Weekend Cat Blogging: An Introduction to Mei-Mei Ari

We still miss Minnaloushe; nothing will change that except time and work. And no one will replace her in our hearts, especially not Zak’s. She was a wonderful little cat.

But, I have been doing better for days–the kitchen excitement and the writing has kept me from moping excessively, except that yesterday, we got a card from MedVet–a sympathy card.

I have gotten sympathy cards before from vets, and once again, I am impressed with the vets and techs who work at MedVet–their personal notes were so sweet and touching, that I choked up.

But what made me cry is that they sent us inked paw-prints from Minna to remember her by. I was in my office, which is right off the kitchen, and started bawling like a baby, and had to grab up the mail and go scurrying upstairs to hide from the workmen, because I hate to cry in front of people.

Besides, upstairs was where all of our other cats were, and I could hold them and pet them and be comforted by them.

Upstairs is also where little Ari is.

The little spriggan, ragamuffin kitten above–that is Ari–the Lioness. She can sit in the palm of my hand, but fears neither man nor beast.

How she came to our house so soon is this: Tuesday, we had to go to Columbus to order a ventilator hood for the new stove, and while we were there, we resolved to visit our old vet in Pataskala, and tell her about Minna. And, as Zak said, “To look at the kittens. Just in case. I don’t want a cat, but just in case.”

Dr, Schwab was very sad to hear about Minna, but knowing us as she did, she said, “Come, come to the back–here is a cat who was dropped off just now, and you will be the first to see her.”

Zak had been saying he wanted a tortoiseshell cat for years, and back in the exam room was a lovely female tortoiseshell, and her kittens. She looked up at us with a peacefully accepting look, and purred when we petted her. Zak was besotted, and named her Dandelion on the spot.

We will pick her up in about three weeks, after they have fed her up and gotten her back on her feet. The poor thing is underweight from feeding her babies and not being provided with adequate nutrition, and she looks like she is only nine months old herself.

But Dandelion doesn’t explain Ari, does it?

Ari was there, too–and she came galloping up to us and jumped right into our hearts.

So, she came home right away.

And she is a wild little thing.

As you can see to the right, Grimalkin was not happy at first–see her balefully glare over Ari’s shoulder while the kitten peacefully sleeps?

Well, yesterday, I caught Grimmy playing with her, so I know Grimmy is getting over it. All of the boys love Ari, and play with her and sleep next to her, and Gummitch washes her from head to toe and treats her like the baby she is.

Grimalkin is still not happy with having to stay upstairs while the work goes apace with the kitchen, but she will get over it.

For more cat blogging–check out

Kiri as a baby at Eatstuff. (Clare at Eatstuff hosts every week and will have many more links to more kitties.)
Glinda in a kitty sling at Anne’s Food.
Kittens and an umbrella at Masak-Masak
The handsome, striped Tigger at Look, Hunny I Cooked.
The newly named Bowser at A Cat in the Kitchen.
Lovely Trina at Indy Food.
Maneki Neko at Le carnats de submarie.

9 Comments

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  1. What a sweetie!
    I know she wont ever replace the hole left in your heart… but geeze what a little fluffvball 🙂

    Comment by Clare Eats — October 22, 2005 #

  2. Oh…
    I hope your kitties can make it to Kiri’s bday party next weekend 🙂

    Comment by Clare Eats — October 22, 2005 #

  3. Oh, tiny puffballs!! So precious.

    -Kris

    Comment by knitvixen — October 22, 2005 #

  4. What an adorable little fluffball. Kittens! They chase the blues away ;).

    I await the homecoming of her mama … my own Maya of blessed memory was a tortie, and I have a special place in my heart for them. (I got her when she was about nine mos. old and had just weaned her kittens.)

    Comment by Charlotte — October 22, 2005 #

  5. that is about the cutest thing i’ve ever seen! and i have a new kitten of my own, so that’s saying a lot…

    Comment by kitchenmage — October 22, 2005 #

  6. sorry for your loss, losing a pet is never easy but what a little ball of cotton fluff you have to love now shes so cute 🙂

    Comment by Catesa — October 23, 2005 #

  7. sorry for the loss. That fluffball is the cutest thing though and I am glad you all including the kitties adopted her.

    Comment by boo_licious — October 24, 2005 #

  8. Happy Birthday!
    (Sorry, weekend was nutz!)

    The little fuzzy looks like Fizgig from Dark Crystal…cute tho.

    Wonder how she will react to me?
    -=Bryian=-

    Comment by Bryian — October 24, 2005 #

  9. Charlotte–Dandelion will be featured the first Weekend Cat Blogging after we bring her home. Torties are gorgous creatures–my favorite dye job on my hair was the one created as a means to get out of my black dyed hair–the stylist bleached chunks of it and then toned them russet, and then bleached other streaks and left them blonde, while the rest was black.

    I looked like a tortie! As the black grew out, she toned my roots russet–eventually, I had red hair with black tips, which was also pretty.

    Kitchenmage–Ari is an adorable little creature. Thankfully, last night, she let me sleep without doing banzai attacks on my head with four sets of tiny pinprick claws. That is a little too exciting.

    Catesa and Boo–thank you. Losing Minna was awful, and I still dream about her almost every night. But, I am happy she isn’t suffering overmuch.

    Bry–I think that the wee Mei-Mei will like you–she fears no man nor beast, no matter how big. She is very playful and wild (like a foo beast) and is very cuddly, too.

    As for Fizzgig–I suggested that as a name, but Zak vetoed it.

    Comment by Barbara Fisher — October 24, 2005 #

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