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Sunday, September 16, 2012

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.

9 comments:

  1. I LOVE spring for this reason- all the pregnant mommas, the searching once they return to their trim selves.
    We have just one momma who has birthed a fall litter a week or so ago- ours rarely have more than one litter per year. Her spring litter were stillborn so without nursing kits she became fertile again.
    All our farm kittens have also gone on to make renowned gentle loving companions. I think they appreciate a warm home more than many cats!

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  2. Oh my, those kitties are so sweet! I'm sure you'll have no problem finding good homes for all 6(!) of them!

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  3. Oh man! If you were local to me, my kids would be all over them! :)

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  4. Knitty Gritty kitties? I love it! So very precious. I would love another house kitty, but my husband tells me anymore critters and he'll leave (jokingly, with an undertone of "take me seriously"). Good luck finding these sweet babies good homes!

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  5. Oh, I love 5 week old kittens! It's the bouncing and the little flag tails.

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  6. Oh yeah, lovin' the Knitty Gritty Kitties. So adorable. Best of luck with re-homing them. Shouldn't take long at all if you keep those photos coming!

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  7. Hopefully, you will still have them around at Thanksgiving so we can play with them, too. Knitty Gritty Kitties- LOVE IT.

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  8. The girls are too cute with their arms loaded with kitties!

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