It’s Time

Four in the morning. Our little pregnant cat chirped loud purr-meows, climbed up and even pawed at my head, until I got out of bed. This is not her usual behavior. 

Thinking she was especially hungry, I ventured downstairs and tore up some sliced ham, poured a little half-and- half into a bowl. 

But she only licked the ham, sniffed the cream, and still followed me around, expectantly, purr-meowing. 

Oh my, I thought. Is it time? 

On Friday, our vet had seen Kitty for her second dosing of anti-parasitic tablets, and a checkup. We hadn’t known she was pregnant when we adopted her in February, and no one knew when she was due. Her belly’s been expanding by the day, a heavy football belly. The vet had offered an X-ray so we would know how many kittens to expect (easier and cheaper than an ultrasound), and so:

We now know there are two. (Can you see them?) She estimated that delivery would be within the next few days. 

So here we are. Little Kitty led me upstairs to Babyboy’s closet, where the kids and I had set up a nice cardboard box lined with blankets. Kitty hopped right in and started purring loudly, then panting. 

Holy moly! Is this cat labor? 

I figured she’d want privacy. Three times I tiptoed away (with the idea of going back to bed), but each time, Kitty followed me, meowing. She would look up at me, then start back to Babyboy’s room, then stop and look back at me, meowing, meowing. Like a feline Lassie. 

So I let her lead me back, and I threw some pillows down in the closet doorway, where I have made myself comfortable.

She hopped back into the box, purred and panted, then started grunting, rolling around, alternately cleaning herself, howling, and even hissing at points. A lot of drama. 

Our big old Tuxedo cat Leo was intensely curious about all this, and I’m sure some of Kitty’s hissing was directed at him. All the commotion woke Hubby up, and he gently lifted Leo out of the room. 

In the minutes that have passed, we’ve had one live birth. It’s a dark grey little thing, mewling furiously. Mama is purring and licking and cleaning her first baby. It’s still dark out, and I don’t want to use a flash, so I can’t photograph yet. But I’m happy, because I know we’ve got at least one healthy kitten. 

As dawn’s early light filters through the blinds, I’m hunkered down here on the hardwood floor in anticipation of the second kitten. 

Could somebody get me a cup of coffee? 😉

Addendum! We have two healthy kittens, a black one and a grey tabby. Mama is being mama and all is good: