Today is My Cat Pippin's First Birthday!

I had this post published yesterday, but after I tried to edit it last night, it went away, so here it is again, a bit updated.

My sister Hazel gave me a kitten of my choice for my 26th birthday, which was the end of Feburary, and yesterday was the last day I could call him a kitten. His vaccination information listed his birthdate as 9-19-07, so Pippin has now turned one year old! I think back when he showed up with his foster mom just before my party on March 1. Pippin was just getting to know me and my house, when friends and family started arriving. I was still nervous getting a kitten of my own, not knowing how easy it would be to raise him by myself. Upon choosing him among other kittens, I was just going by his description and photos online, not having met him until he came to my house. Pippin was on the couch a lot, getting to know my friends and me as the party was going on. This picture below shows the some of the first bonding between us. I was looking at a mystery novel I had received as a present, and Pippin came right up to me! Even with the hand going across the camera, I think it's a wonderful picture of him and me together. Hazel was sitting beside me at that point, checking out this early encounter as I petted him.




Earlier, Pippin had come to my friend Mary Harrell, who was sitting on the other side of the couch, and I loved it when Pippin sprang up in front of her and made it appear that they were kissing.




Here is a picture of Pippin eating his first meal in my house.





During the first couple of months I had him, I wrote a poem about our relationship. Even though he's officially grown up and is no longer a kitten, my poem is still a nice one to share.


Pippin, My Kitten

For my birthday, I got a kitten,
Whom I have named Pippin.

Pippin is rather curious, I think.
He climbs into cabinets and the sink.

Now, Pippin can be very naughty,
But he is also quite sweet to me.

He asks for me to stroke his back.
He thinks houseplants are a tasty snack.

Whether he is being bad or good,
I love him just as a mother should.

I both play with and comfort him,
For he is my very own Pippin.