George Jacob Jingleheimerschmitt was our little rescue kitty. We weren’t looking to add to our menagerie since we already had Harry Potter and Buster, but nevertheless, George inserted himself in our lives on Sunday, October 8, 2006, the morning of Allie’s 11th birthday party.
We had been in our Pfefferkorn house a little over a year and the house next door between us and the Fords was under construction. One Sunday morning I went out to get the paper and I heard a little “mew” cry from the construction site. If there had actually been workers and construction underway I never would have heard it. I went searching for the cries of distress and found a tiny, muddy, frightened kitten in the mud near some lumber. I went back inside to get some old towels and was able to fish him out of the mud. The little kitten was immediately very friendly and seemingly grateful.
I brought the kitten in to show Barb and Allie. Barb immediately dunked him in the laundry room sink to wash off the mud and any fleas, of which there were a few. In fact, it took three rounds of dunking baths to get all the mud and gunk off him. The kitten didn’t seem to mind the water or Barb’s handling of him, and even sort of appreciated getting clean.
We took him out to the porch to dry off and consider our next move. We fed him and he was quite hungry. We set up a litter box on the deck and he took to it immediately, so it seemed he’d had some training.
Later in the day we introduced the kitten to Harry. After just a few tense moments the two of them started to get along.
I don’t think Buster was happy to meet the new kitten and in fact, it may have been the beginning of a long, slow end for Buster.
We really didn’t have any desire for a third cat but the little fellow was immediately very personable. We made every effort to see if any of the kids at Allie’s birthday party wanted a new kitten — the perfect goody bag item! We showed pictures and talked him up. Unfortunately, all the kids were old enough to know they needed to ask their Moms first, so there were no takers.
That evening and the next day, at Barb’s insistence, I went around to our neighbors to see if anyone was missing a cute little kitten. I even went to various neighbors I’d never met, the ones with farmhouses and prospects of outdoor cats. They all thought I was nuts, though one of them recognized a resemblance in the kitten’s mustache to a barn cat they’d seen in the area.
By the end of the day, Allie decided to name the kitten George Jacob Jingleheimerschmitt, a variant on one of her favorite children’s songs. Once he had a name, it was a foregone conclusion that George was the newest member of our family.
We made a vet appointment within a day or two to make sure he was healthy and got a collar with a jingly bell which he wore proudly, thus confirming his name.
October 22, 2006
George immediately made himself at home and a full-fledged member of the family.
October 25, 2006
George modeled the latest fashions from Alcatraz.
November 2006
Harry and George, getting along just fine, were a contrast in size.
November 30: Post-Thanksgiving nap upstairs.
December 2006
Georgie poses with Allie for Christmas photos, and gives Harry a little pointer on posing.
January 2007
Harry developed a close personal relationship with Georgie.
We did too, but not as special as Harry’s.
Georgie developed a very special skill: falling asleep whilst grooming himself, shall we say. He did it because he could.
February 2007
Three boys on the bed. A first, and pretty much a last.
April 2007
George finds a new comfy place.
October 2007
Georgie and Harry were subjected to Halloween costumes, courtesy of Allie and Melissa.
December 2007
Georgie’s first snow.
A few days later, fun with balloon.
March 2008
Georgie was impressed with Allie’s 7th grade science project.
Georgie made himself at home on our bed…I think maybe because Harry was no longer with us (tbd).
October 2008
A new perch for Georgie.
December 2008
February 2009
Double-decker kitties!
May 2009
July 2009
Getting reacquainted after our trip to China.
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
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