HumboldtBlue teased in a couple of posts that he had a meet-cute set up with a tuxedo kitten. She was adorable, but as is the way with the cat distribution system, that is not the kitten he came home with because he was chosen and he could not refuse. Meet by Noodles. And what a match it is. From HumboldtBlue:
[[[TaMara here: We even get some adorable video!]]]
Well, what a wonderful 24 hours it’s been. Noodles is a little 3-pound whirlwind of energy and non-stop movement right up until the moment it’s time for a nap, and then he just folds himself up on my chest with a series of chirps, peeps and little meows and dozes off. We’ve had a ton of fun chasing the feather and the ball on the stick, and he’s all kitten, with plenty of bristling hair and hunchback side jumps while I continually laugh at his little bow-legged back legs as he scampers across the floor.
I went to the clinic expecting to meet Cosmo, the little girl, and I did, but they also brought in Noodles (they were calling him Holland but after what the Oranje [Dutch men’s national soccer team] did in the Euros that name was never gonna stick) and from the first moment he was on my leg, scampering around and behind me while Cosmo pretty much ignored me. It became clear pretty quickly he and I were gonna be pals. I spent 40 minutes with him and then signed the foster-to-adoption paperwork (he gets neutered in two weeks) and then we got in the car and headed home. Not before a stop at the local vet to pick up some toys and food supplies, and when we got to the apartment he settled in immediately.
He was litter box trained and used mine without trouble after I showed him where it was. He spent an hour exploring every nook and cranny of the apartment he could, squeaking and peeping and just having a blast while I exhorted him on, all the while grinning like a fool at how &%$#@#@ adorable he is and just how cute a little furry three-pound2222222222222222222wq (that was him standing on the keyboard) kitten can be. He just crashed after an hour or so of play, so I am down to one-handed typing again, but so far he couldn’t be more perfect. We are just two swinging bachelors chilling in the bachelor pad and this is the start of a wonderful friendship. I can’t stop grinning at him.
Aaahhh, kittens. They are so cute so you don’t disown them when they wake you up at 4 am because they think that’s the best time for pets, or dump over the kitty oat grass and dig out all the dirt, spreading it all over the kitchen. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.
Speaking of cute friends, this happened here a month ago, if you haven’t already seen it:
Tell me that Elk isn’t playing with those kids. He/she is clearly tossing that ball back to his new friends. And the boys behave appropriately – they keep their distance and when they toss the ball back, they toss it away from their elk friend, so as not to spook.
Speaking of nature – there are two different bears running around within the city limits. I feel like I’m on the wrong side of town for a visit, but my house is near a major waterway, which is usually how they navigate busy locations.
This is a respite open thread.
Fuck That Bum, Let’s Go Joe: Moving On and Doing the Work
TBone
Thank you. The kitteh. The bear! Bear is my totem (bobcat my spirit animal).
Needed this today 💙
Humboldt & kitteh first photo is so charming! 😍 They all are…
Heaven sent
David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch
What a doll.
What a beautiful couple!
Jackie
Noodles is adorable! Clearly a very smitten HumboldtBlue is in love with his brand new kitten! 😻🥰
Congrats HumboldtBlue!
Frankensteinbeck
Christ almighty, Humboldt is the most charming looking person around. He looks like beardless Santa.
MazeDancer
What a perfect kitten! Congratulations!
Perhaps perfect kitten needs a perfect kitten friend. Or two. To help it be a kitten. Or maybe you already have a cat. Or two.
lowtechcyclist
Awww, what an adorable kitty little Noodles is! HumboldtBlue, I hope you and your new owner have many happy years together.
TBone
I splurged on lump crab meat today. I’m making grilled portobello mushroom caps stuffed with crab imperial. Fresh corn on the cob.
I make the crab stuffing with crushed Ritz crackers, butter-sauteed finely minced onion, celery & red pepper, Worcestershire, mayo, egg, a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a dash of Crystal hot sauce.
I figured this supper will stop me from buying hard liquor today. Maybe a nice Riesling?
Solace is what’s for supper, truly.
But I want shots.
Soprano2
I’m so jealous, Noodles is a cute kitten! You’re lucky. I’d love to have a kitten, but I think I’ll take a rest for awhile from new animals.
TBone
@Soprano2: hugs to you!
dexwood
Off the charts cute. Great choice, but who rescued who?
RaflW
On the reprieve side, we’re looking forward to Pride Weekend here in Minneapolis. I’m assembling a huge Salade Niçoise and lots of other good stuff, we’re expecting 28 or so friends for a party at our place this evening.
I baked a GF rhubarb custard cake last night and it’s really, good. And really easy!
JPL
The story is filled with so much joy, it put a smile on my face.
TBone
@RaflW: oh! Thank you for sharing! Enjoy your bash!
Baud
Cute.
zhena gogolia
You are going to love that cat.
rikyrah
Noodles is too cute for words :)
Soprano2
@TBone: Thanks. I made the right decision, but it made me feel like the world’s biggest monster to take that dog away from my husband. I’m hoping that in a few days he won’t remember she was here. He asked me on Wednesday night “where’s Mariah again?” Mariah is a dog who looked a lot like the new dog, but she died several years ago. I told him that wasn’t Mariah, she was a new dog and she had to go back to CARE because she tried to attack the cat. That actually seemed to satisfy him, and he hasn’t asked me about her since.
SiubhanDuinne
NOODLES! The cutest name for the cutest kitten! I’m happy for you both, and I look forward to many more pictures as he grows up.
Lyrebird
@David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch: Yes. HB thanks for sharing the photos. Love the one with you in the blue hat, brings me joy that you an lil Noodles have each other to hang out with.
Thanks Tamara for the post!
I just got turned down from a job, but I had actually realized I was not the best fit already, and they saved me from having turned down a job! (no trouble with unemployment if they reject you first)
Quinerly
Sooooo cute. Great name.
I’m doing a little shopping therapy for the revamp of my gardens. And trying to stay off the internet but I saw the kitty!
1/2 price 5 gallon roses at Santa Fe’s Jackalopes. My hunt for a cheap “Julia Child” and another “Sally Holmes” is over!
Plus, a “Ring of Fire,” Miracle on the Hudson,” and “Winnipeg Parks.”
I certainly didn’t have growing roses in the High Desert on my retirement years Bingo card. These already have a great start. Waist high plus, bushy.
Fuck Trump. I’m spending some money today in Handsome Joe’s economy.
TBone
@Soprano2: stay strong, you did exactly the right thing. It’s always hard to do the right thing – if not, just anybody/everybody could do it!
Lyrebird
@Soprano2: Hey fellow second soprano, if it is any comfort* to hear this again from a random other person on the interwebz,
there is no perfect
you made the hard choice you had to make
you are walking a hard road
GO YOU!
*if not, scroll scroll scroll!
JPL
@Baud: You mentioned that you might be gone for awhile. Will you be available for the rest of the court cases?
VFX Lurker
To paraphrase The Colbert Report:
“Noodles: cute kitten…or the cutest kitten?”
Great pix for a great little fuzzball. Thank you for sharing those.
trollhattan
Cats and bears, oh my! The yin and yang of yard pets. :-)
TBone
Old Handsome Joe Biden, rallying the troops:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gdYLGalefMM
John Cole
His name is Noodle and I love him. That is all.
Sister Golden Bear
Adorable! <squees>
Tazj
Noodles is so sweet, cute little face with those little white paws. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
J.
How can you not love a kitteh named Noodle?! Congrats, HB, on your new addition. And thank you, TaMara, for posting the elk video. Hadn’t seen it.
ArchTeryx
I absolutely loved watching the kids playing with the elk. Yes, the elk was absolutely playing with them. Elk can be hopelessly curious about things; she was pretty content and felt no danger. And as the OP said, the kids were doing it exactly right: Keeping their distance and gently tossing the ball to one side so as not to spook the elk. They were having fun together and that heals the heart.
I’ve seen other big herbivores – like draft horses – playing with balls and loving every moment. If you’re surrounded by food, the pressure of the rut and raising calves is over, and there are no predators, there’s time to both relax and play, and a surprising number of animals will play.
Like cats. I love kitties. We have a big orange derp cat that we call our house lion. Dumb as a post, friendly as a summer day is long, and a loving companion for us all. His play is always hilarious to watch, and you can tell how happy he is. I hope the kitten’s found the best of homes.
Josie
What a great set of pictures! Two handsome guys. How did you decide on his name?
CaseyL
OMG: Noodle! There is nothing quite like a kitten (well, OK, any baby animal) to brighten the day and distract from care. Congrats, HumboltBlue! May you have many happy years together!
I’ve been trying to figure out a good toy-like thing for Oscar, my old man cat. Now that he no longer ranges throughout the townhouse complex, but only hangs out on the porch and decks, I worry that he doesn’t get enough stimulation. Unfortunately, most conventional cat toys bore him within 2 minutes. So yesterday I got him a kitty tunnel, the kind with three branches/entrances.
He was making happy eager noises as I undid the fastening and let it open up – “Fwoom!” – on the floor. He dove right into it, checking out each of the extensions for the best fit, best view, best…feng shui?
…and, after maybe an hour, he wriggled out and hasn’t so much as looked at it since.
Sigh.
HumboldtBlue
@Frankensteinbeck:
Hah! I wore a full beard from 2014-2018, and I sure as hell looked like Santa. In 2015 my niece came up to HSU with her San Bernardino soccer team, and I was sitting in the stands when a family came and sat next to me. The youngest, a boy of about four, just kept staring at me, I knew what he was thinking — that guy looks like Santa! — and he leaned in and asked me quietly, “is that real?” I laughed, and said it sure is, and he reached out and touched my beard, much to the horror of his mom. It was a proper Santa beard, I just grew tired of always having hair in my mouth, and, of looking like Santa, so back to the goatee I went.
@Soprano2:
Sending lots of love your way.
And thanks to all of youse for your kind words, Noddles is a wonderful little guy, and we are getting along like old friends, he’s the cutest damn animal in the world right now, and I am wholly and unalterably smitten.
@Josie:
I wanted to stick with the food theme (my buddy Salad passed in March), and Noodles just came to me, I went through a list of names in my head, but Noodles always seemed to the one at the front of my mind. So that’s what I went with.
Josie
@CaseyL: You should probably give him the cardboard box it came in.
Soprano2
@Lyrebird: It is, it helps. I felt like dog shit all day on Wednesday even though I knew I had to do it after they had another bad encounter on Monday evening. The cat came downstairs voluntarily, so I thought maybe things would be better, then we had another hiss/growl/lunge encounter, and I knew there was no way I could continue to stress over it. If she had gotten ahold of the cat and shook him, it would have killed him because he has feline leukemia. I couldn’t take that chance.
Soprano2
@HumboldtBlue: I can see why, he’s adorable!
Misterpuff
HumboldtBlue, please enjoy all the time canoodling with Noodles.
They grow up so fast. (Especially kittehs.)
karen marie
Can I just throw in some advice that I knew when my current cat arrived as a tiny mite but somehow managed to not remember? Get a good set of cat nail clippers and start clipping his nails NOW.
Previous cat never had an issue with me clipping her nails (polydactyl, so it was necessary for her foot health). Current cat, who I got when she was about 4-1/2 weeks old, I whiffed and did not even try to clip her nails until she was probably six months old, and she will not allow it, not even a little bit. As a result, I have to take her to the groomer, which she also hates because it means getting closed into her travel case. She sleeps in the damned thing sometimes but close the door? NOOOOOOOO! Biscuits are very cute with tiny kitten claws but when they get older, it can be very painful. Baby Cat is almost three, and doesn’t do it as often or for as long, but her favorite place is where my shoulder meets my neck when I’m lying in bed, but there have been many times that the area is full of tiny scabs from the tiny stabs.
Noodle is indeed the most adorable cat who ever lived (at your house). Congratulations to you both!
Ruckus
@HumboldtBlue:
Next
monthweek my beard will be 52 yrs old.I started it the minute that I stepped off the gangway of the last ship I was stationed on in the Navy.
I’ve saved just a tad on shaving cream and razors over that seemingly short time.
CaseyL
@Josie:
Heh! This didn’t come in a box, just all scrunched flat and held together with a plastic zip tie.
I did put a box out for him, from Cloud Paper, but I think it was too big. (Cats seem to prefer “dens” where they can touch all the walls at once.) He briefly went into it but left almost immediately. In fact, that’s what made me think of a kitty tunnel.
Sis
I love Noodles!!! @HumboldtBlue Congratulations to you both!!!!
Darkrose
Noodles is adorbs!
Chief Oshkosh
Wait, you have a litter box? How does it compare to using a toilet?
;)
Miss Bianca
@HumboldtBlue: Do we get the fish course next?
Seriously, what a darling kitten, and love the name. Hope you and your new feline overlord have a wonderful life together.
Sister Machine Gun of Quiet Harmony
What a cute kitty!!!! Squeee!!!!
Lily
That is a wonderful cat, inside a fantastic kitten. Congratulations.
Odie Hugh Manatee
Congrats on the new kitten! The Cat Distribution System determined that there was a kitten that had your number and won!
Buy some plastic springs and get at least 30 of them because they get lost everywhere! Kittens love to chase them all over.
Yutsano
KITTEH!!! Oh and a tuxedo boy! No wonder you’re smitten.
stinger
What a wonderful post! Thank you, TaMara!
My cat died about a month ago, aged about 17 or 18. Healthy and happy until the last day, though she jumped lower the past few years. This morning I woke up and found a cat in my garage. (I’d left the door open overnight.) She has a smoothly clipped, fully healed left ear, so I suspect she’s a feral who was spayed and released. I live on a farm with only a few neighbors in the half mile to left or to right down the road; she might have been dumped out here. But boy, does she want a human. Constant meowing when I’m outside, occasional meowing when I’m not, rubbing against my legs and winding in and out between my feet when I stand still. I have not fed or petted her, just talked a little.
I have two dogs, and promised myself never again to have more pets than I have hands to pet them. But that resolve weakened when I found a cute little dog on Petfinder that I’m going to go look at tomorrow. I don’t need a new cat on top of that! I’d need to train the existing dogs not to chase her, when I thought I might be training them to accept a brother.
Stop me before I adopt (twice) again!
ChasM
We had our own Cat Distribution System encounter a couple months back. I was sitting on the back porch at 10:30 at night watching Ren videos, when out of the darkness comes this adorable teeny black kitten. “Hey, there’s a cat out here”, my wife comes running thinking one of ours got out. The kitten squeaks out “Hi! I’m Ella!” and plops down on the pavement.
Wife scoops up the little thing, not a scratch, flea or even flick of dirt on her. Theory is she was a Christmas cat that someone dumped, and she just came to the lights.
Well, our two older cats did NOT like the kitten energy, and besides our lease only allows 2. After spaying, chipping, shots and a month on nextdoor with no one missing her (cus they threw her out of the car and drove away), it was clear it was not gonna work out.
So… I made fried chicken and invited Terry over for dinner. “Terry would you like to take Ella?” “Naw, dude. My last cat was killed 12 years ago and can’t handle going thru that 💔 agian.”
Well, that’s not how the CDS works is it?
Next morning, 9am, Terry’s on the line, “I haven’t stopped thinking about Ella since I left. Can I come pick her up now?”
And so he did, and they are living happily ever after. The End.
Ann Marie
@Odie Hugh Manatee: Second this recommendation. My Harley has lots of toys, but his favorite has always been the multi-colored plastic springs. He bats them all over the place. They usually end up under the sofa or the bed, however, so keep a long stick handy.
Noodles is adorable! I love the white paws, which look big to me, but then they always do on little kittens.
WaterGirl
@ChasM: Great story!
HumboldtBlue
@ChasM:
Great story.