Tommy, Vinnie and the Hills: Furry Friends Fur-Ever

“We broke all of our personal cat adoption rules this year!” exclaims Tracy. “We were never going to have five cats, especially females, and then Tessa and Carson moved in at the start of 2025 to join our kitty, Murphy. We always said ‘no kittens,’ but then we lost our two senior cats.

“One day, we were visiting Tanika and the kittens at PetSmart, and we were smitten. We love kittens, and they’re lots of fun to visit and play with, but something about these two grabbed our heartstrings, and another rule went by the wayside. Thomas (Tommy) was originally named Cosmo, but because Carson was named for the calm, dignified butler in ‘Downton Abbey’, another black and white tuxedo had to be named Thomas. Vince (Vinnie) was Possum, but we changed his name to honor a friend. 

“Tommy’s other nickname is TomMeToo. He doesn’t want to miss anything, and if another kitty is getting attention, he pushes in to be part of the action. He’s convinced that everyone adores him, wants to snuggle with him on demand, and fortunately, he’s correct. Our three adult cats and Vinnie all love him, although Murphy sometimes ‘rolls his eyes’ when Tommy treats him like a jungle gym. Tommy also has a LOUD purr! When he was little, it seemed impossibly big, and while he’s still small, he’s loooooong.

“Vinnie is a bit more independent, but he’s very affectionate and extremely gentle. He has big paws (no extra toes, just big feet) and because his claws never come out, we can safely play barehanded with him. He has a coat of the softest velvet grey and white with stripes that only appear in the right light. 

“Tommy and Vinnie have brought so much joy, play, energy and love into our little furry family. Having kittens is a lot like having toddlers who fit into very small spaces, and my husband and I often find ourselves asking, ‘What makes THAT noise?’  

“Four of the five cats we now have were adopted through Furry Friends. We are so grateful to the staff and volunteers for everything they do!”

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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.