Everything we wish we'd known about raising a kitten well.

1. 01

   Beans was a favor that turned into family.

   A friend asked if we’d look after a tiny kitten for a few weeks — a Siamese-tabby mix he was supposed to be sitting for someone else, before he had to leave town. We said yes the way you say yes to a few weeks of borrowing something small and adorable.

   We fell completely in love with her unique little personality. By the end of the stay we asked if we could keep her. The family agreed, and Beans became ours.

2. 02

   We were told Beans was a boy. We had no reason to doubt it.

   “He” fit the role perfectly — rambunctious, adventurous, bold, strong. 100% boy energy, as boy as you could get. The dark fur back there hid everything, and we figured the rest just hadn’t dropped yet. We’d had cats before, fostered many. We were also running two companies. We never thought to check.

3. 03

   Then we learned about Birmans.

   Every breeder we spoke to said the same thing, in different words: Birmans are a special kind of cat unlike any other. Social, loving, no undercoat, low-allergen. We thought — that’s exactly the match for our little social, playful Beans.

   Turns out reputable breeders have 6–12 month waitlists, and the rest of the internet is mostly scammers. After months of searching, the only real option we found was in New York — the opposite side of the country, as far as you can get from Arizona. We reluctantly decided it was the only way.

4. 04

   The same day we were going to confirm New York, the phone rang.

   A different breeder. A Blue Point boy, ready to adopt. She wanted to meet five minutes from my mom’s house in California — and I was going to be visiting my mom that weekend.

   We drove twelve hours home with him on my chest the entire way. That’s how Pouf arrived.

5. 05

   This time we did the introduction slowly.

   We’d failed at this before. Got impatient. So we promised ourselves: both cats stay safe, both cats stay regulated, no rushing the bond.

   • Week one — scent only. Trading blankets under the door, playing through the crack.
   • Week two — carrying Pouf in a wrap while we worked so he could see Beans from a safe place. Leaving his smell in her favorite spots. Pairing his scent with her favorite treats and play.
   • Then — slowly cracking the door so they could play and see each other at the same time.
   • Finally — full meeting. Beans only hissed a couple of times the entire process.

   Beans was a little rough with Pouf at first — we figured a “boy” teen kitten would be. So we coached “him” to be gentler with the younger one. Over time they bonded hard. Ran the house together. Groomed each other. Slept together. We thought: it worked.

6. 06

   Then one morning Pouf tried to mount Beans.

   We thought, well… that’s a little gay. (We know. We’re telling it the way it happened.)

   And in that exact second, every memory of Beans rearranged itself. The rambunctious-boy energy. The whiny phase. Why we kept holding off on neutering. We picked her up and held her like a girl for the first time — gently, like we’d just met her.

   She stopped meowing. Started settling. Soon it was clear: Beans was pregnant.

7. 07

   We started reading everything.

   High-quality kitten food, as much as she’d take. Then we found Paws of Prey and learned cats are obligate carnivores. We added egg yolks. We added kelp (which fixed both their breath, instantly). We started reading ingredient lists and were a little horrified — canola, sunflower, soy, starch, fillers.

   We transitioned slowly to Viva Raw, the most complete raw diet we found. A few targeted supplements. As much food and play time as she wanted. Pouf supported her the whole way.

8. 08

   The birth was beautiful, and entirely her.

   We’d prepared a quiet, warm room — softness everywhere, covered nooks where she could feel secure. The day came and she was extra cuddly. She wanted to be near me. We walked into her room and almost instantly she went into labor.

   A little panting. Contractions started. The whole thing unfolded smoothly and intuitively. Her instincts knew exactly what to do — she ate each placenta, bathed each baby, let each one start nursing before the next contraction came.

9. 09

   Six healthy kittens. Out of a very small mama.

   Beans is petite. None of us could imagine more than five fitting in there. Six came out — all healthy, all strong. We were stunned that four of them looked like little Birmans.

   The six: two fluffy tabbies (one black-grey boy, one warm-brown girl), and four Birman-looking babies — two ultra-fluffy and two medium-fluffy (still getting fluffier daily), all blue eyes, two boys, two girls. White with Blue Point, Blue Point Lynx, or possibly Lilac Point Lynx. Some have the classic Birman white lace on their back feet. Some have feet that look like they stepped in caramel or dark chocolate. All loving. All playful. All sweet.

That’s the whole thing. The two cats, the six surprise kittens, the year of figuring it out. Everything else on this site is just what we’ve picked up along the way.