On Saturday March 8, 2014 Honey started having her kittens. Around 9:30 that morning she started in labor... by 10:15am she had her first kitten. I was happy and frantic at the same time. I could not remember how long it too in between each delivery and needed to re-freshen my memory (it has been 22 years since my last set of kittens). I found one site that said "one hour in between kittens" (which I found out was untrue). After two hours I was worried and started looking for other websites/information and found a few sites that said it could take several hours in between each birth. *Whew* that information helped me to feel better about the situation. I began pacing the floor like a worried daddy but more confident that the delivery would go well - lol. 4 hours later the second kitten was born. A couple of hours after that I was very sleepy since I was up all night the night before so I laid down and fell sound asleep. I awoke well before the sunrise on Sunday morning to 4 kittens and a nursing mom.
Sunday I hardly looked at the few hour old kittens - I did not want to mess with them too much but did feed and water Honey while she was nursing. I did notice a runt of the bunch but didn't think much of it - there is usually always a runt in the litter. Earlier today (Monday)I was feeding Honey and noticed the runt laying away from the rest of the kittens... I was concerned and moved it with mom and the other litter-mates. When I moved the kitten I noticed it was limp, weak and not hardly moving but left it to momma cat to care for. I checked on the kittens again a couple of hours later and once again the runt was pushed aside just laying there... I began to get scared that I would loose that baby... and I did. She was not moving - limp and body felt cold. I tried to hold her (to warm her), gently message her (to stimulate the body) and feed with a syringe... but she was gone. Yes I cried for the newborn kitten's death. I didn't want to loose her. I didn't want to believe that she was dead - but she was. Poor thing barely lived a few hours - not even a full day of life. She was not even half the size of the other kittens. I also noticed that her nose was somewhat "sideways" and she did not have an "upper-lip". She will be buried tomorrow by a family member -- I'm to sad to do it myself.
On the up side Honey does have 3 VERY HEALTHY kittens. Honey is a really good momma, her natural instincts are strong. Here are a few photos - they are not very good photos, I do not want to expose them to bright/harsh light at this time, but you can still see the kittens.
Honey and Kittens
Mom (Honey) and kittens are doing very well.
3 cute kittens
Honey cat
I feel sorry for my other cat Nut. What is strange, Nut and Honey has almost always loved on each other, played together, ate together and slept together -- they have never fought each other before until the kittens were born. Yesterday (Sunday), a few hours after I awoke, Honey went to eat with Nut and Nut decided to "bop" Honey on the head.. they started to argue and I had to quickly break them up. Earlier today (Monday) Nut decided to poke her head the box where Honey and the kitten are... that was fine until Nut "bopped" Honey on the head again. I think Nut-nut is jealous of Honey and the kittens. I have been giving Nut-nut just as much attention as Honey but I think I need to give Nut more attention right now. I think she's feeling left out and jealous -- not to mention she's in "heat" right now and it's driving her (Honey and me) crazy!
Nut begging me to let her outside.
Nut-nut is generally a good cat... sometimes she's a "bad old putty-tat" but all-in-all a good, pleasant, fun-loving crazy cat. I am feeling guilty because I yelled at her this morning. What happened? She found a way outside while I was sleeping. I brought her back inside she got back out again. I brought her back inside then she got back out again... grrrr. It was dark, before sunrise and I have one regular lamp and two night lights in this camper which is perfect most all the time but sometimes I need a stronger light to see - and I needed to see where she was getting out!! Right after sun-up I was ready to find the "hole" where she was getting outside. I brought her back in, she clawed me (ouch right in my breast), started a fight with Honey, then ran into the closet. My confession: I "snapped" at this point.... I scolded her very very harshly... I yelled at her. *Guilty all over my forehead*
Long story short: I pulled out everything I could to find the "hole"... I had to go outside to patch it the best I could on short notice. It still needs work but she cannot get out now.
I had to apologize to my cat after that -- she accepted. Nut has a very long and wide "wild streak" in her. She wants to run off quite often. It's like she wants to be in the wild and yet she shows signs she wants to be domesticated at the same time. This tears me apart because I don't know if I should *gulp* let her go or not. I feel like I'm forcing her to stay with me when she doesn't want to be... yet she will sometimes willingly come home/inside. I love her and don't want to let her go (into the 'wild').
My "wild" Nut-nut
Right now I just need to give Nut-nut a bit more attention while Honey is with her kittens. Nut is so used to sleeping with Honey and now she can't. Yes I believe she's feeling left out... that is why she's acting out (clawing me, fighting with Honey, and found her way outside with the doors shut and locked). I'm feeling bad for Nut and very guilty for yelling at her this morning. :(
The way is was:
Nut and Honey sleeping together before the kittens were born.
Well, I just hope once the kittens are weened Nut and Honey will go back to being friends again: the was it was. I'll know in about 6 to 8 weeks... or, maybe, soon after that.
On a final note: these sweet cute kittens may have a home (once they are ready).
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