Kitten Fur for the Brokenhearted

Today's post is brought to you by my best friend, Candace Randall.  She has talked nonstop about her new kittens, so I finally told her to put a sock in it and write about it.


I am an animal lover.

My life is not whole without animals and I’m sure many of you can identify with my sentiment. As far back as I can remember I have almost always had one pet or another in my life, and then last Christmas my cat, Breyer, died and I’ve been heartbroken ever since. I have not had any pets in my house since Breyer passed away and a life without pets is very empty. One month after losing Breyer I decided that I was going to get my dream cat.  I’ve wanted a Bengal cat for over ten years, but I have not been able to justify the expense and I’ve always adopted rescue animals. During my search for a Bengal I contacted many different breeders until I found one I felt comfortable with.  This was not an easy decision for me and I wanted to make sure whoever I chose would be ethical and loving to their cats. After contacting this chosen breeder I was informed that all of his current kittens were already reserved, but he did have a second litter from his other queen that was due the end of February. I forced my husband to go with me to visit the cattery, view the current litter, and look over the breeding/show cats to make sure I was happy with my choice. My husband liked the idea of a Bengal, just not the idea of buying a cat.  He fell in love the moment he was able to see and touch one of the kittens, and while I did not plan it that way, I did have a good idea that if I managed to get him there he would decide we were getting a Bengal. 

 If you have never had the chance to pet a Bengal then you have no idea what you are missing out on. These cats feel completely different from any other breed of cat I’ve been around.  Their coats feel like silk.  The cats themselves are pure muscle and that is nothing compared to their personality! We put down a deposit on the litter that was due in February, and I excitedly and impatiently waited for the impending birth.

When the day finally came and the kittens were born, I saved pictures of the litter sent to me by the breeder and I showed anyone who was willing (or not so willing) to look! We waited until the kittens were four weeks old to pick one out, I had no idea which one to choose and my husband ended up picking out the kitten and he chose the perfect little guy! I never realized how much I needed animals around me until I no longer had one.  Visiting those kittens filled a hole in my heart. We got to visit the kittens on weekends as long as we set an appointment.  The breeder let us play with the whole litter and not just our kitten, but when we went to visit our little guy at five and a half weeks old it was like he already knew who his family was.  After playing for half an hour, that sweet little fur ball climbed up into my lap and promptly went to sleep in my hands. To say the least, I am in love with the little guy already, and if I could I would take the entire litter home.  Fortunately all of them are spoken for except for one little girl who managed to worm her way into the hearts of my husband and daughter.

She’s no longer available if you were wondering. 

These visits to the kittens bring so much happiness to me that I leave feeling like I’m on Cloud Nine. I don’t understand how anyone could live without the love of an animal.

Naming a pet can be serious business, and while we have not chosen the name for the little girl, my little boy finally found his name after much deliberation and hours of searching (all done by me, not the kitten). This adorable little boy is Malbec, and yes, that is also my favorite wine.  I’ve tasked my husband with naming Malbec’s sister since he seems to be so attached to her and hopefully he will have a name soon because I never know what to call her.

I still have over a month of waiting before our kittens get to come home.  To pass the time I’m buying toys and reading about training, I want to be well prepared for such a smart breed of cat so that our relationship starts out on the right foot (or paw). I still miss Breyer.  I know these kittens will never take her place, and my bond with them will not be exactly what I had with Breyer, but my pain gets better every day and I’m excited to have happy, energetic kittens in my house. I wonder what the kittens' personalities will be like as they grow up and become adults.  That’s one of the amazing things about raising a pet from a young age. One has the privilege of watching them come out of their shells and develop into furry family members who know us better than we know ourselves.