Ancient battle-scarred feral cat meets tiny kittens
May 24, 2017 1:51 AM Subscribe
Mason is old and ill and grumpy. One day some new kittens came into his foster home. 2m40s to a better day.
Yes. The best.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 2:17 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 2:17 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
:sniffle: so damn dusty in here...
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 2:34 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee at 2:34 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
World-weary assassin called out of retirement for one last job.
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:42 AM on May 24, 2017 [57 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 2:42 AM on May 24, 2017 [57 favorites]
I have just spontaneously borne a litter of orange kittens.
posted by pracowity at 3:12 AM on May 24, 2017 [14 favorites]
posted by pracowity at 3:12 AM on May 24, 2017 [14 favorites]
There are more videos of Mason and "his" kittens on the Facebook pages for Tinykittens and TinyTuxies.
posted by cheshyre at 4:02 AM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by cheshyre at 4:02 AM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
no, shut up, you're crying.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:18 AM on May 24, 2017 [18 favorites]
posted by leotrotsky at 4:18 AM on May 24, 2017 [18 favorites]
It's just my allergies acting up, that's all. I'm not crying.
posted by easily confused at 4:39 AM on May 24, 2017
posted by easily confused at 4:39 AM on May 24, 2017
Kittens: not even a cat can resist them
posted by Zonker at 4:50 AM on May 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by Zonker at 4:50 AM on May 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
World-weary assassin called out of retirement for one last job.
THAT did it. [waterworks]
posted by Mike Mongo at 5:08 AM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
THAT did it. [waterworks]
posted by Mike Mongo at 5:08 AM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
YUp. I'm crying. Anyone is welcome to join me.
posted by bilabial at 5:54 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by bilabial at 5:54 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
I worry that the internet will run out of enough cats to get me through president cheeto, but then something like grandpa mason comes along to give me hope.
posted by double bubble at 5:56 AM on May 24, 2017 [14 favorites]
posted by double bubble at 5:56 AM on May 24, 2017 [14 favorites]
My new happy place is this video.
posted by halcyonday at 6:24 AM on May 24, 2017
posted by halcyonday at 6:24 AM on May 24, 2017
He's so happy about having tiny kitten needle feet clawing at his faaaace 😭
posted by nicebookrack at 6:29 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 6:29 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
no no…it was when the one literally HUGGED him. sniff
posted by ShawnString at 6:31 AM on May 24, 2017 [13 favorites]
posted by ShawnString at 6:31 AM on May 24, 2017 [13 favorites]
well shoot, who knew coffee and happy tears went so well together?
thanks, hippybear!
posted by pt68 at 6:33 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
thanks, hippybear!
posted by pt68 at 6:33 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
1:58 -- lost it
posted by The otter lady at 6:39 AM on May 24, 2017
posted by The otter lady at 6:39 AM on May 24, 2017
I know this is dangerous to admit, but I don't even like cats (sorry! sorry!) and this made me just so happy.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:40 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 6:40 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
World-weary assassin called out of retirement for one last job.
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
posted by Fizz at 6:54 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
posted by Fizz at 6:54 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
The cat version that is.
posted by Fizz at 6:57 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 6:57 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
They're good cats, Brent.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 7:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
World-weary assassin called out of retirement for one last job.
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
I hear that this is the pitch for the next Harrison Ford movie.
The cat version that is.
Yes, the cat version.
posted by briank at 7:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [11 favorites]
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
I hear that this is the pitch for the next Harrison Ford movie.
The cat version that is.
Yes, the cat version.
posted by briank at 7:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [11 favorites]
The twist is, Unknown to him, they're his grandchildren!
posted by achrise at 7:20 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by achrise at 7:20 AM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
- or should that be grandkittens?
posted by achrise at 7:21 AM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by achrise at 7:21 AM on May 24, 2017 [2 favorites]
you can train cats to do a few things, but you absolutely cannot train kittens to give strange toms a big old hug, and you cannot train old toms to just squeeze shut their eyes like that when it happens
posted by Countess Elena at 7:49 AM on May 24, 2017 [24 favorites]
posted by Countess Elena at 7:49 AM on May 24, 2017 [24 favorites]
Yep. This is all the more remarkable because tomcats are usually VERY hostile to stranger-kittens. Grandpaw Mason is such a sweetie!
posted by orrnyereg at 7:51 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by orrnyereg at 7:51 AM on May 24, 2017 [4 favorites]
This reminds me that I've not read Tailchaser's Song by Tad Williams since my teen years. If anyone wants to read about the world of cats as told from their point of view, it's highly recommended.
“The story of Fritti Tailchaser, a courageous tom cat in a world of whiskery heroes and villains, of feline gods and strange, furless creatures called M'an.”posted by Fizz at 8:04 AM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
Aw. Back in 2000 I adopted le chat Malo, and the local battle-hardened tomcat, who was black with fierce golden eyes no less, immediately took a liking to Malo's insouciant kittenness.
This was a tom who allowed no human near him, and who disdained pretty much all other life forms, but he would drop by to gently tussle with Malo. After a few months teaching me that my garden chair was His Garden Chair and no temptations would be brooked (I tried leaving dry cat food out for him; he looked at me with a dignified "oh please, human"), he let me scritch his ears from time to time. Later I could chin-scritch, and still later, some back pats. From the very start of the first ear scritch, he let me know when he'd had enough with a gentle paw-tap on my arm and a nom of my hand.
Malo and I knew Black Tomcat for four years. I still miss him.
posted by fraula at 8:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [25 favorites]
This was a tom who allowed no human near him, and who disdained pretty much all other life forms, but he would drop by to gently tussle with Malo. After a few months teaching me that my garden chair was His Garden Chair and no temptations would be brooked (I tried leaving dry cat food out for him; he looked at me with a dignified "oh please, human"), he let me scritch his ears from time to time. Later I could chin-scritch, and still later, some back pats. From the very start of the first ear scritch, he let me know when he'd had enough with a gentle paw-tap on my arm and a nom of my hand.
Malo and I knew Black Tomcat for four years. I still miss him.
posted by fraula at 8:09 AM on May 24, 2017 [25 favorites]
My allergies are acting up too.
It's all right, though, because my eyes have been washed out with happy tears after watching that video. Thanks, I needed something like that today.
posted by daisyk at 8:56 AM on May 24, 2017
It's all right, though, because my eyes have been washed out with happy tears after watching that video. Thanks, I needed something like that today.
posted by daisyk at 8:56 AM on May 24, 2017
Awww, it's Wolverine and Kitty Pryde.
posted by praemunire at 9:00 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 9:00 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
"lord give me the confidence and fortitude of this cat wearing a dish towel cape"
posted by gwint at 9:00 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by gwint at 9:00 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
I adopted two homeless/feral cats years ago. They were wonderful pets and took to home life amazingly well. I hate that term as it scares people from adopting them.
posted by Tullyogallaghan at 9:29 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Tullyogallaghan at 9:29 AM on May 24, 2017 [3 favorites]
Thanks, hippybear! Cats will surprise us from time to time and this was a beautiful surprise with which to start the day.
posted by Silverstone at 9:32 AM on May 24, 2017
posted by Silverstone at 9:32 AM on May 24, 2017
If anyone needs two hours of grandpa Mason and his five kittens, here's a link.
posted by bilabial at 10:38 AM on May 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
posted by bilabial at 10:38 AM on May 24, 2017 [9 favorites]
I adopted two homeless/feral cats years ago. They were wonderful pets and took to home life amazingly well. I hate that term as it scares people from adopting them.
I had two cats much the same, and they became happy housekitties, though one remained skittish throughout her life. Sadly, both have passed on - the more outgoing of the two a few years back, the skittish one last week. But they were wonderful kitties, and I miss them.
posted by NoxAeternum at 10:52 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
I had two cats much the same, and they became happy housekitties, though one remained skittish throughout her life. Sadly, both have passed on - the more outgoing of the two a few years back, the skittish one last week. But they were wonderful kitties, and I miss them.
posted by NoxAeternum at 10:52 AM on May 24, 2017 [8 favorites]
If anyone needs two hours of grandpa Mason and his five kittens, here's a link.
Mason: "Hey, could we maybe get a smaller bed under here? And a few more kittens? It's only advanced kidney disease. Nothing to complain about. Why would an old man with advanced kidney disease want room to stretch out and breathe his last breaths? Hey, kids, did I tell you about my battle scars? Hang on. I forgot to lick my balls. Mlem mlem mlem. Mlem mlem. Phlbt. Mlem mlem. So. Phlbt. So, there I was, alone in the alley behind Murphy's Tavern..."
posted by pracowity at 11:20 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
Mason: "Hey, could we maybe get a smaller bed under here? And a few more kittens? It's only advanced kidney disease. Nothing to complain about. Why would an old man with advanced kidney disease want room to stretch out and breathe his last breaths? Hey, kids, did I tell you about my battle scars? Hang on. I forgot to lick my balls. Mlem mlem mlem. Mlem mlem. Phlbt. Mlem mlem. So. Phlbt. So, there I was, alone in the alley behind Murphy's Tavern..."
posted by pracowity at 11:20 AM on May 24, 2017 [10 favorites]
So so adorable.
posted by rmd1023 at 12:44 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by rmd1023 at 12:44 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
That was nice. Especially that the old dude has a home.
We're nursing along an old cat. Nuff said.
posted by Artful Codger at 1:27 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
We're nursing along an old cat. Nuff said.
posted by Artful Codger at 1:27 PM on May 24, 2017 [1 favorite]
I adopted two homeless/feral cats years ago. They were wonderful pets and took to home life amazingly well. I hate that term as it scares people from adopting them.
There's feral cats and feral cats. I think the term gets applied far too loosely - there's a lot of kittens who got born on the street and brought inside before it really, really stuck. There are a fair number of strays who got dumped but come back around when they're safe and warm. And then their are the cats who never lived inside, the cats who came inside when mistrust of humans was as second nature as breathing. I have a cat like that, and I did tame him him. But it was a process of years, and repetition over repetition - for a cat who is not otherwise skittish and who desperately wants to love and be loved.
posted by wotsac at 4:30 PM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
There's feral cats and feral cats. I think the term gets applied far too loosely - there's a lot of kittens who got born on the street and brought inside before it really, really stuck. There are a fair number of strays who got dumped but come back around when they're safe and warm. And then their are the cats who never lived inside, the cats who came inside when mistrust of humans was as second nature as breathing. I have a cat like that, and I did tame him him. But it was a process of years, and repetition over repetition - for a cat who is not otherwise skittish and who desperately wants to love and be loved.
posted by wotsac at 4:30 PM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
Dawww!
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:11 PM on May 24, 2017
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:11 PM on May 24, 2017
Mason had found his new apprentices, and together they would eat all the humans. But first some hugs and a group nap.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 7:17 PM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 7:17 PM on May 24, 2017 [5 favorites]
My mother grew up on a farm, and so the local cat was an old mouser who lived in the barn. Animals like him wouldn't be described as "feral" exactly, but they're not the same as your cuddly housecat.
At one point my mother found some abandoned kittens and nursed them back to health. She specifically remembers this old tomcat taking them out into the grass and teaching them how to catch fieldmice.
A lot is made of the fact that bats adopt orphaned pups, but I suspect we see some of this behaviour in a lot of animals if we look hard enough.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 12:39 AM on May 25, 2017 [8 favorites]
At one point my mother found some abandoned kittens and nursed them back to health. She specifically remembers this old tomcat taking them out into the grass and teaching them how to catch fieldmice.
A lot is made of the fact that bats adopt orphaned pups, but I suspect we see some of this behaviour in a lot of animals if we look hard enough.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 12:39 AM on May 25, 2017 [8 favorites]
So adorable! I really needed to see goodness & connection in the world.
posted by honey badger at 5:08 AM on May 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by honey badger at 5:08 AM on May 25, 2017 [2 favorites]
A lot is made of the fact that bats adopt orphaned pups, but I suspect we see some of this behaviour in a lot of animals if we look hard enough.
(Did you actually mean to say 'cats', but you can't say the letter C because of a trauma you suffered as a sbool boy?)
Wierdest thing I ever saw in that line was a waterfowl family consisting of a pair of mallard ducks (M,F) and their four GOSLINGS. I saw them swim past our boat while we were in our home marina. I swear to you, the ducks were in charge of, and parenting those geese. I can't imagine how that came about, but the goslings seemed imprinted on the ducks, and the ducks were being very parental with the geese.
posted by Artful Codger at 12:08 PM on May 25, 2017 [5 favorites]
(Did you actually mean to say 'cats', but you can't say the letter C because of a trauma you suffered as a sbool boy?)
Wierdest thing I ever saw in that line was a waterfowl family consisting of a pair of mallard ducks (M,F) and their four GOSLINGS. I saw them swim past our boat while we were in our home marina. I swear to you, the ducks were in charge of, and parenting those geese. I can't imagine how that came about, but the goslings seemed imprinted on the ducks, and the ducks were being very parental with the geese.
posted by Artful Codger at 12:08 PM on May 25, 2017 [5 favorites]
I swear to you, the ducks were in charge of, and parenting those geese. I can't imagine how that came about, but the goslings seemed imprinted on the ducks, and the ducks were being very parental with the geese.
Duh...the story of the four ugly ducklings?
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:03 PM on May 25, 2017
Duh...the story of the four ugly ducklings?
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 1:03 PM on May 25, 2017
Mason is probably remembering long-ago vanished days with his mother and littermates.
Those kittens will, themselves, remember this years from now.
posted by JHarris at 2:18 PM on May 25, 2017 [4 favorites]
Those kittens will, themselves, remember this years from now.
posted by JHarris at 2:18 PM on May 25, 2017 [4 favorites]
World-weary assassin called out of retirement for one last job.
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
I hear that this is the pitch for the next Harrison Ford movie.
Luc Besson, actually...
posted by kjs3 at 3:48 PM on May 25, 2017
I'd love to read this story as a book or a comic or whatever.
I hear that this is the pitch for the next Harrison Ford movie.
Luc Besson, actually...
posted by kjs3 at 3:48 PM on May 25, 2017
His EARS he has those feral cat ears and the orange kitten snorgles them and ahhhhhhh! My allergies actually are acting up, but also I'm a soggy mess because this is so sweet.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:20 PM on May 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:20 PM on May 25, 2017 [3 favorites]
He's really a sweet old guy. A surprise visit from the kittens brings out Mason's maternal side.
posted by Stewriffic at 6:25 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Stewriffic at 6:25 AM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
I felt a little sad watching the kittens search desperately for nipples -- even in his ear. Otherwise it made me cry in a good way. I've watched it about 10 times so far.
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:29 AM on May 26, 2017
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:29 AM on May 26, 2017
DMelanogaster, they have nipple access when they're with Mom in another part of the house. And she's weaning them. So it's OK!
posted by Stewriffic at 11:39 AM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Stewriffic at 11:39 AM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
The kittens are good, and Mason is good, and the people are good. I like all of it.
posted by Caxton1476 at 1:44 PM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Caxton1476 at 1:44 PM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also I like how the video just puts a camera on them and lets us watch.
posted by Caxton1476 at 1:46 PM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Caxton1476 at 1:46 PM on May 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is quite literally the best thing I have ever seen on the internet. Ever.
posted by eggkeeper at 2:20 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by eggkeeper at 2:20 PM on May 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Mason is probably remembering long-ago vanished days with his mother and littermates.
Yeah, I was thinking that. Life had made him cranky and snappish, but the kittens kneading (and needing) him and purring lowered his defenses and sent him back to before life got hard.
posted by pracowity at 6:17 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I was thinking that. Life had made him cranky and snappish, but the kittens kneading (and needing) him and purring lowered his defenses and sent him back to before life got hard.
posted by pracowity at 6:17 AM on May 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Here is Grandpa Mason getting groomed and petted, as much as he'll allow. Sweet old grump.
posted by nicebookrack at 10:37 AM on May 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by nicebookrack at 10:37 AM on May 31, 2017 [5 favorites]
"HOW DARE YOU I AM A MIGHTY WARRIOR oh yeah that's the spot."
For additional fun, check the out the new batch of kittens getting a bath under recommended videos!
posted by orrnyereg at 7:01 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
For additional fun, check the out the new batch of kittens getting a bath under recommended videos!
posted by orrnyereg at 7:01 AM on June 1, 2017 [1 favorite]
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