Kittens and a Thunderstorm

The miracle of birth is going on at this very moment in our garage. There has been a stray kitten on our street for the about the past month. Shortly after she appeared, I noticed that she was getting bigger. She's a very friendly cat and all the neighborhood kids love her. A neighbor called the local animal shelter an no one has claimed her. That same neighbor has been feeding her, but the kitty seems to enjoy hanging out at our house whenever possible.

While we were leaving for an errand tonight, I saw her and told Mark that she looked ready to pop. I broke my rule and put some water, food and a box with some old towels in it on my porch. When we came home, it was clear to me that she was in the midst of labor, though she was still purring at our ankles. I helped her get settled into the box on the porch and then the lightening started to flash in the distance. So, we decided that the kitty could spend the night in our garage. Our garage isn't new to her. She has already spent several random nights in our garage as a sneaky guest, so she was quite comfortable and relaxed once we brought her inside. It's a good thing she's in the garage because it is pouring rain and she is already the proud mother of two baby kittens with more on the way.

The first kitten was born around 10 p.m. and the next arrived at about 10:30. I know the kids will be very excited to take a peek at the babies in the morning. And, I think we have a new summer project on our hands. Growing up on a farm, I cared for many litters of kittens in my childhood. It will be fun for my kids (and Mark!) to watch the kittens grow. I guess, when they are old enough, we will have to move the mommy kitty and her babies to the farm as I know we can't keep them here. Our cats already don't approve of the stray kitty. They've had many fights through the window screens and the patio doors. I am sure they will again make their feelings known when they discover that there is a litter of kittens in our garage!

I took this quick video clip right after the first kitten was born. I think I may have captured its very first meow!