When we moved to our little homestead full time we acquired what every farm needs, cats.  5 of them.  4 males and 1 female.  One male left us suddenly (he was the shyest of the batch), but we still have all of the others.  Our female has had four batches of kittens but no survivors.  Her mothering skills have proven lacking.  The girls have so wanted kittens, but she just wouldn’t stay with them or nurse them.  My husband neutered all of the Toms with a bit of help holding the bag from me.

The day we came home with our own new baby, Patches – our female cat surprised us by bringing a new kitten into the house.  She headed straight for the box we had set up for her last time she had kittens and deposited her there.  She later insisted we move the box into the living room, and that is where it has stayed.  Mysteriously, she has transformed into an excellent mother!  She just loves her baby to pieces.  I nurse my baby in the rocking chair, and she nurses her baby in the box.  It’s just too sweet.  The baby kitten has been in the house for six days now, the longest any of her litters have lasted, so I think this one is a keeper!  Here she is ‘hugging’ her baby.