A cushioned colander.
A box--for me!
Thimble enjoys quilts.
Enjoying the cat tower.
A friend of Howard wanted to rehome a cat condo/tower. It is a cumbersome thing, the posts wound with thin rope which Thimble has mostly unwound. I didn't feel we needed it, but it provides endless exercise and amusement for this kitten turned cat.
She is a performer, a show-off, an entertainer.
We may not have needed a kitten, but I can't now imagine life without Thimble!
It is quite obvious that Thimble is the kitten, turned cat, that you needed! My dad, a northern New Hampshire Yankee, would have called her ‘a caution’! . We never had cats but I did find that that was how many of my horses came into my life. They were horses who for one reason or another were in need of an immediate home.
ReplyDeleteMundi; I remember older folks using the term 'a caution' in that manner, but it wasn't part of my maternal family's lexicon.
DeleteSome of us seem geared life-long to rescue needy animals. Our 15 years in Kentucky have been marked by the arrival on the doorstep of abandoned kittens----and feral tomcats. An ongoing dilemma!
What a caution she is! LOVE her. She makes Pippi look well-behaved :) She is so pretty - I imagine there is Siamese in here with THAT amount of cheek and mischieviousness. She clearly does not like to be ignored and lets everyone know it!!
ReplyDeleteJennie; Definitely Siamese in the genetics--both body type and personality suggest that heritage, and there are Siamese hybrids in the immediate area where Thimble was found. She is a delightful nuisance! Her presence is a bit like having a toddler around--we have to anticipate what she may get up to.
DeleteThimble looks like a precious beauty and sounds like a delight! I have two cats right now and I enjoy having cats in the house. They are great companions.
ReplyDeleteMichelle; We've never been without house cats and I fear ours are terribly indulged. It means not having breakable treasures on display; I warn people not to wear their best black when visiting. Coming out of Tractor Supply with sacks of kibble, litter, tinned food, [their 'tea!'] we often remark on the cost of upkeep, but a home without pets would seem so sterile and lonely!
DeleteWhat a character she is! She will keep you young!
ReplyDeleteGranny Sue; She will keep me young--or be the cause of my demise as she hurtles down the stairs under my feet! I'll never understand the people who say, 'Its just a cat'--or 'only a dog..' Little do they know!
DeleteShe is beautiful Sharon! She may be over a year now but she'll keep her inner kitten for a good while yet! My two big boys arent always enamoured with our new kitten , yet in quieter moments they all wash each other! Leanne, simple days
ReplyDeleteLeanne; I'm hoping Thimble remains a kitten at heart, although we could do without her tormenting of the other cats. Impossible not to love her even when she is at her naughtiest!
DeleteWhat an adorable cat! And what a sweet name! I have had cats most of my life and I totally love them. Beautiful photos and wonderful post. Warm greetings from a 68 year old retired lady living in Montreal, Canada.
ReplyDeleteLinda; Cats are a wonderful, if sometimes aggravating addition to a household. Thimble manages to be both naughty and endearing.
DeleteMy paternal ancestry originated in Quebec, moving to the Champlain Valley of Vermont in the 1870's.
What a precious kitty; maybe she can always be a kitten. I know mine will always be. We are still waging quite a battle with the raccoons. I have been taking away any extra food at night, but it isn't doing much good since there's now one showing up both mornings and evenings. I really fear for the kittens safety.
ReplyDeleteMary; We have raccoons as regular visitors, thus far only in the evening. The elderly outdoor cats, Willis and Sally ,seem undisturbed by the presence of a raccoon or two on the porch. Willis had a nasty bite on his rump that became infected back in the spring--we couldn't be sure if it was from a raccoon encounter or from a visiting feral tomcat. I think your fear for the safety of your kittens is valid. Wild animals are unpredictable.
DeleteAs for Thimble--she isn't showing many signs of adulthood!
She looks like the kind that will always be a kitten. Mine loved milk jug rings, they have a lot of play value and I am sure there is a huge stash of them under the piano.
ReplyDeleteAnon; I'd love to know your name or a 'handle!' I can tell you are an admirer of cats.
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