A
n old tree, often looks like nothing more than just an old tree, right? Well, looks can be deceiving.
I never thought much about this Chestnut Oak tree in my backyard but every now and then, something special can be found in a most unexpected place.
All you have to do is look a little closer.
Could these little faces be any cuter?
One by one, these kittens peeked out of their hiding place, the hollow base of the tree.
This is the kind of thing that generates quite a bit of excitement in my household.
Cameron and Jordy spent the last week catching two lizards, a luna moth and other assorted bugs so obviously this feline-find was far more exciting.
The first kitty to emerge was the most fearless.
Once he/she ventured further out of the tree trunk, his/her brothers and sisters eventually tumbled out too. 
OK, here they come.
One by one they came out of hiding to see what all the fuss was about.
Flip flops are apparently worth further investigation.
Mama cat sat nearby quietly and quite steely-eyed as she watched us watch her kittens.
I had been seeing this black and white cat around the neighborhood lately but until now had no idea why she was hanging around my house so much.
Cameron and Jordy immediately started coming up with names for each one.
Is it possible that footwear smells like catnip to kittens?
Sure seems like it, after witnessing the kittens scratch and clawed away at Cameron and Jordy’s shoes.
There are five kittens in all.
All of them are gray, three of them have a white diamond shape between the eyes and two of them have faint white noses.
By the way, if you announce “kittens” in any neighborhood then young spectators will come running.
I think each one of our neighbors wanted to take a kitten home.
Most of the kittens were pretty shy and after making a brief appearance before the eager crowd, they retreated to the hollow tree for cover and safety.
However, this one was a bit of a camera poser.
Of course, my kids immediately started coming up with all the reasons why we should also adopt one of these kittens.
Here’s a look at Jordy’s kitten-adoption rationale, in top ten order:
- “We’ve never had a cat or dog before”.
- “Because Cameron and I really like dogs and cats”.
- “Because all our friends have either a cat or a dog… or both”.
- “They’re fun to play with”.
- “We will take care of it and promise to change the litter box”.
- “We’ll play with it when we have spare time so it won’t get lonely”.
- “We’ll be sure to wash our hands when we’re done playing with it”.
- “We’ll go to the vet with you when it needs a checkup and shots”.
- “We will name it Fluffy or something like that”.
- “Every kid needs a mammal for a pet and all we have are lizards and insects”.
I’m not sure yet what we’ll do with the kittens but apparently mama cat has already decided to stick around a while.
Two days after we found the lair, I spotted the mom sunbathing on my front steps like she doesn’t have a care in the world. I tried to get closer for a better picture of her face but she bolted.
I’ll talk with animal shelter officials about the best course of action to handle the mama and her litter.
Meanwhile, some kittens just know when they’re too cute for words.
Oh, such adorable-ness?
OK, I admit, it is pretty hard not to be a tad kitten krazy when staring into a sweet face like this.
Don’t you agree? ♥
“Every kid needs a mammal for a pet.” I laughed out loud at this one 🙂
I agree, that a warm and cuddly pet is something all kids need.
And hey, I must admit that the mention of kittens brings me running too and I am not even a cat lover. :o)
My goodness… they sure love the shoes, don’t they!?! lol How cute! What a great kitten-adoption rationale. Love #10! 🙂
They are adorable! I do hope they get to keep one of the kittens. Growing up with a cat is a wonderful experience.
Oh my gosh they’re adorable! Every kid needs a cat, Lisa. So you need TWO. *evil grin* Guess whose side I’m on?
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!! They are SO CUTE!!!!!!!
I am not really a cat person — very allergic — but that last picture of the kitten is just too cute!
Takes me wayyyyy back. Nice to see young folks away from all the electronic gadgets (yes, as I’m typing from one LOL) and enjoying the real stuff. Enjoy your new additions.
So, which little kitten is now a part of your family? They are so cute and what a cool tree, with a little hole for a family of kittens to burrow in!
Oh, those kittens sure are cute, but the joy on your childrens’ faces……….priceless!
Hi Lisa,
This post has “sucker” written all over it… snicker snicker…
No _ I don’t want a kitten as we currently have 4 barn cats, 1 indoor cat (which I aptly named Edward Scissor Hands!) 3 dogs, 12 chickens, 8 sheep and 8 1/2 horses! The Inn is full…
They sure are cute! I hope animal control is able to come to help you out. Mama needs to be spayed and those cuties need a check up. Maybe one, or two, of those adorables fuzz-butts finds a home with you! Remember, two kittens are easier than one, they keep each other entertained! Have fun watching them!
Aw, what cuties! We have 3 cats.
The kittens are absolutely darling. Cats were a part of my growing up – living on a farm, there were dozen or more cats to play with and to give fancy names. They lived in the barn, caught mice and when we milked the cows, we filled pans with warm, frothy milk for them. The mother cats hid the kittens in the hay loft (to protect them from the tom cats) until they were ready to greet the world. Of course we had great feline friends when you and your siblings were growing up. Remember Polibus, Anchovey I and II, Peekay, Charlene, Oedipuss, Sport Garner Allen, Arnoe? The post brings back nice memories. Love, Nana Banana
This is soooooo cute! What great photos. They remind me of my kitty Gracie (she’s grey of course). They are so sweet!
Best find ever. I found my cat when she was kitten and she has been the best gift!
Awwwww…I want one~~
Awww! Those kittens are adorable!
I like the pets and specially kitties are my favorites.So i like the cute and innocent sharing of the Kitties how they are playing with the human.
I’m a cat person. Love them. We always have two cats…I’d have more if they didn’t cost money!
I’m gonna prowl around and see if I can find an update to this kitty story. The last post I read said the mama moved the babies…
They are adorable. I always forget how cute kittens are during this stage!