We have welcomed our new housemate!!!!!
By the way, it is Very Difficult to do anything at all when you have a kitten. He is quite darling and very distracting. Case in point: it has taken me three days to get this poor excuse for a post into WordPress.
He is what I consider to be the platonic ideal of a cat. He is playful and weird and does that thing where he will be walking sedately and then will suddenly take off for reasons known only to him. And yet he is also incredibly cuddly, and will sit on or beside his humans for hours, purring loudly. He has had no trouble identifying and using his litter box, he is already starting to come when we call him. He seems to prefer being in the same room as his humans, although he does enjoy exploring the house. He is friendly and cheerful and not easily startled. He loves to play with toys, especially these silly little crinkly mylar balls – two of which are already lost forever underneath our oven. He loves to look outside. He seems to prefer sleeping on his back, fluffy tummy bared.
When I called the vet to make our kitten’s first appointment, the (very kind and friendly) person I spoke to asked for his name, and then said, “Oh my god, my cat’s name is Leonardo, too!” And then he added, “We named him after ALL the Leonardos.” But then he could only think of two – DiCaprio and DaVinci. Are there other Leonardos? I mean, there’s the Ninja Turtle. But I’m pretty sure that’s a mononym in the spirit of Cher/Beyonce/Sting, right? Anyway, I’m trying to get the nickname Lenny to stick, but my husband and child are resisting with all their might and they might be wearing me down. I already have to scroll through my parents’ cat’s name and their dog’s name before I come up with Lenny, and with my kid saying her chosen nickname constantly… I don’t think I can keep it up. Lenny may end up being his blog name, which is a surprising benefit of having a blog. Perhaps I should have chosen a blog name for Carla instead of reserving them for potential future children. (Edith and Eloise were my top contenders.)
Pre- and now even peri- (intra-?) kitten, I have been sleeping pretty well – waking up only once-ish per night and falling back to sleep pretty quickly. Because sleep is normally a major challenge, I wanted to note for Future Me that sometimes it’s not. Is it because I am taking all the supplements right now? (Magnesium, B6, B12, iron, vitamin D – okay, so not all all but more than I was taking which was nothing.) The other thing I will note is that I am still tired. If I sit down, I will fall asleep. So either there’s something going on that we have not yet tested for (all my labs are totally normal, and my at-home sleep study showed no evidence of apnea), or – and this is my personal theory – being tired is just How It Is, and maybe I notice it more now because I am less busy.
My kid is still in school, but summertime is imminent and I Am Pumped. I am looking forward to more leisurely mornings, to spending time outside, to forcing encouraging my child to read through bribery the thrill of the vast literary canon.
On the cooking front, I am in one of those phases where I cannot think of a single food I want to eat, let alone make. We’re depending a lot on leftovers of the few things my husband suggests and/or takeout. To make matters more complicated, after such a long, damp, cool spring, we have suddenly been skyrocketed into the 80s and it’s too hot to turn on the oven. My air fryer makes a mean piece of salmon though.
Oh – okay, more about the kitten.
So far, I have had itchy eyes but no other allergic reactions to the cat. And I could just as easily attribute my itchy eyes to the increase in pollen outside.
Let’s see. Are there any negatives about having a cat? I mean, I can’t do anything unless I shut him away in his temporary room. But that’s not annoying as of yet. He does, of course, occasionally scratch the furniture which is not ideal. But I was expecting that, and we are also working on it. It took me all of two days to release my deeply-held conviction that I would never ever welcome a cat tree into my home; now we have a cat tree. He gets carsick, which is sad. Oh – he is obsessed with my houseplants, so I have temporarily relocated them to higher places and may need to re-home some of them. (Why are so many houseplants toxic???) He is also obsessed with climbing on the kitchen table, and then immediately shoving his entire head into whichever water glass is sitting there unattended.
He has absolutely no grace. I thought cats were supposed to be agile and graceful and have good balance and land on their feet, but Lenny is unaware of these stereotypes. He leaps at things and misjudges the distance. He flops over on things with edges (cat tree, chair seat, ottoman) and falls off them. He trots along the back of the couch and slips off every few steps. I even asked the vet about it; she seemed unconcerned. Perhaps kittens are the equivalent of toddlers, lurching around drunkenly until they fully understand what it means to walk.
One of my writing partners came over to meet Lenny and, ostensibly, to write. Focusing on our projects was… bordering on impossible. She suggested I get him his own computer.
If it’s not entirely clear, I love him. He is perfection.
I love that you love him. Jill
Me too! You never know what you’re going to get in terms of personality, so I’m delighted he’s such a love!
He is beautiful!! So unique!
Thanks, Kae! I think he’s pretty great!
Lenny is so adorable! Gorgeous coloring. So glad he’s fulfilling all of your kitten dreams!! And yes, kittens move both graceful and tipsily. It’s a joy to watch them.
Hahaha – tipsily is a great term for it!
That kitten is objectively beautiful. I would like to know how much he weighs, so I can process how little he is.
One of our best cats seems to have disconnected back legs. I keep waiting for the vet to say sadly that he is, for example, missing crucial hip bones, but she keeps being unconcerned. He just has flailing/clumsy back legs.
I will tell you our recent dinner trends: BLTS on sourdough toast, with fruit-and-vanilla-yogurt-and-granola parfaits; toasted cheese sandwiches (on sourdough too—it is a food kick) and tomato soup and easy salads; HAMBURGER HELPER OF ALL THINGS (a childhood staple of mine—we like the cheeseburger kind) and broccoli slaw (the packet from the grocery store, mixed with the same stuff I use to make cole slaw). The Hamburger Helper is in part nostalgia and in part because some of us need more iron.
He weighs 4 pounds 4 ounces, and may get up to 20 pounds (or more????).
These dinners sound amazing, especially the toasted cheese sandwiches on sourdough. YUM. And now I have a nostalgic yearning for hamburger helper.
That’s a beautiful kitten! And it sounds like he has a lot of personality too. I think he looks more like a Leo than a Lenny; there is a certain leonine look to him. Carla is your daughter’s real name? I thought it was a pseudonym and assumed she might actually be named Clara. (I don’t know why) I have fake blog names for my grandsons for privacy reasons although I’m not the least bit private about myself. I probably should have been, but that ship has already sailed. (and sunk)
I have heard the same thing about him looking more like a Leo, Margaret! Maybe that’s just who he is.
My kiddo’s blog pseudonym is Carla and her real name has no relation to it at all!
Little LK! (That’s Lenny Kravitz), what a darling he is. I am officially in love with him. Make lots of kitten posts, I did not post nearly enough about my boy when we first got him, and that was a mistake. Lenny is gorgeous.
Dinner. Blah, I did not want to cook or think tonight. I got salmon and baked it, and a bag mix of Caesar salad and some potatoes that you microwave and I would not recommend any of it. Blah. But we ate, so there’s that.
BUT YOU ATE. That is the important part.
Lenny Kravitz!!! If my kitty were more graceful and sultry, I’d think he was the perfect namesake. Alas…
I’ll bet Lenny Kravitz wasn’t graceful and sultry as a kid, so keep it in your back pocket. 😉
Lenny! OH MY GOODNESS SUZANNE. What a sweet puff of delight. Carla must be in utter rapture these days.
I’m so happy you’re in love, too. And I can’t wait to hear so many Lenny anecdotes in the weeks, months, and years to come <3
A sweet puff of delight! Yes! That is him!
Baby Lenny!!! I’m very much in favor of Lenny being his official nickname, but if the rest of the fam isn’t going to come around then having his blog name be Lenny is a good second choice.
Agree that you can’t do ANYTHING with a baby animal around. That was the really shocking thing when we got Doggo. I would flop down on the couch at night expecting to watch TV or waste time on the internet, and she had other ideas. Mostly centered around chewing furniture. And then there was the Witching Hour phase, where she would basically lose her little puppy mind at night. Every.Single.Night. And then she grew up and became the (mostly) mature young lady that she is today. So enjoy every second of the baby phase, the teenage phase, and the adult phase.
It is astonishing how much control they wield! Lenny was in a playful mood last night when I THOUGHT he was supposed to be curling up next to my husband for a couch nap. I had planned to catch up on blog reading, but Lenny said NO and started running around behind the TV stand where there are ten thousand cords until I brought out the kitty toys. He is too clever for his own good!
AWWWWWWWWW! Look at that little cutie pie! I love him! His fur is a gorgeous color and looks so soft. Of course you got him a cat tree! I clicked your link, and the one you picked is awesome. What fun! Hopefully the itchy eyes are just outdoor allergies. I know I’ve had more pollen allergies this year than ever before. We have a bunch of willow trees, and they’re in the process of releasing “cotton” which floats through the air and tries to go up my nose. Well, I’m so happy that your kitten has arrived and I can’t wait to hear all about its antics. I do think that kittens are like toddlers and it takes a bit for them to get agile and graceful. We always enjoy when our cats show off their “kitty manoeuvres” as if they want to impress us.
We have a BUNCH of “cotton” floating around too right now. I bet that’s the culprit, not my sweet kitten!
The kitty maneuvers are the best, aren’t they? I love when he does a magnificent flip to attack the toy I am dangling at him.
LENNY! Oh, how cute!!! He’s so fluffy!!! I don’t know anything about cats but I assume kittens go through a clumsy stage like puppies. So cute!
Cute overload. Lenny will rule your life, loyal servant. I’m glad you’re sleeping better because caring for Himself will take energy.
A Pope and a kitten named Leo(nardo) heehee! We have some allergies to cats here, but I have to admit that he is so stinking adorable it would be worth it. Perfect timing to have a new kitten for the summer months!
I adore this kitten and I feel that you should do a daily kitten blog with nothing but baby pictures and stories about the most adorable kitten.
Lenny is absolutely precious! And the whole time I read this, I was imagining how Carla must be over the MOON. And I love that you love him! Ah, this post makes me Very Very Happy. 🙂
He is so cute!! Phil really wanted a boy cat as they apparently are more cuddly. So he would be envious of your cuddy ball of joy. I am glad things are going well so far!
OMG! I love himmm. He’s so beautiful. Leonardo! My daughter’s cat is named Luigi!
I totally understand not being able to get things done when they’re little. It’s the same with puppies! We got both of our dogs in the summer (five years apart, thankfully), and it definitely felt like a lot at times.
Congratulations to you all! 💜
He is absolutely perfection!
OH MY GOSH – SOOO CUTE – that hair on the ears just makes him look so REGAL
Suzanne! Lenny is such a delight and SO beautiful. I imagine it is hard to get things done with such cuteness right there.
He is gorgeous! Ohhhh, it makes me realize that I am ready to get another kitty. That has to wait until Mom is a little steadier on her feet, but ohhhh, look at the kitty, so cute and regal and all. Please never hesitate to put up more pictures of him, there’s no such thing as too much.
Ok. Listen, I don’t even like cats (I KNOW), but this guy? IS SO OBVIOUSLY LOVABLE. So handsome and fluffy! What a dream! Enjoy 🙂
Welcome, Lenny! He is gorgeous! I sometimes call the cats Walt and Will, but nobody else does. Also, Willow is somehow athletic and clumsy at the same time. She is small but strong and good at climbing, but she is also always falling off things, including our laps. It does not seem to bother her.
Speaking of names, I always wondered if Carla was her real name. When I was starting my blog I thought about calling it The Adventures of Bear and Bug because those were family nicknames, but I went with their real names.
GAAAAAAAHHHHHH! He is adorable! You guys must be ecstatic. Kittens are a lot of work but so, so fun. When Muffin was a kitten she did wreck a lot of things, but the thing I remember most was how curious she was. No matter what I did, her little face would suddenly pop up, wondering what was going on (taking out the vacuum, emptying the dishwasher, cleaning the guinea pig cage.) I’m so excited for you, and VERY happy that you got a cuddly, friendly cat! I can’t wait to hear more and see lots more photos!!!!!!!
Lenny is so cute. OMG. I’m loving him from a distance and itching my eyes as an automatic response to wanting to cuddle him. I have little experience with kittens, and never considered that they might behave like toddlers, but this makes so much sense to me. Glad you’re enjoying him so much.
He is very cute! I like cats, but the young ones can be terrors! You have to get a spray bottle of water and be prepared to squirt him if he scratches the furniture or jumps on the table. I am glad you are having fun. Next thing you know, you are going to have a Catio! I housesit for someone with one of those and it was great. I loved that the cats could go out but were still safe and sound!
LENNNNNNY. He is the cutest little ball of fluff, and I am so happy that he’s been so much fun to have around. I haven’t ever had a kitten (YET!!!), but I imagine they are little rascals. I’m not sure what to do about the furniture scratching. The girls never scratched my furniture UNTIL I got my reading chair and then they DESTROYED it for some reason. Gah!
Lila is OBSESSED with those crinkly balls, too! I find them everywhere around my apartment haha.
I love imagining a little baby toddler Lenny who is still trying to figure out how to be a graceful cat. So funny!
He. Is. The. Cutest!!!
Kittens are an absolute joy and gift to humanity. <3
What a happy summer you’re going to have with Leonardo/Lenny on the scene! He’s very handsome. I love that kitten phase!
He is a magnificent beast! The grace will come, right now he’s a clumsy toddler.
I’m laughing at the cat tree! Years ago, when we had cats, I sent a pic of a fab cat tree at Costco to the Coach. His response was: We are not cat tree people. HA. (Lindsay has one, so his child is for sure a cat tree person)
I love his name and I will only refer to him as Lenny, so let your husband and Carla know this.
What gorgeous cat. He has such a present already and he is still a kitten, right?
Enjoy the new house mate and I hope things will be wonderful all throughout (no allergies, no scratched furniture, no toxic plant incident, etc. )
He’s sooo cute! I love that he’s not that agile and miss calculate the distance, it happens to our cat too. so cute! I also bought a cat tree after we moved here, although I also thought I would never. having a cat myself totally changed my perception of cats. I thought they were independent but they actually seem to like to be with humans. so interesting?! Is he your first cat? what made you want to have a cat?
Yay! Welcome to the family, Lenny! You are sooo cute.
Zelda is clumsy and lands with the grace of an elephant. I adore when cats break stereotypes.
You didn’t ask for advice, but I’m going to give it to you unsolicited. Lenny looks like a fuzzy little guy, so start brushing him for short periods of time (like 10-40 seconds – very short) RIGHT NOW. Brush him EVERYWHERE, but especially places that might be hard for him to groom later when he isn’t a kitten, like his belly, his legs, and his hindquarters. You will not regret this.
This is one of my favorite blog posts ever. I have just keeled over from the cuteness, so this will be a short comment, but I am so glad he’s bringing you such joy. 🙂
Also? If people eat, I think you’re good. It’s summer, you have a cat, and a kid (who is now out of school), and there’s this thing called life. If it’s leftovers and take out for now? Eh. That’s how it goes. Life has gourmet and sandwich phases – I vote we embrace them.