I think one of the biggest staples in children’s reading books is Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel, and it was a really big part of my childhood as well. I loved the characters and all the shenanigans that they got into, and especially when Toad ate all of the cookies they made out of stress. I related a little too hard to that one even as a child.
Now, Frog and Toad have become members of my family, by way of little kittens! They are nearly 12 week old sister tabby cats and they are the sweetest little things.
Frog
Frog is a feisty little bundle of fur and looks like she could be a teacup lynx. She looks like she might have been the runt of the litter, but her spirit makes up for her smaller size. She is so triumphant any time she is able to catch the feather toy and runs off with her head held high and the poor toy in her mouth. The toy is bigger than she is, so I would also be pretty happy with myself if I took down a beast like that. She is also especially fond of my yarn. She definitely has the hunter instinct and is incredible at flying attacks. She has figured out how to get up onto the tallest surfaces in the house already and enjoys the fact that Toad is not so adventurous in her jumping skills.
She is the first to squeak when it’s breakfast or dinner time and first to follow up to bed. She is much more of a lap cat than her sister. Very gentle and sweet, she loves to curl up right next to me any time of the day (and is currently in my lap) and sleeps in the bed with me at night. David and I have already deemed her queen of the home.
Toad
Toad is much more energetic than her smaller sister. She has adorable white paws and chest fur. She was shy at first and took a minute to warm up to us, but as soon as she saw the toys she came right out of her shell. Toad has very typical cat energy and reminds me a lot of my family cat Zorro. She wants to play all day long, spends time looking out the back window at the birds and the squirrels, and generally loves causing mayhem. She is able to find her way onto any surface and inside any cabinet she’s not supposed to be in. She plays with anything she can get her paws on and is always surprise attacking her sister. They chase each other through all the rooms and under tables until Frog has finally had enough fun and games and curls up for a nap.
Toad is very affectionate. When she wants attention, she’s going to get it. She climbs onto my shoulders and curls up on my chest (even when I’m sitting up). She runs through my legs and will meow or raise a paw if I’m not giving adequate pets. I happily oblige her every whim. She does prefer to sleep in her own bed, but she will still wake me up with a few steps on the face and sitting on my arms when it’s time to get up.
Our Lives Together
As we get used to each other and get into a routine, I can already feel how important they are going to be for the next 20 or more years of my life. I plan on keeping them as indoor cats, but I want to build a catio and harness train them for walks when they are a little bit older. I have a feeling Toad is going to enjoy the walks much more than Frog is. She seems to have more of a drive for the outdoors.
I also want to eventually switch them over to a raw diet, but I need to do more research on the best way to do that. There is a store nearby called Rumford Pet that sells a lot of natural pet products, including raw food. I’m currently using a brand called Instinct from their store and the kittens seem to love it.
They already bring me so much joy and I just know they’re going to grow into amazing cats and companions.
