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Final Chapter
Apr. 29th, 2007 05:05 pmThe nest is empty; mamma cat and Tab are gone. I left some food out just in case, but it appears that this little story is ended.
This morning, I made a quick check on the kittens. When I peeked in, it looked as though Shadow was dead, but I didn't have time to make sure. When I returned from work just now, I made another check, this time with a flashlight, and confirmed it. Part of Shadow's hindquarters seemed to have been bitten off; I'm fairly sure that was not true this morning, but I have no explanation. Tab seems to still be okay.
Let me begin by making one thing clear. These are not, in any sense of the word, my cats. They are, at most, lodgers for an indefinite period. I expect the kittens to follow their mother into straydom; but if they, or she, need a haven, they have one. No more than that.
Since it's likely that I'll be talking about them from time to time, though, it'll save time and words if I assign them names. This is purely for convenience, of course. Mamma cat will get no name; she is simply mamma cat. I will refer to the kittens as Shadow and Tab.
Anyway. I put out food and water for mamma cat this morning, but there is no sign that she has partaken. The two kittens are tucked safely into the deepest part of the nest.
I'm a bit torn about how to proceed, though. On the one hand, I do want to make sure that they're alive and well; on the other, every time I go out to check them, mamma cat takes fright and runs out. I think I'm going to restrict myself to one, or perhaps two, checks daily - once in the morning, and, perhaps, again in the evening.
I'm a bit concerned about one thing. Both dogs are aware that something's going on; on several occasions, Murphy has wandered over to the inner doggie door, stuck his head out, and looked around. I'm not worried about him, though; he doesn't go out into the garage any more. Ben is a different story. Years ago, I erected a barrier of sorts to keep the dogs out of most of the garage; they can pass between the two doggie doors, but that's it. It's a flimsy barrier, though, as much psychological as physical. I've added more blocks to the more obvious points of attack, but I don't want to cut off my own access, or mamma cat's escape route.
This is going to be a nervous time for me, I can see.
Since it's likely that I'll be talking about them from time to time, though, it'll save time and words if I assign them names. This is purely for convenience, of course. Mamma cat will get no name; she is simply mamma cat. I will refer to the kittens as Shadow and Tab.
Anyway. I put out food and water for mamma cat this morning, but there is no sign that she has partaken. The two kittens are tucked safely into the deepest part of the nest.
I'm a bit torn about how to proceed, though. On the one hand, I do want to make sure that they're alive and well; on the other, every time I go out to check them, mamma cat takes fright and runs out. I think I'm going to restrict myself to one, or perhaps two, checks daily - once in the morning, and, perhaps, again in the evening.
I'm a bit concerned about one thing. Both dogs are aware that something's going on; on several occasions, Murphy has wandered over to the inner doggie door, stuck his head out, and looked around. I'm not worried about him, though; he doesn't go out into the garage any more. Ben is a different story. Years ago, I erected a barrier of sorts to keep the dogs out of most of the garage; they can pass between the two doggie doors, but that's it. It's a flimsy barrier, though, as much psychological as physical. I've added more blocks to the more obvious points of attack, but I don't want to cut off my own access, or mamma cat's escape route.
This is going to be a nervous time for me, I can see.
She Came Back
Apr. 23rd, 2007 07:37 pmWhen I got home this evening, I went out to check on the kittens. One of them is coal-black, and looked pretty weak this morning; I found it some distance from the nest. I touched it, trying to see if it was still alive, and it twitched and started mewing. Just then mamma cat went streaking past me and out the doggie door. I checked on the other one, the tabby, and it seemed in reasonable fettle.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
There are kittens in my garage. Unweaned kittens. Blind kittens. At least two of them.
They're crying.
Thinking back, I believe I surprised mamma cat in the garage a time or two, but didn't realize what she was doing there. Now I know.
They're crying.
I'm considering trying to feed them, but what they really need is mamma - and each time I go out there, I probably delay her return.
I don't know what to do. I don't know how much time I have to make up my mind, either.
Later: I called the Humane Society and got no answer. My vet told me that it's very unusual for the mother cat to leave its kittens like this. The kittens would need to be bottle-fed about every two hours, and there's no way I can do that. I have to leave for work soon.
If the mother doesn't come back, the kittens are going to die. There's nothing I can do.
Dammit.
They're crying.
Thinking back, I believe I surprised mamma cat in the garage a time or two, but didn't realize what she was doing there. Now I know.
They're crying.
I'm considering trying to feed them, but what they really need is mamma - and each time I go out there, I probably delay her return.
I don't know what to do. I don't know how much time I have to make up my mind, either.
Later: I called the Humane Society and got no answer. My vet told me that it's very unusual for the mother cat to leave its kittens like this. The kittens would need to be bottle-fed about every two hours, and there's no way I can do that. I have to leave for work soon.
If the mother doesn't come back, the kittens are going to die. There's nothing I can do.
Dammit.
