Descriptive Biographies of the Red Team

General: Born April 14, 1998 to their mother Ari'i pi'ifare, beside our bed. I assisted with the birthing, cutting all of the cords, and moving the newborns to the nest I had prepared for Ari'i. The kittens have been hand-raised to be loving pets. We would like to keep all six, but don't think this would be fair, either to Ari'i or to the kittens. Each one of them deserves the exclusive love of one or two humans. There's not enough of us to be split seven ways. Ari'i herself is the most deprived, being sweet and shy, and not as insistent for attention as her offspring. Sometimes she feels a little left out. We had promised her when she adopted us at the County shelter after Coco's death, that she would be "THE Kitty". She wants to do that, she's tired of being "the Mommy" to over 30 pounds of stampeding kittens.

The red team is so named because they're all rust on white, with beautiful tiger masks on the upper halves of their faces, and intense gold eyes. Originally, the rust on their bodies was in solid blocks, in the case of Cinnamon covering the whole of his back and sides, with Pinto and Patches primarily white with random markings. As they grew older, it became apparent that they all bore the genes of their father, the "Handsome Stranger" whom Ari'i had met during her brief adventure as a stray. All of the red areas on their bodies developed the markings of a tiger tabby. The markings are muted in varying degrees, from blonde-on-red for Cinnamon to deep rust for Pinto.

Healthy and active, the Red Team have always been the strongest and most independent of the litter. This is one reason they've been selected for new homes. They have no unbreakable bonds, though they are anxious to form some. They love to be petted, and will usually purr as soon as picked up. They like to play, with each other, with people, and with toys of opportunity. They all recognize their names, and will come if they see me when I call them. They all recognize the meaning of the words "No!", and "No Biting!". All three are very quiet, though they are starting to experiment with words as a means of communication. They're fastidious in their use of the litter box, and will wait for me to change it, standing in line for immediate use. Though at an age where they are testing both themselves and their limits, they learn easily and willingly. They have unique personalities, and are all each lovable in a special way.

September 1999 Update: The Red Team is now firmly entrenched, and while we might be willing to let Cinnamon or Pinto go to a home where they could enjoy the status and attention of being the exclusive kitty, it's most likely that they'll all be with us for life.