Fostering Kittens (I): They'll share their birth day with my Ex

Like many other people, I started working from home when the COVID pandemic began.  Unlike many other people, I was still working from the home office in 2022. 

That particular morning, I was preparing for my work day at 8 am, when Momma-Cat came to get me.  I didn't know what was going on with her, but she kept meowing and seemed pretty insistent that I follow her. 

"Momma-Cat, I don't really have time for this!  I have a meeting at 10 am that I need to get ready for."

But she insisted - meeeooww - so I followed her to the basement. 

I'm glad I did - because those kittens were coming. 

Momma hopped into the Rubbermaid box we had agreed upon as her baby crib; and one big long meeeoooww later - here was kitten number 1. 

I hung with Momma for a bit, but then made my 10 am meeting - and the one following at 11 am.  In between meetings I'd keep checking on the cat.  

I recorded a video before I went back upstairs to teach a class in the early afternoon. Excuse the mess - the kittens are brand new.  https://youtu.be/xzy1WNnQXx0

In the end, there were 4 of them:

Tigger, Soda Pop, Bitty and Dude.  This picture was obviously taken when they were a few days older.  

Fostering Kittens (I): Introducing Momma

It was really my granddaughter's fault: After moving into my house, she wanted a cat. 

Rather than adopting, I offered a kitten-foster situation since that represented less than a lifetime commitment. 

Kitten availability was limited, but there was Momma-Cat!  She had been found as a pregannt stray by one of the local rescues and she was looking for a place to have those babies.

This is how Momma-Cat cat came to my house on 3/16/22.  We were told she was about a month away from having the kittens, but she looked like she was about to explode. I had my doubts about that timeline!

It didn't take Momma-Cat long to make herself at home. 

We do have a resident cat and dog.  Both were put on notice by Momma-Cat that she lived here now - and that she intended to rule the place. Then Momma-Cat plopped her pregnant belly right in the middle of the kitchen counter.  

Well, it didn't take a month...