Kittens

We have a problem. This problem takes the shape of seven very cute little kittens—but there are seven of them!

We came home from Christchurch on the 13th of November, and when I was walking into the house Grizzly called to me. I went to see what she wanted, and she was proud to show off her brand-new kittens. She had them on an old sheet that was laying on top of an old freezer in the carport. Two were with her—and two were blindly crawling on the ground. I quickly got her a box and a towel. Those little kittens are now learning to walk around and play, and my little people are enjoying them so much! They also add drama to the day. A couple of days ago, Grizzly decided they had to move. She brought all of them into the house, to a corner of our bedroom, when we weren’t watching. We put them back out in the box. She brought them in again over and over till we shut the doors. Then, she moved them behind a pile of boards in the carport. The little boys got some practice tracking down a cat, put the kittens back in the box—and then repeated the process! Yesterday, she moved them all to a spot under the lemon tree by the door. I was afraid they would be stepped on, so after dark I put them back in their box. Today, she’s happy for them to be there!

One week old:

Two weeks old:

I let the little ones bring the kittens inside this morning. We tried hard to get a picture of all of them, but they move too fast!

I was trying to get a picture of this tabby tortoiseshell, and the ginger one pounced on her!

This little tortoiseshell seems to be the gentlest of the lot. She also looks like she might turn out to be fluffy.

Two weeks after Grizzly had her babies, Goofball’s turn came. She was desperate to have her babies in the boys’ sleepout, and woke the boys up at midnight. She managed to push her way through the window and had one on the bed before they figured out what was happening. They got up and got her a box. She had three babies in the box, but come morning she wouldn’t stay with them. She would pick a kitten up and carry it around, searching for a way into the house. Several times we laid her down with them and held her still till they started nursing, and finally by lunchtime she had accepted the box and was staying with her babies. They have just opened their eyes now, so I’m letting the little ones hold them occasionally. Here they are at two days old. The one in the middle is a female; the other two are males.

So, that’s our current problem: Finding homes for seven cuties! Anyone want a kitten for Christmas? Grizzly’s will be six weeks old then.