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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Meet Amir’s Kitty, Aoife!

Meet Amir’s Kitty, Aoife!

by | 113 Comments

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Come for the politics, stay for the  snark  sweet kitty pics!

Introducing Aoife!

Too adorable for words!

That face!

A few words from Amir:

I’ve decided that Aoife is a butterscotch tabby. I think that’s the best description of her colour. (Check out those beautiful golden eyes.) She’s a delight to have around, most of the time. She’s mischievous, something of an escape artist, prone to zoomies when the mood takes her — which can happen at any hour of the day or night — and also very affectionate. She’s perfect.

Open thread.

Update:  Happy Birthday to Amir!

Reader Interactions

113Comments

  6. 6.

    MattF

    Mini-essay from Josh Marshall about the RFKJ brouhaha. Explains some things I’d seen but hadn’t quite understood. Recommended reading.

  7. 7.

    laura

    Smol house tiger is perfect- and like M^4, your Orange Boy is a girl. Also, happy birthday Amir Khalid🥳

  13. 13.

    Amir Khalid

    @sab:

    The shelter said she was about 10 months old when I adopted her in May, which means Aoife and I share a July birthday. So we can celebrate them together.

  14. 14.

    PBK

    She is lovely and as I recall from a previous post of yours very intelligent!  Just think of her as a furry toddler and keep an eye out for anything she could get into that she shouldn’t.

    Is her tail really that short or is it just the angle of the photo?

    ETA Happy birthday!

  15. 15.

    Torrey

    Awwwwwwwwww! Count me in as a fan of Lady Aoife. I also like the Irish name; it suits her well.

  16. 16.

    JPL

    What a beauty.

    Happy birthday,    In case it was yesterday, I hope you had a wonderful day.

  19. 19.

    hedgehog the occasional commenter

    She’s lovely!  So glad you found each other.  Also too, Happy Birthday!

  21. 21.

    Jackie

    Happy Birthday to you both! She’s adorable!

    I love kitties that get the zoomies! When they’re done they act like “why are you looking at me like that,?” while daintily washing their face.

  22. 22.

    CaseyL

    Happy birthday, albeit belatedly, to Amir and Aoife!

    She is adorable, Amir.  Congrats on your House Tiger: may you have many happy years together!

  23. 23.

    Amir Khalid

    @PBK:

    Aoife’s tail really is that short, about 10cm/4” long. I don’t know if she was born that way or she had some kind of accident, but it’s a distinguishing feature and it looks cute.

  27. 27.

    Immanentize

    So many of us have seemingly survived another trip around our friend, the sun!

    Happy day of birth to All (including me on Sunday). November is cold and dark….

  31. 31.

    Betty Cracker

    “Butterscotch tabby” is a perfect description for her! Wishing you two many happy trips around the sun together.

  32. 32.

    kindness

    Aoife.  Great name.  Does it translate to anything?  I think I got it but what is the correct pronunciation?

  35. 35.

    ArchTeryx

    All orange cats share one brain cell. But they make up for it with sheer sweet nature and sociability.

  37. 37.

    Old Man Shadow

    She is a very pretty elder god and you are lucky to have her protecting your house from horrors that would drive you mad if you saw them.

  38. 38.

    Juju

    What a cute kitty cat. Happy birthday a day late. You are a month older than I am. I hope you had a nice birthday.

  40. 40.

    KayInMD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))

    Pretty girl! There’s nothing better, more engaging than a curious, mischievous kitty. Happy birthday to you both.

  43. 43.

    Maxim

    Here it is your birthday, Amir, and you’ve given us a gift with these photos of your precious kitty.

    Thank you, and happy birthday!

  44. 44.

    Eunicecycle

    @ArchTeryx: our orange kitty, now over the Rainbow Bridge, was so sweet and friendly. I always said he thought he was a dog because he always greeted us at the door and wanted to be with us.

    He was the hardest cat to litter train, though. So not a lot of brain cells.

  48. 48.

    ArchTeryx

    @Eunicecycle: Considering how much we deal with hostile stupid in politics, sweet and dumb is a huge break. We have an orange rescue ourselves. Big chonk who loves everyone and has NO IDEA what to do with our big minirex bunny.

  50. 50.

    Zelma

    What a beauty.  I had an orange tabby with eyes like that.  Called him Sunlight.  Sweet as can be.  Enjoy your new family member.

  51. 51.

    Bex

    My cat Millie (short for Camilla Parker Bowles–say what you will, but I always liked Camilla and am glad she’s now Queen).  I called Millie an orange marmalade cat, and she had golden eyes.  She was also a Queen.  Happy birthdays Amir and Aoife!

  53. 53.

    BeautifulPlumage

    Happy Birthday Amir! Aoife is very elegant, and those eyes 😻. Glad she found you.

  56. 56.

    WV Blondie

    Awww, she’s just adorable! She looks like our new overlord, Ubu. When we rescued him (and it was a rescue, he was just 18 months old and in an inappropriate home) they told us he was part Abyssinian, as indicated by the “M” marking on his forehead. Aoife has the same pronounced M, I see. In which case you may find she’ll also exhibit some dog-like behaviors – our Ubu likes his belly rubbed (!), he sleeps at our feet, and he’s utterly human-oriented.

    May you find joy learning her personality!

  57. 57.

    NorthLeft

    I don’t mean to be a downer but my fourteen year and eight month old Chocolate Lab died last night. Still trying to process it, and catch myself looking at his favourite laydown spots. Unfortunately, he died here at home in pain as there are no animal hospitals within three hours drive of our home. We did the best we could with help via a video chat with a vet. The lack of veterinary services in Ontario is becoming a serious issue.

    Gus was a good boy, and although he had slowed down a lot over the last six months he still enjoyed his (slow) walks. Not sure how I am going to break the news to his doggie friends and their human companions.
    My wife and I have agreed to take a break from having a dog for a few years and catch up on overseas travelling. I’m sixty-five, so that window is closing too.

     

    IMG_0143

  60. 60.

    Barbara

    @NorthLeft: I am so sorry.  Sorry for your loss, and sorry that Gus was in pain at the end.  Even if you weren’t catching up on travel, I think it’s important to give yourself some space to grieve before you adopt another dog or cat.

  61. 61.

    NorthLeft

    @Barbara: Thanks. We got Gus about four years after our first dog died ( a sixteen year old Yellow Lab named April). So yes, some grieving time is important.

    I have no idea what I am going to do with all the free time I will have now.

  63. 63.

    Jay

    @NorthLeft:

    I am so sorry for your loss, and that you could not ease Gus’s passing.  It’s always hard, but some are worse.

    You gave Gus your best, always.

  66. 66.

    pieceofpeace

    She emits a warm, alert and curious presence.   May you enjoy many years delighting one another.

  67. 67.

    Villago Delenda Est

    First, happy birthday, Amir. Second, Aofie is simply gorgeous. Those golden eyes (cue Tina Turner) are spectacular!

  69. 69.

    Falling Diphthong

    One of our cats is a female orange cat with orange eyes, who even at the shelter was keen to run around exploring everything, bipping things, and bonding instantly with my son.

    She will lock eyes with you and slowly push all your nouns off the table if you try to tell her about any orange cat stereotypes.

  70. 70.

    SkyBluePink

    @NorthLeft:  So very sorry about Gus’s passing.

    It is never easy.

    Was going to take a break after my last pup died. That lasted a month and a half. But I found and  adopted the BEST dog ever!

  71. 71.

    Amir Khalid

    @NorthLeft:

    I am so sorry for your loss, and especially sorry to learn that Gus suffered because medical help could not reach him. There’s no need to apologise for sharing your sad news with us, now or at any time. We jackals are always here to share in your grief and lessen its burden, just as we’re here to share in your joys.

  72. 72.

    Queen of Lurkers

    @Amir Khalid: We also have a cat with a short tail (about 2/3 length of normal cat). We’ve been told that it’s a regional variation. Our cat is now 9 1/2, indoor-outdoor, and delightful as ever.

  73. 73.

    Wolvesvalley

    Aoife is adorable and her eyes are gorgeous! I hope Amir shares many wonderful birthdays with her.

    We have had two orange girls, Polly Peachum and Persimmon. Both super-sweet kitties, especially Polly. Both lived to be nearly 18.

    The M marking is a standard tabby feature, not limited to Abyssinians.

  74. 74.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @NorthLeft: So sorry for your loss.  At least Gus is now in some sundrenched field chasing after butterflies.  Chocolate Labs are such handsome animals.

  76. 76.

    pieceofpeace

    She emits a warm, alert and curious presence.   May you enjoy many years delighting one another.

    @NorthLeft:  Very sorry for your loss and the unfortunate end.  That will fade with time, and you’ll remember those good memories with gratitude.

  77. 77.

    catclub

    @MattF: useful, thanks.

    Is Trump a nazi?  Who cares?  But all the nazis favor Trump over Biden. Likewise anti-semitic conspiracies.

  80. 80.

    Mel

    @Amir Khalid: She is perfect! I love her amber eyes and her charming expression, and her white stocking on her back foot is an adorable bonus! She looks so intelligent and ready for adventure.

    So happy for you and for Aoife! She now has the best home that any kitty could wish for.

  82. 82.

    FelonyGovt

    Aoife is just gorgeous! Congratulations, and wishing you many happy years together. And Happy Birthday (to you both!)

  85. 85.

    Mel

    @NorthLeft:

    I am so sorry about your dear, sweet Gus.

    I know it is little consolation in the midst of such fresh pain, but you did absolutely everything in your power to help him, and you and your wife were right there with him, comforting, reassuring him, and loving him while he made his journey from this world to the next. He left this world knowing your love, your devotion, the familiar comfort of your beloved voices and the gentle touch of your hands.

    My heart is with you both.

  87. 87.

    Elizabelle

    Happy Birthday, Amir!

    Aoife looks like a handful.  A delightful little handful.  Darling kitty.

  89. 89.

    Elizabelle

    @NorthLeft:  My condolences on Gus.  Labs seem to really like it at your house — those are some long and happy lives.

    I hope that you travel to your heart’s content, and a dog or pet may find you when you least expect.

    Interesting about the lack of veterinary care in your area.  I hope that improves.

  90. 90.

    Wolvesvalley

    @NorthLeft: So sorry to learn of your loss of Gus, especially without a local vet to support both you and him.

    You may still sense his presence for a while. The Nobel laureate Konrad Lorenz wrote that after he lost his first dog he continued to hear him trotting at his heels when out for walks.

    I hope your break for travel heals you and your wife and lets you open your hearts to a new dog.

  93. 93.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @NorthLeft:

    I’m so sorry. Even though Gus was in some pain at the end, I haven’t a scrap of doubt that he knew he was loved and cherished, and that you were doing everything you could to ease his transition. My condolences.

  98. 98.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Congrats to you both, Amir! What a pretty orange cutie! Be sure to check out r/OneOrengeBraincell for cute orange cat stuff! Our guy Chuckie has similar markings and we call him creamsickle kitty…

    Orange kitties seem to be a lot more rowdy that the others but they are also very affectionate. Best to both of you!!

  99. 99.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @NorthLeft:

    My condolences to you and your wife on the loss of your furry family member. You folks gave him fourteen years of a great life and have the memories to go along with it. One of the hardest things as a pet owner is saying good bye to them, jeez does it hurt to do so.

  100. 100.

    Heidi Mom

    Happy Birthday, Amir, and congratulations on finding such a sweet, beautiful kitty!

  102. 102.

    NorthLeft

    @Villago Delenda Est: Yes, Gus was a really handsome looking guy, even as a senior……and didn’t he know it! He would literally prance down the street on our walks.

    I am really going to miss that big goof.

  103. 103.

    NorthLeft

    @Elizabelle: It is a big problem in Ontario as a whole. The vets are absolutely swamped with work. The problem is especially bad if your pet requires emergency care. The pet hospitals are jammed with patients, and very few vets will work outside of regular hours.

  104. 104.

    NorthLeft

    @Wolvesvalley: Yes, I find myself glancing towards his favourite spots on the floor, expecting to see him curled up or sprawled out.

    Also are kitchen feels empty without him hanging around.

  105. 105.

    Elizabelle

    @ NorthLeft:  keeping you and your wife in my thoughts.  It is hard to lose a loved one, especially one with four feet.

  106. 106.

    J R in WV

    This morning I left our house, deep in the WV woods, at 7 am, very atypical for me as my Dad worked nights all his life, my destination was our Vet clinic, with our 18 y o tortie in a cat carrier. She was not eating much, had lost a lot of weight, and needed relief from being miserable. The clinic was jam packed, I parked out in back at an HVAC repair shop as their lot was full… literally no seats empty.

    Fortunately, when I told staff I was there to have Punkin euthanized, they took me into an exam room immediately and did the deed calmly and quickly. We brought her home from that clinic back in 2006, and she was a farm kitty all those years. Now we are a cat free zone until we find a new set of cats.

    It was a hard mission, on top of being somewhat under the weather myself. Stopped at Krogers to pick up a prescription also too… Sorry to be a downer after such good news from Amir !

  110. 110.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @J R in WV:

    Late to return to the thread but my deepest condolences to you and yours for your loss. It’s a day all pet lovers dread but we do have the memories that bring back smiles.

    Peace.

  111. 111.

    Mel

    @J R in WV: I am so, so sorry. What a heartbreaking thing it is to lose a kitty, especially one that has been friend and family for so long.

    We lost our Pixie several months ago, and I still find myself crying at least once a day for my sweet little girl.

  112. 112.

    TEL

    @J R in WV: So sorry to hear about Punkin. It’s so hard to say goodbye, even when you know you did the best thing for your sweet tortie girl.

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