Naptime for Jack on Ari's Chair

A brief synopsis:

Kitty shows up at winery. Staff befriends kitty. We look for kitty’s owner. No one comes forward. We assume kitty is female. We call kitty Jackie O. We don’t want kitty to have kittens. We send kitty to vet for spaying. Vet tells us kitty is a neutered male. We change kitty’s name to Jack. Vet tells us kitty has a microchip. Vet keeps kitty and tries to contact kitty’s owners. Kitty’s owners don’t respond.

Jack comes back to Lange. We love Jack.

Here she is!

Meet Minnie, the new, sweet, fluffy addition to the Lange Sheltie Pack. Minnie joins Lucy, Polly, and Nell in their quest to outnumber the human population at Lange Estate Winery. When their relative, Mia (owned by Wendy Lange’s sister), visits, the hominids best stay alert.

Breaking Jackie O news … Apparently, the staff at Lange Estate should stick to what we know best: wine. Jackie O went to the vet yesterday for spaying, but the vet was kind enough to inform us Jackie is really Jack. Whoops. Jack also has a microchip and is being held at the veterinarian during the process of contacting his owners. We’ll see how it plays out, but either way — if Jack goes back to a loving home or finds a new one here — we’ll be happy for him.

"I help you type?"

Named by assistant winemaker, Neal Larson, Jackie O appeared to us around the holidays. Pretty, pert, healthy, friendly, and vocal, we assume she came from somewhere she knew humans. But as of today, no one has responded to our “Found Cat” posts, nor have we seen any “Lost Cat” ads for her. She’s happily made her home here, and at any given time of day, you might find her in the tasting room, barn, vineyard, RTV cab, or the blanket-lined box Neal made for her outside the cellar door. Occasionally, she likes to help me type, but she’s actually much better at mousing. Several of us have caught her in action, keeping those destructive rodent numbers at a more suitable level.

Kitty Yoga

We’re leaning toward dropping the “O” part of her name. When we first met her, we were struck by her confidence and elegance. But after seeing her in some less-than-dignified bathing poses, and happening upon her while eating a mouse in the parking lot, we’re beginning to think just “Jackie” might be more appropriate.

"Does this magnum make me look skinny?"

We have all fallen in love with her (most of us, anyway), and we hope Jackie likes us enough to stick around and become a permanent fixture. If you visit the tasting room, you might even have the chance to meet her.

Stay tuned for news about another furry addition to the Lange family. We’re waiting for her to hold still long enough for a picture.