Archie and Hazel and Ashley Kellogg: Furry Friends Fur-Ever
“In my almost 50 years, I’ve seldom lived without a cat,” says Ashley. “I found Archie (formerly Stardust) and Hazel (formerly Nocturne) online and then arranged to meet them at an adoption event. Originally, I’d hoped to bring home their mother and a sibling, but the chemistry with these two was so good that I knew they were the ones.
“Hazel, the tabby, was first. She was intelligent, interactive and interested in the world. Since I wanted two kittens, I asked her foster if she had a littermate with whom she was particularly bonded. That was Archie. And they remain extremely close, never doing anything without the other.
“The kittens settled in immediately! They found their litter box and my lap and all was right in their world. They also fell deeply in love with one of my dogs. Not only do they have a truly special relationship with him (Archie follows him everywhere he goes) and continue to worship him, he loves them just as deeply in return. My other dog seemed anxious at first, but after some clicker training, he’s come around. Archie and Hazel love him and he accepts them.
“Both kittens have brought me so much joy. They’re bright, learned their new names quickly, and have created their own routines around the house. For her part, Hazel is a little thief and steals all of her toys. Currently, she has a coat hanger, a piece of hard plastic from the edge of a litter container, and a tension screw from a baby gate! She also takes the dogs’ toys. Archie loves his kitty tree the most … and ‘his’ dog.
“They’re both lap cats and love being on me or on whoever’s visiting. Archie loves to be held on his back while Hazel likes to be held exactly once a day! But they really prefer it when they’re with the dogs and me together all of the time. They’re also chatterboxes, love kitty zoomies, and are so incredibly gentle that I’ve never had so much as an accidental scratch from them.
“An entire floor of my home is kitten-proofed and that’s where they dash off to sleep every night. But naps are always in my lap or in their favorite chair.”
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Furry Friends Fur-Ever Stories are compiled and written by Nomi Berger who is the bestselling author of seven novels, one work of non-fiction, two volumes of poetry, and hundreds of articles. She is a volunteer writer for Furry Friends in Vancouver, WA and also volunteers her writing skills to animal rescue groups in Canada and the USA.
