Mama Kitty and Minnie Mao

Teeny Tiny Minnie Mao has survived and thrived up to this point on formula.

Lately Mama Kitty has noticed Minnie Mao mewing when we open the back door. She is still uncomfortable, since she has never really been indoors, but we finally managed to get her inside. After nervously darting around for awhile she finally settled down under the dining room table. Minnie Mao quickly went to Mama and found comfort at her mother's teat. As you can see, both are looking very contended at this point. Soon after though, Mama Kitty decided that it was time to bring the little runt back out to the barn with her brothers and sisters. She is still way too tiny to compete with the others for food! As much as I would like to see her back with her mother, we know she would not survive. The mother would likely hide them all again and there is no way that we could get supplemental formula to her.

So sadly, after a little battle of the wills, we managed to get the mama back outside sans baby. Hopefully, she will become a regular visitor and more comfortable with the idea of leaving the baby here.

Teeny Tiny Minnie Mao

Teeny Tiny Minnie Mao

This little bit stole her way into our hearts just yesterday. One of the feral cats "Precious" had decided to stick around earlier in the year along with her sweetheart, Rocky. The two have been practically inseparable, coming around to the back porch to share their dinner bowl each evening. After some months of this we noticed that she was getting awfully wide around the middle!

They faithfully returned every day, hardly missing a beat. We were even able to gain their trust enough to allow an occasional petting. Sometimes Precious would show up first, however; and she would never permit us to touch her until Rocky came. He is the more assertive and I think she just felt safer with him there.

Finally, Mama Kitty (as we sometimes now call her) disappeared for three days. She was gone from the 21st of August and we did not see her again until the 24th. I knew that she must be off having her babies!

Sure enough, Mama Kitty showed up on the 24th minus the bulging belly. Wonder where those babies are? Three days later she led me right to them. They were up in the hay loft. She had found a little "cave" between some bales of hay and there they were.

I eventually found out that there were seven in all... everyone one of them so tiny and sweet. Eyes not open yet, but full of spunk and personality. Mama Kitty was so very protective of them, certainly--not even allowing her beloved Rocky anywhere near.

Over the next few weeks, she moved them around to various places. I guess to keep the predators (and peoples) guessing. Well, we didn't see them for about a week in the end of September and we wondered sadly if they had become some coyote's dinner...

One day DH went to pull the mower out of the barn and "Lo and behold", they were back in the barn again, this time downstairs by the barn door. The kitties were now about four and half weeks old and becoming very brave as they romped and played around all the junk in there...

...all except one. We found this little runt sitting quietly next to a bag of sawdust. Not playing. Not really moving at all. Just sitting there. I picked her up and she was just lethargic...not much more than a furry bag of bones. It was no exageration to say I could almost feel her spine where her belly should be. Husband said, "We've got to bring her in". I nodded in agreement. Poor thing could not compete with her six hardier brothers and sisters at the milk bar!

All we had was cow's milk to give her. I knew this wasn't the best, but I would make a trip to town the next day. Her tiny body just fits in our hands. I had a little dropper and I filled it with warm milk. She couldn't even really take it. I just gave it to her a little drop at a time.

By her second feeding, she was already beginning to perk up. I sure hope the little one makes it...