Brand new cat mama

Hi, I live in Cortez CO which seems to be a well catted town. Many cats in our neighborhood. I have seen only 2 dogs. Yeah for cats!

Boots, an 8 pound black and white cat, turned up at our doorstep about a month ago, barefoot and pregnant, only we didn’t know what s/he was. Finally, after feeding her a lot and her getting fatter and fatter, I brought her inside because someone told us she was pregnant.

I have never had a pet before and I feel a bit deprived since I am 70 years old. I know really nothing about cats except that I love them and always have. So, I’m enjoying my grandmahood with the kitties.

Boots of course has wonderful white feet and 5 inch long white whiskers. Well, at least one whisker is 5 inches long. She has a very interesting face. Although she is quite attractive, I don’t think she had a boy friend before and therefore these are her first kitties.

Anyway, I was awakened at 6am on Mon. May 18 with a screech from this black and white cat we had adopted who just happened to be on our bed. And she had a kitten right then and there. Ran off with it, dangling. I had to catch it. We got everyone into the “box” and she let loose with another screech and another kitty. With this one she knew what was going on and took care of it in fine shape. You might know, my husband was at work. Men are never around at such times.

All was quiet until 2pm when there was another, although quieter screech, and another kitty. By now, it was hot in our little alcove and she was panting and quite unable to do much except suffer in her heat. The 4th and last kitty, which looks just like her, arrived very soon after that and she was just plain unable to move. So, I put the little baby where she could clean it up without moving much and she did that. Those two sets of kitties were 8 hours apart. I don’t know if that is common or not, but I did check the clocks and it was 8 hours apart.

All is well with the four brand new kitties and their mama. They have all been promised to good homes. The mama cat eats and drinks, eats and drinks. She loves fresh water a full bowl of food and then the rest of the time when she is not sleeping she is cleaning the back ends of tiny little furry kitties that roll around looking for more to eat.

All in all, the mama cat is not doing too badly for a stray cat. I’d say she is a clever cat and will survive very well when she becomes an outside cat again. She knows where the food dishes are in the neighborhood and I’m sure she will visit each one after she is spayed and set outside again. Indeed, she shows signs of loving to be one of the free spirits that comes and goes as only she desires. I’d love to have her stay around, but she was a free spirit before we got her and she will probably be one when she is unencumbered by little kittens.

Hope I haven’t bored you too much.

Orinda in Cortez.