Christmas came a little early this year. New pens? Nope. Something better.
Formerly Abbott and Costello
Meet our newly adopted 10-week old brothers.
My last cat, Smokey Lonesome, died in late October at the age of fourteen. I’ve had a cat (or cats) almost continuously since 1980, so being catless felt very strange. But I didn’t want to rush into anything and figured that finding some new cats would be a good post-Christmas project. (December is such a hectic month, in case you haven’t noticed.)
Briefly caged for a photo-op. Note the ears of displeasure.
Then fate intervened. I had dinner with some high school friends last Saturday night and when the conversation turned to pets, I mentioned how I was thinking about getting a pair of kittens…eventually. That casual remark triggered the woman on my right to excitedly scroll through a local rescue’s photos until she found the first photo in this post. Little Abbott and Costello, bonded brothers rescued from a barn as tiny kittens, were up for adoption.
I called the rescue on Sunday, put in an application over the phone, and by Monday morning I’d been approved. Monday evening we brought our new little boys home. It all happened so fast that I had to do a lot of kitten name brainstorming very quickly. I thought about naming them after foods (Honey and Waffles), or Christmas movies (Ralphie and Flick, Clarence and George), OR fountain pens. After intense deliberation, Abbott and Costello became Edison and TWSBI. I think their names suit them, don’t you? (TWSBI should confound the vets. A little pen/pet humor!)
A rare quiet moment.
Edison is the brains of the operation—the one who leads the way. TWSBI is more of a follower, up for adventure as long as Edison does it first. I can’t for the life of me get anything but a blurry photo of TWSBI, but what’s adorable is that he has little gray markings on his toes—like he dipped them in some Montblanc Oyster Gray ink.
Edison approves of the newly assembled cat tree.
They’re sweet little monkeys who clearly love each other, and they love us, too. The feeling is mutual.
Welcome home, Edison and TWSBI.
From the Pen Cup 
Adorable kittens. I can’t believe it, my brother had a cat that I used to call Smokey Lonesome!
How funny! She WAS both Smokey (gray) and Lonesome (abandoned), and I love “Fried Green Tomatoes” so I HAD to name her that.
THEYRE SO CUTE!!! Can’t wait for an update about what the vet calls them. Hehe.
Should be interesting! 😀
I’m in love. Congratulations!
Thank you!
SO cute!!!
They are little monkeys! I keep kissing their little kitten heads!
Bob put “Lucy of Thundara” on our kitten’s adoption papers so when she got her Rx for her ear meds, that was what the label said. I shake my head. At least the vet’s get a chuckle. Welcome home, TWSBI and Edison!
HAHA! Thank you, Ana!
What a fine Christmas you all will have!!!!
I don’t want or need anything else!
Congratulations to you and a hearty welcome to the boys.
Awwww. Geogeous kittens!
Aw, I’m sorry to hear about Smokey, but glad you have these boys to cheer you (and that they have you).
I am so jealous… that you only have two 😦
Cally – the calico cat
Fenway – my wife’s a Red Sox fan
Millie – Millicent, the not so innocent
Martha – after a holiday in Martha’s Vineyard
Alfie – after a Michael Caine movie
Norman – after Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond
Aaaaaand we’re long-term boarding my daughter’s cat while she has a year off from university, Nova (short for Super Nova – she’s very science).
Two. Two cats would be so… peaceful.
Those are two cute kittens! My best friend kitty passed recently and we eventually got a young kitty too. While I still miss my boy every day, my new kitten makes the house a little less lonely. Enjoy the crazy kitten energy.
The names are very fitting! Also, can’t wait for the vet to pronounce TWSBI.