And in With the Newbies!

Ok, now that everyone is settled in, I can share a few more pictures with you.

No first names yet, we're going to be auctioning off the naming rights to these babes, but I can tell you the surname of this litter. It's Suprenant. They're named after our dear friend and amazing IBKC supporter, Cynthia Suprenant.

Her heart is so huge. She's given so much to our cause, and inspired so many to do the same. She means the world to us, and I thought this would be a good way to show our appreciation. Thank you Cynthia, for all you do.

There are five little Suprenant kittens. When I picked them up at the shelter last night, I was checking to see what their sexes were as I put them into the carrier.

Girl. Girl. Girl. Girl. Girl.

So I checked their paperwork, and yep, they are ALL girls.

You got a sneak peek at our first tiny tabby this morning. Here she is again.

Here's her floofy sister.

And here she is with her floofy sister, whose tail is all floofed out, and sticking straight up!

As soon as I introduce the rest of the Suprenant girls, we'll get rolling with the auctions. Last year's was a HUGE success, and I hoping everyone will be equally excited to join in on the fun!

Out with the Old...

There's SO much going on around here with kittens moving in, kittens moving out, and all this fundraising madness!

Just a couple of hours ago, I sent little Clement and Bernice on their merry little way. We were sad to say goodbye, but so happy to adopt out our bright, healthy babies.

Their new mom, Kris, was so excited to bring her home her new kittens. She's been following the IBKC for quite some time. This past fall, she and her husband said goodbye to their big kitty, and since then, have felt a void in their life. They decided they were ready for some kitten energy in their home, and Kris decided that Clement and Bernice were the ones.

The past few days it's just been Clement and Bernice. Ambrose and Louise left Saturday, and Emory and Ferris earlier in the week. When ever the kittens trickle out like that, the order is upset, and you can see the personalities of the remaining kittens start to shift. As the more dominant ones leave, the quieter ones start to shine.

Well, Miss Bernice, who was one of the quietest, most demure little lady cats we've had, really started to come out of her shell over the past couple of days. She went from shy little wallflower to a full on confident, kitty comedic genius. It was SO fun to watch her romp and play with just Clement. She developed some sly wresting moves, and even though she's smaller, could pin him in a second. She ran fast and wild all over the house. We just sat back, watched her spaz out, and laughed.

When I think back to the when we first met her - a scared, tiny little thing, just coming out from anesthesia after having a fish hook removed from her lip - and seeing now, the confident kitty she became.... well that's quite a little journey.

Giving in, and accepting that their new world is safer than the old, doesn't come easy to tiny little kittens. I'm sure it's a huge internal struggle for them.

I'm proud of that little girl for being able to change. It was beautiful to witness, and as a foster parent, one of the greatest rewards.

I couldn't be happier with how everything worked out for the Anderson-Ericksons. They all left with their perfect partners, and landed themselves some mighty-fine homes.

Once again,, I thank you Universe.

I know you're itching to see who's next.... give me a minute, and I'll share a little more. It takes a while to get the newbies settled in. Like I said before,, you're going to flip. They are ADORABLE.

Should you find yourself with a little time to kill until then,, you could always click HERE, and make a donation to our fundraiser. We rocked it yesterday,, but it's been a little quiet today.

Stay tuned, my friends.

What a Day, What a Day...

WOW.  Yesterday was UNBELIEVABLE, wasn't it?    It was so exciting to watch the total climb!!  We raised over THREE squillion for Drewey's Fund for Senior Cats.    She would be so proud!      What a difference this fund will make.  SO many big kitties will benefit from your donations.   Thanks to ALL of you for your generosity.    



Poor little Bernice.  After such a busy day one the phones, she and Clement are just exhausted.   Don't worry, Bernice. You're off the hook now.  Your shift is over.

It's time to get your suitcase packed  because your new mama is coming in just a couple of hours to pick  you and Clement up and take you home.  Don't worry though, the reinforcements have arrived.  


Wait a minute...  I have to work?   I thought I was just supposed to sit her and look pretty. 


OH, did I mention we have a new group of phone bank volunteers?   You guys are going to FLIP when you meet this crew!!

Much more later.... I've got to get Clem and Bernice out the door first.  

Lots more to come today, so please stay tuned!  

It's ALL About the Senior Cats Today!

All the money we raise during this year's Dog-A-Thon fundraiser will be going directly to the adoption program for the cats and kitties.  Beneath this umbrella, there are lots of projects and programs in need of funding.   One area of need, is the senior cats.

When Drewey passed away back in April,  several of you made donations in memory of our dear girl.    The "Drewey Fund" was born, and this money was made available to the vet staff to use for procedures and tests, such as teeth cleanings and blood work,  exclusively for the senior cats.

I think everyone  knows how special senior cats are, but often people are shy to adopt them  because they worry about  potentially high vet bills.    If the vet staff has the resources to get the senior cats healthier first,  this will reduce the chance of a financial burden for the adopter, and will make the seniors  more "adoptable".

I'm excited to announce that ALL the money we raise today goes right to the Drewey Fund - every single penny of it.    So if you donate today, it all goes directly to the senior cats!    

I know were all about the kitties over here, but truth be told, it's the senior cats that tug on my heart strings.

If you have a soft spot for the seniors too,  or have a special senior cat you would like to honor, please make a donation to our campaign today.  

Thanks so much, everyone.    I can hardly wait to see what our total is!  

Click HERE to help the senior cats! 

LIVE from the IBKC Fundraising Headquarters!

Good afternoon, friends. Thanks for tuning it. We're on day 8 of our IBKC fundraiser for the Tacoma/Pierce county Humane Society. Phone bank volunteers Clement and Bernice are standing by to take your pledges.

How are things going today, Clement?



Well, to be honest,, it's been a little quiet around here this afternoon. Fortunately, Bernice is here too, and we've been keeping ourselves entertained.



HEY! BENICE,,, the phones are ringing. Hurry up, get back here.



Dang, it. We missed it. OK, we need to stay put. No more monkey business. We've got a goal to meet!



To make a pledge online, and take us one step closer to our 4o squillion goal, Please click HERE. Thanks, friends. We really are off to an amazing start. Let's keep the momentum up!

This Will Get You Going!

Happy Monday, everyone.   If you're feeling a bit sluggish this morning,  I promise this little video will perk you right up.


from  Vimeo


Enjoy!





  

Adios, Ambrose! So Long, Louise !!

We said our goodbyes to Louise and Ambrose on Saturday.     I promise we'll have lots of updates on these two because our good friends, William and Iris,  were the ones who adopted them.    

Craig and William go WAAAAAAY back.  In fact, when I first met Craig, he and William were roommates.   That was  nearly 17 years ago, and they were friends for years before that too.

William and Iris are good, kitty-loving folks.   Just  this past spring they said goodbye to Ziggy, their 20+ year old cat.   After Ziggy's passing, William contacted me to say that they would be in the market for a pair of kitties soon.    There was a hole in their lives, that  needed to be filled.   When the Anderson-Ericksons moved in, I invited William and Iris down to meet the litter.

Just like Erin and Erik who adopted Emory and Ferris, William and Iris wanted to be chosen by their kittens.  That's exactly what happened.  Louise chose Iris, and Ambrose chose William.

Funny thing is,  because of his coat length,  I think Ambrose wasn't really wasn't  a contender.  They preferred shorter haired cats, but Ambrose just weaseled his way into to their hearts, and won them over.     No surprise there, he is a TOTAL charmer.  Who can resist that floof and that sweet little face.

Now, we're down to just two kitties and it's so quiet around here!    Charlene has been having a whole lot of fun playing with just  Clement and Bernice.  They have complete run of the house now, and have been having a great time exploring the upstairs and running up and down the steps.

 I think Charlene was growing tired of having six rambunctious kittens running about.    It can be too much for her at times, and I can see her patience wearing thin.     Two is perfect.     She can keep them in check, and keep them clean too.

Clement and Bernice leave Wednesday at 10:00 AM.     I'll be down to the shelter by noon,  in search of our next little kitty family.    It's always exciting to see who's next!

Care to Count MY Whiskers....

Just in case you don't have a cat handy, and you would like to participate in today's Butterbean Daily Donation Challenge, (donate $2 for every whisker on your cat)  Charlene wanted to let you know that her whiskers are available for counting.  




It looks like there's thirty.    Thirty six if you count her eyebrows too.  


If your wallet is feeling particularly fat, you could count these, and make your donation.





And for you Powerball winners out there,,,,  



I tried counting them, and stopped after I hit a Squillion. And that's not including his eyebrows.


Click HERE to take $2 a Whisker challenge.

Good-Bye Emory. Good-Bye Ferris.

Sorry, friends. I had hoped to get the Ferris and Emory departure post up yesterday, but just ran out of time.

You'll be very happy to know that the boys were adopted by Erin and Erik, dear friends our dear friend, Shana Banana. Of course they came HIGHLY recommended by Shana. She said they we're good, kitty-loving people, which is all I needed to hear. Sold.

When they visited, they didn't want to pick the kittens, they wanted to be picked BY the kittens. Well, Emory and Ferris picked them, and I think all parties involved are quite happy with the choice.

Here are a couple of pics of their adoption day.


The boys all suited up in their new collars and tags.


Ambrose, Clement, and Bernice say goodbye to their brothers.


Erin emailed to let me know that the boys have made themselves at home, and are settling in quite nicely. They have lots of toys (and carrots!) to play with, lots of things to climb, and are receiving oodles and oodles of love.

It's always nice when the kitties "stay in the family". We'll be able to keep close tabs on these two. Erin promises lots of pictures and updates.


So, we're down to four now. Not for long, though. Louise and Ambrose are packing their suitcases right now.

Sigh.

Well, THAT was Fast!!

One hour later,,, Cynthia's match was met.     That one squillion, you all just scrambled to donate just became TWO squillion.       UNbelievable.

Once again,, you all have completely blown me away.

Thank you for having such huge hearts.

xoxo

And Here's the Exciting News!!

IBKC community member, regular crack-me-up commenter, generous, critter-loving Cynthia (I'll stop so I don't embarras her...) has offered an amazing matching donation challenge.

Today, any donation you make, Cynthia will match, until our donation total reaches $1000.

So if our donations total $500, she'll donate $500
And if our donations total $1000, she'll donate $1000

You get the picture.... she's doubling our dollars, so the more we give, the more she gives.

Isn't that amazing?

This challenge ends at 6:00 PM (pacific time) so that gives us six hours total to make it happen.

If you were thinking about donating, now would be a VERY good time.

Thank you Cynthia, for your amazing support and generosity. And thanks to EVERYONE for helping us reach our first five squillion in record time. We're feeling your love, and are so grateful for every single community member. We're getting all misty overhere already. I can tell, it's going to be one emotional month.

OK... Let the games begin.

Click HERE to play along and make your donation count twice as much!

A Tressa and Neville Update

A couple weeks back I bumped into Tressa and Neville's pa, Galen and his girlfriend, Emily. It was great to see them both and hear about how well Tressa and Neville are doing.

They are the TOTAL loves of his life, and he's so happy he adopted the pair. Then proud papa pulled out his phone, and showed me a sweet picture of the kittens.

Later that day, Emily was kind enough to send me a few pictures of the pair. They are just such lovely cats. I love how Neville's once-tiny spot of orange on his nose has turned into a giant patch on his face. Tressa is such a beauty now. Her coat is just phenomenal.

It's so good to see them both again. Thanks Galen and Emily. You've made me (and I'm sure blog-land too) very happy! Give those kitties some love from all of us!

And thanks to all those who got us over the FIVE squillion mark! It's so, so, so, amazing. We are ROCKING it!













PS For those of you new to the blog, that's Neville and Tressa in the top left corner of the banner. Tressa Lovejoy was one of the cutest,,, if not the VERY cutest kittens we've ever encountered. See for yourself... just click here.

What's Up, Louise?

SOOOOO much is up!  

Just in case you missed Bean's tweet yesterday,  Clement and Bernice met their mama last night!     They're off getting snipped today, and will be moving in with their new family on Wednesday.  

Emory and Ferris packed their bags and left our little nest (together) .    I'll give you the full scoop on that later.

So, it's very quiet around here .   It's just Ambrose, Louise and The Bean, and they're all done with their morning romp, and are napping away.     I'm happy to have a quiet day with a lower kitten count.  I'm trying to finish making our IBKC fundraising telethon set, which isn't easy to do with lots of kittens, trying to lend a helping paw.    

Lots more to come today:
The Emory and Ferris departure story....
As soon as we clear five squillion,, we'll see those Tressa AND Neville pics  (we're SO CLOSE now!)....
Don't forget to check out Butterbean's Daily Donation Challenge
AND there will be a BIG announcement.

Be sure to check back often!

I Hope You Folks are Sitting Down

I know this is going to be upsetting to many, but it's THAT time again.  The Anderson-Erickson's have all made weight, some have had surgery already,  some will be going in tomorrow.       Four out of six of the kittens have been spoken for and are leaving this week.     Two kittens are still in search of their perfect family.

Charming little Clement and sweet Bernice  are the two not yet spoken for.     They are an amazing little duo, and I'm trying hard to adopt them out as a pair.  

Both kittens are cuddly, curious and as dear as can be.  Of course they have their mischievous side, but all kittens do.   Clement's purr is loud enough to drown out the hum of  the World Cup vuvuzelas.    Bernice will gladly wrap around your neck,  or perch on your shoulder to keep you company.    Did I mention they are adorable?   I guess that's clear to see.

If you  are in need of a special pair, please send an email to kittywrangler@gmail.com and introduce yourself.     If you know of anyone who might be on the hunt, please send them our way.

I know you'll be sad to say goodbye to the AEs.  We are too.    It seems you all have become particularly attached to this group.

 The ones spoken for thus far are going to our friends,  and friends of friends, so we'll be able to keep close tabs on them.

Just think,, this means there will be a new batch of babies to love very soon!   There are plenty of kittens at the shelter right now, so I doubt there will be any sort of  wait at all.    

And don't forget,,, YOU will get to name them too!   Just like last year, we'll be auctioning off the naming rights to the next batch.  

OK folks,, please spread the word.   Clement and Bernice's family is out there somewhere.   Come on Universe, work your magic and send their family this way!  

 

Four Squillion and Counting!

FIRST I must say, we're off to a very impressive start, don't you think?? !!  I can hardly believe we cleared four squillion in the first three days of our little fundraiser.   If we keep up at this pace, we are sure to hit the  goal of 40 squillion!    It's so exciting to watch the total on the  Dog-A-Thon counter rise!  Thank you to everyone for your donations and enthusiasm!!  

Please look over there to the right.... see that new picture of Bean?    To help keep things interesting, we've added a daily feature to our fundraiser, "Butterbean's Daily Donation Challenge".    Everyday until the end of the Dog-A-Thon fundraiser (July 24th), Charlene will be introducing a new challenge.

It's fun, it's easy,, and each new challenge will be a different "price point" so they'll be suitable for everyone's pocketbook.

Today's challenge is the "Five Dollars a Foot" challenge.   Should you chose to take on the challenge,  pleae donate $5 for every paw in your house.       

You know I've got that picture of grown-up Tressa Lovejoy to share with you all.  I'll do that as soon as we clear 5 squillion.     If a few of you take on the Five Dollars a Foot challenge, we'll be there in a heart-beat.

Thanks so much for all your support.   I'm so incredibly proud to be a member of this community.

To help us hit five squillion... click HERE!

A Message from Clement

I know it's usually just fun and games for us kittens, but please allow me to get serious for just one moment.



This is my serious face. Please don't laugh at me.

Ahem. Ok. Here it goes.

I thank my lucky stars that the Humane Society was there for the Anderson-Ericksons in our hour of need. We were wee, scared kittens in need of a place to stay. They took us in, fed us and gave us a warm, safe cubby to sleep in. Then they found us a foster family to stay with, and then,, well,, we met you ! Now we're happy and healthy, our bellies are round, and we've got friends from around the world. I feel blessed, and I know that all kittens don't have it so good.

I want all the cats and kitties to have opportunities like the ones we were given, but to do that, we need a little help from you all. If you could support the Humane Society by making a donation to our fundraiser, you all could help make it happen! Every single penny we raise go straight to the kitties and cats.

Thank you for letting me bend your ear. And thanks too for all the love and support you give us everyday. You're a special group of people.

Now if you'll excuse me now, I have a chandelier to swing from.

Your friend, Clement

To support our cause click HERE to make a donation. THANKS!!!

They Brought Down the Curtain - Literally

Notice anything different? Yep. The kittens took down the drapes. I'm not sure who did it or how it happened, but yesterday afternoon I walked into the living room and discovered the drapes draped on the back of the couch, with kittens napping on top of them. I fear the cellular shades are next.



That's right, naughty kittens. You better run.

Leaders of the Pack!

Hooray! Kitties are on TOP! And you all ROCK! Thanks for making it happen!!

Mister Whisker

I was noticing today that Emory's got a few new whiskers coming in.    Here, take a closer look.



I guess our little boy is becoming a little man.      Sigh.

Just a Few More Bones....

We're getting so close to taking over the lead now! Just a few hundred bones, and we'll move into the top slot!

My friends Shana and Sarah have joined IBKC fundraising force, so all the contributions they bring in will be counting in our total too! If there are any other people out there who would be interested in participating in Dog-A-Thon and joining our fundraising team, we would LOVE to have you on board. Just shoot an email to kittywrangler@gmail.com , and we'll get you all signed up!

If you would like to donate a few bones..... click HERE!

Thanks, friends!! xoxo

Has Anyone Seen Clement?

Oh THERE you are!

Every once in awhile, I'll misplace a kitten. Normally, they nap in a pack, but sometimes one will slip away and find a little hidey-hole.

The other day, after a good fifteen minutes of looking for Clement, I found him tucked away in the closet, inside Craig's t-shirt drawer. It was open only crack, but it was JUST wide enough for Clement to wiggle his way inside.

After I fished Clement out, I discovered Ferris asleep inside the drawer. I didn't even realize he was missing!

It's hard keeping track of six kittens.

Less Stats, More Cats!

We've been all about the numbers tonight, so I thought I would end the day with just one picture, of our lovely little litter.


From left to right...
Ferris, Abrose, Bernice, Emory, Clement and Louise Anderson-Erickson

One Team Left

Well we're getting close to the top of the doggy pile!

We've made some serious ground this evening, and this fundraiser is already off to an amazing start!

Click HERE and maybe we'll just make it to the top tonight!

Next Up, The Mutts

Moving up, next... The Mutts.

Care to help us get there? Click HERE.

Nipping at Their Heels

We've passed Yoga Dogs and now we're nipping at the heels of Wilbur and Winnie!


Click HERE to help us get one step closer to our goal! Go Kitties, Go!

Can Cats Dominate on Day One?

I was just looking at the Dog-A-Thon donation site and it looks as though we've already cracked the top five fundraising teams. I know for sure we'll take over the lead, but wouldn't it be grand if we dominated the dogs on our first day of fundraising? My fingers are crossed, and I'm hoping we do it today!

Click HERE to make a donation.

The Many Moods of Miss Louise

Let's Rally!

Perhaps you remember this little group of feline fundraisers?

Well, it's that time again. On Saturday, July 24th, we're participating in our second annual "Dog-A-Thon Walk for Homeless Pets" to help raise money for The Humane Society of Tacoma/Pierce County.

For those who are new to the IBKC blog, last year's fundraiser was just incredible.

We started off with a very modest goal of $3000 and in the end, thanks to huge outpouring of love and support from IBKC community members, we raised over $23,000 (23 squillion) for the shelter. It truly was amazing to watch it all unfold. I think all who witnessed it would agree - it was heartwarming and beautiful to see our amazing community rally around this cause.


With our donations pooled together, we were able to do some really great things for the cats and kittens. For example, a large portion of the money we raised was used towards the completion of the cat quarantine rooms at the Humane Society (AKA Butterbean Quarantine). You can read all about the good things that have happened since they opened the doors to Butterbean Quarantine by clicking HERE.

Last year, as the fundraiser snowballed, I raised our goal multiple times. I thought this year I'd just raise the bar, and start with a higher goal. So friends, this year's goal is 40 squillion (that's $40,000) and after all the excitement last year, I'm feeling confident we can do it.

To offer a little incentive, just like last year, we'll have a raffle. Everyone who makes a donation to the fundraiser will be entered into a pool. One lucky person will win the naming rights to one of our Itty Bitty Kitties and will also receive a large sampling of Itty Bitty Kitty cards. Christine was our winner last year, and she named Olly Musselman.

There will be a lot of on-line auctions too. We'll be auctioning off the naming rights to our next batch of kittens. We've also got a few lovely art pieces to auction as well.

I've got so much planned, so the next five weeks will be filled with plenty of posts and lots of fun and surprises! OH, and a fancy new telethon set! And get this,,,, I bumped into Tressa and Neville Lovejoy's Pa the other day, and his girlfriend was kind enough to send me a picture of little Miss Tressa, all grown up.

So please, STAY TUNED!

These little kittens give so much to us. Think of all the times their lovely little faces have brightened your day. Let's say thanks to these kitties by supporting the organization that gave them their start in life, The Humane Society.

To show your support and make a donation, just click HERE.

Even though it's called "Dog-A-Thon", all of the money we raise, goes directly to the cats and kittens.

If you would like to learn more about the Dog-A-Thon, Click HERE.

Thank you, friends. I'm so excited to see what we can do this year! I can hardly wait to see the difference we make!!!

Happy Father's Day

I know,, I know... every year I post the same picture on Father's Day. I'm sorry, I can't help it. It's just a great illustration of how sweet my dad is.

For those of you new to the blog, this is my Dad, Dave. As you can clearly see in this picture , he's awesome.




Happy Father's Day, Dad. I love you tons.


And Happy Father's Day to all the fabulous Dads out there in the world.

xoxo

Laurie

A Boy and His Carrot

Emory was hanging out in the kitchen when I dropped a carrot on the floor while making a pot of soup. He pounced on it immediately and carried his treasure around the house. The others caught on, and wanted a piece of the action. Carrots make excellent cat toys. Who knew?

Pink is Their Color

Yep.