19 April 2008

All my cats are "PC"

Well, I have been "threatening" to do this for a while now. Today, it comes true. Yes, this post is about my cats. And, yes, all of them are "PC". In their case "PC" means they are "pesky critters", and for cats, that is normal. If there IS a normal for cats.

Might as well start at the beginning of the current cat crew who inhabit the house with me.
About a year ago, mam cat, now called Buttercup, appeared in the yard. I had seen her a time or two, when one day she came close to me. It was obvious that she had been someones house cat before as she wasn't really afraid of me. (Not an easy thing to do for cats or humans.) I got her some food, as I had had cats before and just lost the last of my "California cats" at the age of 15 a few weeks before plus the little dog, Beau, only eats cat food since Miss Peach and Little Bits entered his life, I had enough for this "new" cat as well. She ate it quite fast and looked at me to say, "Got any more of that?". Well, of course I fed her more. Then she went off towards the woods to the Northwest of the house. A few hours later, she returned. Aha, more food. This continued for a few days, then one day as I was going in to get her some food, she followed me inside. OK, I thought, this might work. She stayed about 30 minutes and let me pet her, which she really liked. Then off she went. A few hours she was back and we repeated the last visit. Just about dusk, she left again and didn't return until morning. This went on for about a week. One morning as I was going to the mail box, I noticed two small orange blurs on the porch. As I came back with the mail, there they all were, mama and two small kittens. So, she had suckered me! Hit me up for food and some attention to decide if I was OK for her kids! Well, she and her kids moved in. Guess I have a soft spot for cats.
Before I could get her to the vet to have her spayed, she was pregnant again, and had four kittens, all girls.
Well, as soon as she had weaned them, off to the vet we went. Now she had had the last set of four out in the woods again and I didn't know exactly how old they were. I tried to figure as close as possible, but, two of them ended up pregnant before I knew what was going on. I tend to be rather slow some days, old age getting me I suppose.
Well Foxie had two kittens on 14 March. One of them died within 24 hours though.
A few days later, Gracie, one of the four girls, died. I think and the vet agreed, that she must have had some sort of birth defect. We tried all we could to save her, but, no dice.
On 25 March, Miss Loxie had five kittens! Now I have Beau and 12 cats to keep me company. Or rather to make sure that I don't get much peace and quiet. LOL!
Miss Patches has been to the vet and has been spayed. Her sisters were going as well before I realized they were pregnant. They shall go as soon as they wean the kittens.
The oldest "baby", Foxie's only survivor, is five weeks old yesterday. He/she is really scooting along now. Very playful and extremely curious. A bundle of energy and even likes being near me. Imagine that! The others are closing in on four weeks this coming Tuesday. Time flies when you're having fun.
The most interesting thing about this whole "family" is the way the two girls have interacted with the babies. I had made a nice box for each of them and they were very happy with that arraignment for a week or two. One day, Foxie had moved her kitten to another box, so I placed her cushion and towel in it and she was set. A few days later, I went to look in on Loxie and hes kids. They weren't in their box! They had moved in with Foxie and the "scooter". Now that was OK by me and they all seemed happy, still are in fact. Well, it was their choice. I change the towel every day so it stays nice and fresh form all. But here is the really neat part, as far as I see it. Both mothers nurse all the babies. Loxie will nurse the "scooter", and Foxie nurses Loxies' babies. Right now, Loxie is nursing two of hers and the "scooter" while Foxie is nursing the other three. Sort of like "team mothering". I had never seen cats do this before and I think it is very neat of them to do this. It may not be all that unusual among sisters in the cat world, but I had never witnessed it before.
Critters, they are truly amazing. When you consider that tiger with the little pigs, well, it starts to make you wonder why people can't be more like that. We are supposedly the only animals who think about things, yet we can't seem to get along with those who are the least bit different from us. I think my "PC" cats could teach us all a few good lessons here.
Just my quarters worth on this subject. Next time you go anywhere, say "hello" to somebody who is "different" from you. Smile at people, watch their reactions. It just might start a new trend of civility in America, or any place else where you might live.
semper fi,charlie

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