Friday, June 14, 2013

Cutest Kitten of Rooglewood Contest: Giveaway!

I decided that we needed some fluffiness here on the Goldstone Wood page. So, in response to that need, I am hosting the Cutest Kitten Contest!

For this contest, you, my readers, will vote on your choice of the Cutest Rooglewood Kitten, all from the list below. Some of them are rescue kittens who have since gone on to new homes. Some of them are my own kittens. But they are all dear to my heart!

Only YOU can decide who is the cutest!

Just state your vote in the comments. I'll select a name at random from among those who voted and, on Monday, will announce the winners: both the Cutest Kitten and the giveaway winner!

If your name is chosen, you may pick any one of the first five Tales of Goldstone Wood as your prize.

And now, without further ado . . . The KITTENS!

Minerva (aka: The Evil One)




 
Note especially the grand floofiness (she was my first fluffy kitten!), the aqua-blue eyes, and the look of lurking wickedness behind that sweet kitten expression. Baby Minerva could steal your heart (and your soul!) with a glance.
 

Marmaduke:

 


 
A purebred Abyssinian of Egyptian lineage, Marmaduke is easily the most beautiful kitten I have ever seen! But . . . is he the cutest???


Mya:




 
She was my first rescue kitten from Rooglewood, a little older than all the others. She was still mostly wild when the above pictures were taken, but starting to warm to me! She loved to come play and hang out in the back yard, as long as I didn't try to pet her. She has since become a GORGEOUS lap-kitty, beloved by some of our dear friends. You can see that she's tremendously cute!
 

Monster:

 


 

He was called Mr. Fluffy Boots at first . . .then we decided we HAD to keep this one, so he was renamed Monster Boots. And I might have just died of his cuteness! He still looks a lot like this . . . just a 16lb version . . . .

Max:




 
Monster's brother Max was the sweetest-natured little baby you ever hoped to meet! He loved anyone and everyone, and was very protective of his much more frightened brother, Mycroft. He now lives with Mya and her family, and has grown into the most amazingly beautiful cat, with an incredible, swirly-patterned coat.
 

Mycroft:



 
It took me a little longer to convince Mycroft (Monster and Max's brother) that I wasn't planning on eating him. But once he figured it out, all he wanted was to be in my lap, all day! He is now the fur-baby of my former fencing coach and his wife. Who can resist that handsome, stripy face?
 

Mo:



 

I'll never forget when this little beauty walked out of my bamboo forest for the first time. I gasped out loud, he was so pretty! And he had a sweet, easy-going nature to match. Mo (renamed "Stig") now belongs to our good friend Kelly, and has grown into a fantastically beautiful cat, with spots and stripes and big blue eyes!
 

Muppet:

 
 


 
Mo's shy little sister, Muppet, spent about two weeks after I rescued her trying to scratch my eyes out, insisting she was a tiny tiger of the wild! But then she realized that laps were a good thing and became the snuggle bug you see pictured above. Renamed "Cairo," she has a family of her own who adores her now. Where does she rank on the kitten-cuteness scale?

Magrat's Litter:

Okay, it's hard for me to separate these babies, since we had them all in one fell swoop! So here they are en masse first . . .



 
 
 
 
 
And here are the individuals:

Muffin:

(Renamed "Ariel" at her new home.)
 
 

Mazipan:


(Renamed "Figaro Friendly" at his new home.)
 

Mongol:

(Renamed "Pickles" at his new home)



Mortimer:

(Renamed "Dill." Lives with Pickles.)
 
They were quite the collection of cuties! But, are any of them The Cutest Kitten?

Dusty and Rusty:

 
 
 
These two sweet boys were brought to Rooglewood because they didn't have a mom . . .

 
They were wild and scared, and needed some extra love before finding forever homes.

Magrat had no problem with that!
 
Are either of these boys the Cutest Kitten?
 

Mousse:

 


This chocolate-brown ball of fluff was an absolute love, and was snapped up for adoption within just a week or two after I caught and tamed him. Look at those darling, copper eyes!
 

Midnight:

 
 
This inky-black girl took a little longer to tame than her brother, Mousse. But finally, at just over a year old, she went to her new home and now lives with Stig! Isn't she a lovely kitty?
 

Minko:

 
 
Cute isn't always the same as pretty. This little boy was the runt of his litter, and sported with pride a set of slightly deformed front paws and a funny little goblin face. But he was also the sweetest kitten I have ever rescued (and has since been adopted by my best friend and renamed "Jeeves!") What do you think? Can a goblin-kitty win the Cutest Kitten Contest???
 

Mithril:



 
This little bity darling was one of the youngest kittens I've rescued, and he was so scared. It took the magic of Magrat's mama-love to bring him out of his shell. Then he relaxed and became a beautiful lap baby. He has since gone to a loving home and was renamed "Moonstone." Is he the cutest?
 

Mackintosh:



 
 
Look at those cheeks!!! I love those cheeks. I love this boy! I was this close to keeping him myself, because he was just the most darling little thing, with his round face, his white mittens, and his little creaky mew (which Rohan said sounded like a pterodactyl). But he went home with my best friend to live with Minko and was renamed "Bertie." (Jeeves and Bertie . . . any P.G. Wodehouse fans out there?) Is he the cutest????
 

Mumford:


 

 This precious baby's fur was not just long, but curly! I'd never had a curly-haired kitten before. He was quickly spoiled rotten, and liked to boss his foster mom around, demanding constant lovings. Now that he's gone to his new home, I'm sure he bosses them just as much. And who would resist that cute little face?
 

And that's all, folks!

 
That's all the cuteness I have for you today. So who gets your vote for the cutest kitten of Rooglewood? Be certain to tell me in the comments below, and I'll enter your name in the giveaway! Winners (kitty and human) to be announced on Monday!
 
 




75 comments:

karina said...

So much cuteness in one place!!!

bonton said...

Marmaduke is my favorite!

bonnieroof60@yahoo.com

J Smith said...

I vote for Mumford! Too bad I'm so allergic to cats.

Molly said...

Oh Muffin just KILLS me. I vote for him. :p
Marmaduke was pretty close...you have so many cute cats!!

Elf said...

Muffin/Ariel.
Actually, they are all extremely adorable, but since I have to pick one...it's Muffin. :)

Can't wait until Dragonwitch comes out :D

Molly said...

Oh yes, and I did catch the Jeeves and Bertie! I haven't read any of his books (yet), but P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster is one of my favorite series. :)

She Will Move Mountains said...

Mithril has my vote! Love his blue-grey coat and his snuggableness! ;)

R3musak3 said...

They are all so cute! But because i have to vote only one, i'd say Mumford! ^_^

Lady Enide said...

Oh gosh, this is so hard... but I'll have to go with Muppet, Marrmaduke and Monster being second and third. :)

Anonymous said...

As difficult as it is to pick just one...I choose Mithril. So. Adorable.

Unknown said...

Wow, that's a lot of cats! (This coming from someone who loves cats...)

No calico cats?

Hmm. Muppet, then, by a thin margin.

Sarah Pennington said...

Oh. My. Pumpernickel. CUTENESS OVERLOAD!

Now to decide . . . it's incredibly hard to pick, but I guess I'd have to say Monster, though Marmaduke is a very, very close second.

Bluerose said...

I have a huge weakness for orange cats, so I'm voting for Monster. Mumford is a close second, though!!

Dusty and Rusty just look so out of place with all those "M" names! ;)

(not an entry, since I already have your books...just wanted to cast a vote)

Anne Elisabeth Stengl said...

I know, Dusty and Rusty don't quite fit . . . They came to me from a rescue group, however, and already had the names. All the others are my own rescues, so I try to keep up the "M" tradition! :)

Meredith said...

Oh, how very, very precious! I want to pet them all. Do the cats always find you, or are some of them referred to you by others? Does Mr. Rohan do veterinary work? This is so sweet.

My vote is for Minko/Jeeves. (Molly, I love Jeeves and Wooster, too).

I think it only fair to show off your dog at some point, because I'm sure he is adorable, too. Thanks for presenting your impressive litter of cats. I hope that everyone has a terrific weekend.

Meredith said...

Sorry. Just wanted to ensure that a print reader gets the novel. Mrs. Laurie is even now working on getting Dragonwitch ready! Yay! Might not be ready right on July 1, but it should be close. So looking forward to it. Thanks so much and God bless.

Grace said...

There are so many cuties! If I must chose only one, though, I think it will be Muffin/Ariel. That expression=awww!

Grace

Alyssa Fryberger said...

They are all so cute. I was tempted to vote for monster because I always seem to love orange/yellow cats but then I saw Mycroft's adorable little face and that has to be my favorite. He has the same playful expression that my darling departed Smudge Eanrin had even though Mycrotg isn't orange. I also love Mithril.

Renee S said...

That was hard to choose one, but I have to give my vote to muffin.

Rebekah said...

The- the- the fluffiness!!!!
It's too much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My brain has overloaded!!!!

Seriously, though, how many cats do you have????
I though my sister was nuts because she had 8 cats in a small town house, but this... not saying you're crazy, because I'm plotting to catnap Monster, now.

It's a close call... but I'd have to say Monster wins, for me - I'm partial to orange poof balls. That's what my cat was. But Marmaduke almost won me over! They. Are. All. So. Cute.

Unknown said...

MINKO!

Minko reminds me of my dear little kitty, (deep breath) 'Guenhwyvar Crumpet Beantoes Floorduck' who we rescued about four months ago. We call her 'kitty' most days. haha!
When you said Minko had deformed front legs, was the runt, and the sweetest kitty, it sounded JUST like Crumpet! She's got short little front legs, so she looks like a little panther prowling everywhere (hince the name Guenhwyvar- from Drizzit books). She was also the runt and still only weighs in at 6 lbs being full grown (we think)— that's where the 'Crumpet' part comes in. And 'Beantoes Floorduck' well, is what my boyfriend calls her when she sits on the floor with all legs tucked in—she looks like a duck swimming over the surface of the carpet. haha!

ANYways! If Minko is anything like lil' Crumpet here, then he definitely gets my vote!

Go MINKO GO!

Unknown said...

Ok, much as I love Monster (especially his 16lb form - which reminds me of my old cat, Friendly, who was also 16lbs) I think Marmaduke wins the cutest contest. He's got such big ears! And the most expressive face! Loves him! (But really, they are all adorable. I'm just a big sucker for cats in general.)

Maiden G. said...

Mumford looks just like my sisters cat!
But how can you place Minerva in with the rest? I'd be too scared she would take it as an insult: evil cannot be cute. Well... maybe for her....
I vote Mumford!

Unknown said...

I would have to say Marmaduke, only because I've always wanted a kitten like him! He looks like something straight from the wild, and I love it! Though Monster came in a close second, resembling my sisters BIG fluffy orange cat. I LOVE cats and am more then happy to vote on all these adorable creatures!! :)

Clara said...

Marmaduke!!!! Absolutely!!! That sweet little face...I want to snuggle him! And Jeeves and Bertie...LOL!

Erin said...

Dusty and Rusty definitely have my vote. SO ADORABLE!

Erin

Sarah Field said...

They are all cute, but I'm voting Monster (long-haired marmalade stripe). Maybe because I have good memories of that kind of cat in the past.

Emily K said...

Definitely Muffin! Cute cute!

Chelsea said...

All of them are so cute!

I'd have to say my favorite is Mousse! :)

Abigail Hartman said...

Hooooly cow. How can I choose? They are all so fluffsome and adorable! (And I love the fact that crooked-nosed Minko was renamed Jeeves. It's really quite appropriate.)

Magrat nose-kissing Mithril is so cute. The photos of Dusty and Muffin make them look forlorn, which, of course, gets automatic cuteness-points. Monster is appropriately fluff-booted, sleepy, and totally out-of-it, and I adore Mycroft because of his name and because of his little inquisitive tabby face.

However, I must say that I cast my vote for Marmaduke. I saw that first photo and I think my heart quietly exploded. He just wuvs you so much!

Anonymous said...

Wow!! Tough choice because the cuteness was overflowing off the screen!! At first I thought that it was a toss-up between Minerva and Monster, BUT then I saw Mumford... my favorite is Mumford! :)

Beka said...

Monster gets my vote. I may be slightly biased, as I have an orange kitty at home (though he's not nearly so fluffy--but his best friend, my sister's cat, definitely is!). Orange cats with big eyes just get me every time. <3

Betsy said...

It's soooo hard to pick! But I think I have to go with Mo. Look at those eyes!
I need a cat in my life so badly.

Hannah said...

Ooooo, they all are so adorable!!! This is a wonderful idea, Anne! Can cuteness get any better then this?

The decision is very hard.

Monster

Marmaduke

Minerva

Mumford

They're just so cute, it's impossible to narrow it down to one!

Anna said...

So hard! Probably Mo, though.

J. L. Mbewe said...

This IS hard. ha! I scroll through the pictures, and say, this one, or that one, and by the time I get to the end, I've too many to name. ha!

First I have to say, Mithril reminds me of my very first cat, whom I named Sheena. And yes, it was after the movie Sheena. ha!

I just love the color combo on Mazipan & Mortimer & Mo.

But I think Muffin would have to be named cutest, but Marmaduke comes in at a close second.

I better leave it at that, or I will be changing my mind. ha!

Miss Megan said...

Oh my! So many are cute, but truly there is only one CUTEST...

Honestly I have a hard time between Muffin, Mumford and Mithril. However, if it would come down to it, Mithril has my vote. His name is what does it for me! Ah! Too cute!

Berea said...

Oh, I'd definitely have to say Monster. He's adorable!

On another note, you have an admirable number of cats!

Rhoswen Faerie Wrose said...

Too much cuteness! How can I choose?! They're all so adorable- I wish I could have them all, myself!
I love Marmaduke, Monster, and Minko, but, I think it's Muffin who has stolen my heart the most. :-)

Megan Wilson said...

Oh my goodness! They are all so adorable! However, Marmaduke stole my heart! <3

Amy C said...

Mumford has my vote.
campbellamyd at gmail dot com

Debora Wilder said...

Along with everyone else it was sooooo hard to pick one. I did finally narrow it down to two of them. They each have a specific reason though. I love cats and was heartbroken when a developed allergies to them a few years ago.

Minerva - Since I can't cuddle cats anymore because of the allergies I cuddle teddy bears now. Minerva caught my attention by her choice of a cuddle companion.

Mumford - I love the curly fur. I've never seen a cat with curls before and I think it's adorable.

Thanks for sharing all your beautiful kitty with us.

Faith King said...

Minerva must have thought up this contest because it is truly, truly evil. It was a close tie between Mumford, Mithril, and Marmaduke* but at long last I vote for Mumford!


(*I have always wanted an Abyssinian!!) :-)

Anonymous said...

Marmaduke and then Max are the two cutest kittens. There are other kittens that are just beautiful, like Mithril.

Caitlyn

Anonymous said...

Ok, this isn't fair! They are all very cute! If I can only go with one,though, I guess I'll pick Minerva. She reminds me a little of a cat I used to have (sadly she died, we believe, when she ate contaminated kitty food).
Thanks, Laynah lmedders@annistonal.gov

Kathleen said...

Muffin to me is the cutest but OMG the cuteness on tht page! :)

Unknown said...

*brain dies of cuteness overload* STOP, MAKE IT STOOOOP! The overwhelming desire to become a foster home for kittens and die a crazy cat lady is clutching my heart! And you ask me to pick just one?!

Morgan L. Busse said...

I can't decide! They are all cute!!!

Morgan L. Busse said...

I can't decide! They're all cute!!!

Morgan L. Busse said...

Oops, did that twice ;)

Jill Stengl said...

Your brother Pete says Minerva (with Monster and Mackintosh close behind), and I'm always a puddle of mush for Marmaduke. :-)

Emma said...

Awww, it is so hard to choose, they are all so adorable! My vote will have to go for Max! I love his swirly coat and sweet face! Muppet and Mumford were close seconds!

And I love that your friend named her cats Jeeves and Bertie! I give your friend a hearty "what ho!" :)

Therru Ghibli said...

Oh. Goodness. So much cuteness! I'm gunna die! I thought I'd never pick one and then I saw Muffin. Too cute!

Geo Librarian said...

So much cuteness. My goodness. I think I will go with my first impression though, MARMADUKE!

Kyra-Luthien said...

Oh oh oh!!! Such cuteness! Such fluffiness!!!!

I am in danger of becoming a "crazy cat teenager"!

Muffin and Marmaduke instantly stole my heart! Muffin looks so tiny, and forlorn. Just adorable! And Marmaduke has such beautiful eyes!

I also love baby Minerva and Monster.

My final decision would have to be:

Muffin = Marmaduke! I can't choose between them!!

You have to do this competition again! Such cuteness!!!

Thanks so much!
xxx

Joni said...

I think I would have to chose... um... the "evil one" Minerva. Those eyes- those eyes! So pretty.

But of course all of them look snuggly cuddly. ^.^

Thanks for the giveaway! I would love a copy of the first book in the series...

Fairbird said...

Ack! Cuteness overload!!! How can I choose?!?! I wanna hug em all!!!

Cortney said...

I vote for Muffin. So adorable!

Maria Gianna said...

We can only pick ONE? This may be a truly impossible task. Alright, here I go.
Mumford or Monster?
As much as I love the orange/white combination, Mumford's curls and cute face win me over.
Mumford it is!

Liz R said...

So much cuteness!!! I have to pick Minerva, she just looks so mischievous =)

ecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com

Gena said...

Minerva! No. Marmaduke. Monster? Oh, Mousse is so sweet! But Muffin! Wow. What a cutie. Ok. Let me go through again....

Gena said...

Ok. Marmaduke. That's my final answer.

Shadowwolf said...

I would have to pick Monster. However, Mumford is a very close second. :)

These are the CUTEST kittens I have ever seen!! Thanks for sharing.

amccalli(at)gmail(dot)(com)

Alexandra Witmeyer said...

I would have to say Muffin is the cutest. Those kitty eyes are just adorable :-)

Anonymous said...

Dusty!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, Anne! It's absolutely impossible to choose the cutest kitten of Rooglewood...but they are all definitely the winner of the Cutest Group of Kittens of Rooglewood contest.

Titles could possibly be awarded as such:

Minerva: The Most Cutesy Cute

Maramaduke: The Most Photogenically Cute (okay, that smile stole my heart!)

Monster and Mya: The Most Invitingly Cute

Max: The Most Contented Cute

Mycroft: The Most Handsome Cute

Mo: The Most I'm So Cute Cute

Muppet: The Most Cuddly Cute

Magrat and Co.: The Most Proud Cute

Muffin: The Most Heartbreaking Cute

Mazipan: The Most Skeptical Cute

Mongol: The Most Mysterious Cute

Mortimer and Rusty: The Most Pleadingly Cute

Dusty: The Most What's That Over There Cute

Mousse: The Most Owlish Cute

Midnight: The Most Elegant Cute

Minko: The Most Who Says Midnight is the Most Elegant Cute

Mithril: The Most I Love You Cute

Mackintosh: The Most Do You Love Me Cute

Mumford: The Most I'm So Sweet Cute








Anonymous said...

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Becky said...

Wow, am I ever having trouble typing. Sorry about that. I thought I copied and posted my message, but instead you all got the recipe I shared earlier with my friend. But I did the last two messages.

Still smiling,
Becky W.

Erynn said...

I have to vote for Marmaduke. I'm in love with that face.

We have a Misiu that looks a little like sweet Mo.

This is a whole lot of cuteness.

ENewman(at)outlook(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Muffin!!!!!!!!!! She is SO adorable! I wants her!!!!
~Marisa

Rae said...

I say the cutest cat is... Mumford!
Long live cuddly, curly balls of ploofiness!

Maria said...

I vote for Monster! He is so cute!!

Anonymous said...

Too... much... cuteness!
Ack, how is one supposed to narrow down the choices!?!

Ok, my favorites were Muffin and Marmaduke. I'm going to choose...

Marmaduke.

Unknown said...

Though all are cute, I say Minerva wins! :)

jy.foreman (@) hotmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Love all of these kitties. Muppet and Mo get my vote. Muppet looks just like my little kitty. She also was very wild when she first started coming around, now she demands my attention and sits between me and my keyboard. She gently bites my fingers when I do too much writing and not enough petting. :)