The Goodbye Girls

On Saturday, I arrived at our rescue's adoption event with three little girls who were looking for their forever home.

They look thrilled to be there, don't they? This is their normal adoption event behavior. Snooze with their paws outside of the cage and pretend that they're not interested in meeting anyone.

"Princess Torii won't look at you. You don't look at Princess Torii. Then Princess Torii goes home and forgets she was ever here... Deal?"

Apparently, that deal was not to be honored this weekend. By the end of the afternoon, we had met a wonderful couple, approved an application, and on Sunday we said goodbye to Princess Torii.

Our pretty girl went to the perfect home with a mom and dad that love her very much and an older kitty to show her the ropes. 

We planned to complete the adoption during Sunday afternoon's store event. Normally, adoptions are emotional and seem to take forever to accomplish. Torii's went by in the blur, however. Within seconds of my arrival, (while I was still pushing a cart down a PetSmart aisle that contained a large carrier with three kittens inside, a tote bag full of their necessities, a camera bag, and a purse), I heard these incredible words: "This family is here to meet Garnet."

"Who, ME?"

This family had come to the store Saturday evening and explained to one of our volunteers that they were looking for an older tabby kitten to fill a void in their family. They had recently lost their tabby girl to cancer and both the family and their boy kitty were grieving and looking for companionship. The volunteer directed them to our blog, where they fell in love with Garnet.

They met Garnet and Belle, and a miracle happened. My normally brave and outgoing girl who turns frightened, nervous, and anti-social in the store was putty in their hands. She accepted attention, allowed herself to be held, even permitted being held on her back like a baby while getting her chin and belly rubbed. She not only allowed it, but she loved it. A match was made, an application was submitted, and Garnet will be going home to her new family on Monday. She will have a mom and dad, a human brother and sister, and a kitty brother who is waiting to romp and play with her.

While Garnet's new family was filling out their paperwork, another family arrived looking for a quieter, snuggly kitten to share their lives. They looked at some smaller, younger, and livelier kitties before setting their gaze on Belle.

They loved her markings, loved her quiet nature and soulful eyes, asked all of the right questions and (before I knew it) asked to fill out an application to adopt her. Before they left, they consulted every expert in the store, filled up a cart with items just for her, and went on their way home to prepare a special room for her arrival. When Belle goes home on Monday, she will have her own mom and dad, two human sisters and a human brother. She will be an only kitty, which just might be the perfect situation in which our quieter, shyer sister can brightly shine.

It's amazing how the universe sends the right people at the right time. While it seemed these girls had been with us for far too long, it was simply because their families hadn't been looking for them yet. 

We still have Garnet and Belle in the house for one more night, so we'll be doing lots of snuggling, playing, and celebrating before we send them on their way. 

This little girl moves into the main house where she belongs on Monday night.

Fosterless? Perhaps. Perhaps not, though. Stay tuned.

Three Sweet Girls

To the tune of a popular nursery rhyme

Hummmmm...

Three sweet girls

Three sweet girls

They need a home

WE NEED A HOME!

They're quiet and loving and don't eat much

They give lots of love and they rarely fuss

They will enrich your life with lots of hugs

My three sweet girls

WE'RE THREE SWEET GIRLS!

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Garnet, Belle, and Princess Torii are three extra-sweet, extra-loving, extra-playful, extra-affectionate, extra-special kittens who are long overdue in finding their forever homes.

We've wracked our brains to figure out what is holding off potential adopters. 

It can't be their looks. Have I mentioned how drop-dead gorgeous these girls are? 

It can't be their personalities. Unless there are people out there who don't like sweeter-than-candy kittens. But these people can't possibly exist, can they?

It can't be their health history. Who would not appreciate receiving a kitten who has been fully vetted, received all of its vaccines, and has already been spayed? 

It can't be their size. They're kittens... still fun-sized! Although they are getting bigger by the day... which is why we want them to find their forever homes before they are squeezed out in the market by smaller-but-not-cuter kittens.

So the kitten catcher and I debated marketing tactics. We thought about going the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee route and offer "Lunch With The Roo" for anyone who visits Teeny Tiny Tabby Town and adopts one of our girls. But then we remembered who we are talking about...

Potential adopters who visit my house would be more likely to engage in a rousing game of  "Play Hide and Seek With The Roo" followed by "Chase The Ruby Blur Throughout The House"

Without Ruby's cooperation, we're left with bribes. The rescue is holding a super-special adoption event this weekend. All adoptions which are approved from applications received between now (yes Jan Brady... right this very now) and next Sunday October 27th will receive a very special gift package from that kitten's foster mom. So yes... if you adopt a kitten from my house, you will receive a gift from ME! Your kitten will take home very special items from Teeny Tiny Tabby Town, ones that they treasure and consider "important". Saving you money and making your kitten feel "at home" from the moment they arrive? Yep, I'm working it for you.

Now, let's get to adopting already!

Home Run

I grew up listening to legendary Tigers' radio announcer Ernie Harwell calling games. I can still hear his home run call in my head... "Long gone!"  Well, our first All Star isn't quite "long" gone. But he's made his run for home.

Bye bye, baby.

Miggy met his new mama this afternoon and went home a couple hours later with a cart full of brand new kitty stuff that he will never have to share with sisters. He will have two dog brothers and a human brother along with a mom and dad to love. 

It was difficult to say goodbye, as always. The kitten catcher left tears on the top of his head. But we know that he and his new family will be giving each other a lifetime of happiness. Happy life, sweet boy.

*********************************************************

Miggy might be gone, but his sisters are still here. One of them is already spoken for (that story will come another day), but if you fancy adding one of these girls to your family you can find them at the Chesterfield MI PetSmart store on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.  Or just drop me a line at teenytinytabbies AT gmail DOT com.  

Hurry before your favorite is "long gone".

Halloween Kittens

There will be Halloween costume parties at PetSmart stores nationwide this weekend (check with your local stores for details). The kittens are WAY excited to show off their costumes at the adoption event on Saturday.

Can't you just feel the excitement radiating from Belle's soul at the thought of being a Rockette for Halloween?

Doesn't Princess Torii look thrilled to be wearing her fairy tutu?

Miggy rocked the cowboy look.

As long as he could do it without the hat ;-)

Garnet was feeling the fairy wings...

"What are THOSE doing there????"

So she made it her mission to remove said fairy wings.

Punk Peanut Maxie is still working on her look. Maybe she'll have it down by Saturday. Come and visit to see her final result.

Hey Now, They're the All Stars

It had recently been brought to my attention that I had not published a photo of all three of our All Star kittens since August. You know, when they looked like this:

Awwww... the babies

It's not as if I haven't been taking pictures of them. I've gotten group photos...

Four pretty girls, but where's Miggy?

Here he is with Belle...

And Maxie...

And Princess...

And Garnet...

He apparently likes his ladies one at a time.

And the girls?

Well, they're not so great at sitting together and posing either ;-)

So with mission accepted, I went into the foster room with camera in hand and woke up some sleepy kittens (thinking sleepiness might encourage sitting still... maybe... )

They might have been a tad grumpy at being awakened early from their afternoon slumber.

Just a little bit though ;-)

Gotta get these family portraits while we still have the chance...

Perfect Little Princess

Princess Torii Fielder is, without a doubt, the epitome of the perfect little princess. She practices her regal posture when no one is looking. She has perfected the icy aloof stare. From the tips of her fluffy ears to the end of her even fluffier tail, she is (quite frankly) gorgeous... and she knows it.

"Don't hate Princess Torii because she's beautiful, 

just sit back and enjoy looking at the masterpiece."

Our Princess Torii is a remarkably soft, incredibly floofy silvery-gray girl. If you look closely at her sides, you can see subtle striping but otherwise she appears solid in color. She has four white paws, a white medallion on her chest, and the most amazing soul patch ever on her chin.

But don't let her looks intimidate you.

Because she's also a goofball...

When she thinks you're not looking, that is.

Princess Torii is the quiet All Star kitten. It has taken longer for us to get to know her because she is a bit more reserved, a bit more timid, and a heck of a lot more willing to let her brother and sisters take her spotlight.

But the good news is that we're seeing the beginning of a blossoming Princess. She's starting to engage in play around people, show her silly side, and ask for love from us.

"Love Princess."

"LOVE Princess."

"LOVE PRINCESS!"

She's even starting to put her feisty little sister into her place with some regularity.

I've seen it dozens of times with the quiet and timid kittens. They shrink to the back as long as their siblings are willing to absorb the attention. This has what has happened with Princess Torii in the front foster room. The effervescent Maxie and Garnet demand attention, so Princess is able to escape what frightens her. But...

Those quiet ones all start coming out of their shells sooner or later. Princess is already starting to show what a truly lovely girl she is. Now she needs a forever home where she can grow independently into her role as Queen.

The funny thing about adoption events at the store is that kittens often reverse their roles from at home. Confident, take-charge Garnet hides underneath the blankets and counts down the time until we leave. More reticent Princess Torii goes to the front of the cage and makes the acquaintance of all who pass by.

Because, seriously... who could resist reaching out and touching that kitten face poking through the bars? She often sits with her paws outside the cage too. Princess has been petted, stroked, and fussed over by people of all ages. She allows her paws to be handled and has given kisses to toddlers. She sits for smartphone portraits to be texted to family members who might want a kitten.

She's ready...

Are you?

Princess Torii Fielder is five-months-old, is current on all kitten and rabies vaccines, and has been spayed. She has been raised with tons of love in Teeny Tiny Tabby Town and is currently looking for a family who will promote her to the position of Queen. If you think that YOU might be that lucky family, come visit her at our next adoption event... Saturdays and Sundays at the Chesterfield Michigan PetSmart store. Or better yet... e-mail me at teenytinytabbies AT gmail DOT com and let's get a conversation going. 

The possibility of transport exists within reason, so feel free to ask about her even if you're not local. Remember... you can't win if you don't play.