armfuls

One day the mama cat was round and lumpy, the next, skinny and perky. We searched high and low, in haylofts, chicken coops, the drive shed, and every little corner a farm can contain. For two weeks we searched for her kittens.

Then one day, we found them. She'd moved them into a coop we'd already searched, into a sweet bed of straw in an abandoned nesting box. I reached in, in the dusty darkness, to pull out a kitten. Then two, then three...four, five, six.

Six. This tiny mama cat carried and bore six perfect little kittens.

At five weeks, they are perfect armfuls of soft, mewing sweetness. I am called upon daily to "get the camera"! Because we have kittens every four months or so, my children have learned extreme gentleness, respect for the bond between a mama mammal and her babes, and the joy and privilege of being around wee things. They also learn the pain of saying goodbye, of letting go of critters we've come to love. The house always seems a bit quiet and empty when we've found homes for our Knitty Gritty Kitties.

There are plenty to go around, and they'll be seeking homes in about 3 weeks. If you live locally and think you have room in your home for a loving little bundle (or two!), raised gently in a farm kitchen, please let us know. They have been well-handled, and are learning to use the litter box! Their mother is a great mouser, and an excellent mother. My own mother has two kittens from the last litter, and they are outstandingly beautiful, loving cats!

And if you want baby pictures of your little adoptee, we have plenty to share. Armfuls, actually.