Carolyn Holm

Dear Lady Mom,
Is it time to play?
Winston

Dear Winston,
It’s always time to play! But why do you call me Lady Mom?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
I have lots of moms. First there was my cat mom, though I barely remember her. Then my foster mom who raised me. She is wonderful! You are my third mom. So, you need a different name. So I call you Lady Mom. 
Winston

Dear Winston,
You are very mature for a 14 week old kitten. I like the name. We used to have a dog named Molly who called me Alpha Mom. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
That’s exactly what you are! But as names go it’s not as pretty as Lady Mom.
Winston

Dear Winston,
I agree. But Molly was not interested in aesthetics. She was all about being absolutely, technically, literally and unambiguously correct. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
She sounds terrifying.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Oh, she was a dear. She was mostly funny. She was a terrier, and terriers are all about being competent. Meanwhile is everything working out ok for you here?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
Poppy is still very very very enthusiastic. Sometimes I have to hide from her to calm her down. I think she forgets about our size difference.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Especially when you first arrived. You were barely over two pounds! To Poppy’s twenty. But you’ve doubled that. You’re holding your own!

Dear Lady Mom,
It doesn’t matter. Poppy and I are already having a good time together. I’ve been teaching her the Paper Bag Game. She didn’t know about it because she isn’t a cat.
Winston

Dear Winston,
That’s wonderful! How’s it going with Puffin?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
Puffin is still being rude and grumpy. Last night when he played the paper bag game, he was scary. He was serious. He attacked the bag. He said he was dominating it. But I was still inside!
Winston

Dear Winston,
That was alarming. I think he got a lot out of his system with that assault.
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
And he’s very formal. He wants me to greet him each day with “Bonjour Monsieur!” I don’t understand why. He makes no sense.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Puffin is a piece of work, isn’t he?
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
He also says you have a lot of rules. Especially about charger cords and shoe laces.
Winston

Dear Winston,
We don’t have a lot of rules. The charger cord and shoe laces were things that Puffin kept destroying, so we had to bring that up frequently with him. But other than chewing expensive cords, the big one is don’t go outside. Because between the cars and the coyotes, it is dangerous out there. 
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
But Poppy gets to go outside!
Winston

Dear Winston,
She does, but you’ll notice that’s only when I accompany her. Maybe we’ll get you a harness and leash and then you can go outside with us!
Love, Carolyn

Dear Lady Mom,
That sounds like a terrible idea. I think for now I’ll sit on the window sill and watch the outside. Out there the house finches are having a party on the feeder.
Winston

Dear Winston,
Good idea. Cat TV!
Love, Carolyn

A note of thanks… 
We’d like to take this opportunity for a shout out to All Animal Rescue & Friends of St. Martin, California! Thank you for all you do to save animals in trouble, and for raising such a healthy, happy kitten and choosing us to adopt him!

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