Time for a new Cat Story

As Winnie, the black cat explores the bedroom with
blankets protecting my ivory colored bedspread

I have been asking for another cat for at least six months. Butch asked what I wanted for Christmas last year and I said a kitten. I also wanted a kitten for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, the first day of spring, Butch's birthday, Memorial Day and Arbor Day, even though we do not celebrate any of them. Butch asked what I wanted for my birthday this year and of course my answer was a kitty. Chris then asked me the same question, and I gave the same answer adding that Dad does not want a cat.



Midnight escapes from Bella

Birthday plans for 2015 include a trip up to New Hampshire to visit with Richie, Jenna and 4 year old Tristan. We got on the road at 7:00 a.m. and ware about halfway there when Chris called to say Happy Birthday. He asked to be put on speaker phone. Butch and Chris then informed me that my gift from the both of them is that I could pick out my own cat.

From that day on, Chris and I started looking at cats online. We found Kitten Associates and the next day we saw an ad on Craig's List for 12 kittens. Kittens Associates and the ad were the same kittens. We made an appointment to stop by on Wednesday, July 22 (10 days after my birthday) to meet the cats and possibly bring one home. I emailed back and forth with Michele for a few days leading up to our visit.

Baybrook Farm is in Sandy Hook, almost on the Shelton line. We brought Bella with us and she was in her glory, visiting with the rabbit, the goats, the calf, the cow and the sheep. She saw the small horse, heard the two horses up in back and Butch held her tight when Michele's dog cut through the yard.



Peanut checks out the living room

I met Chris there and we went in to meet the cats while Butch and Bella enjoyed the beautiful day. We were brought into the house and led to a closed door. Michele opened the door a bit and asked us to be careful as we went in. The room was full of cats, gray cats, tan cats, black cats and multi colored cats. We sat on the couch and some of them jumped up to visit, while others played with the hem of my dress.

Michele explained that she gets her cats from Tennessee and goes down there three times a year. She picks out only kittens she feels would be good house cats, brining them back to Connecticut, fostering them until they find a good home. The kittens have all had their shots and that is the only cost she asks for. She added that this batch is hard to give up because they are all so friendly. Her daughter has one picked out that she is hoping to keep and her husband sits to watch TV in the cat room because he enjoys the fun of all the kittens. 



Peanut finally looks at the camera

As I sat down, one of the black cats sat on my lap. Others came up to join her, but she never left. I explained that I've always admired black cats but never had one. Winnie was a love and I decided almost immediately that I wanted her. There was also a gray cat that never left my side and I felt bad leaving him. Once I made the decision, Winnie got up and played, it was like she knew she found a home and had to say goodbye.

Winnie came home with us and we discussed a name during the ride home. Butch decided Midnight was a great name and I agreed it was appropriate, but I promised Tristan he could name the new kitten. When I got home I texted a picture of the new addition to our family to both Richie and Jenna, explaining that the kitten now has had two names and it is up to Tristan to make the defining decision and name the new all black cat.

I got an audio message from Tristan that night, "I think the cat should be called Peanut."

So our new baby is now Peanut.