Monday, April 15, 2013

Mama MissKitty Madness

Ah, MissKitty. I can't tell you how much I respect this little girl. When she first came to my front yard, she was starving to death. You could see all her bones, and she appeared to be frantic to find food and water in the cold, dry environment of the high desert.

I began putting out bowls of dog food and water, which she promptly gobbled up. She was eating so much food, but continuing to starve. So, I bought some cat food and began leaving a little more food in the yard.

I put the food as far away from the house as possible, thinking she was just a neighborhood cat hanging around because I was feeding her. We have a large front yard, so I would put the food and water at the far edge of the yard. When the ants got in it, I took out a plastic liner for plants to act as a mote.

As I look at her curled up next me while I write this, my heart breaks a little to think that I was trying to keep her away. I feel especially bad knowing what I now know. After a few days of feeding what I thought of as "the kitty," I realized that she had be nursing. That same day, I found her nursing those kitties: six of them!
This is the first photo I ever took of
MissKitty. I had just decided to
keep her.

No wonder she had still been starving on the piddly amount of food I left for her! That amount of food was only enough for one cat, not seven! Soon after that, I began leaving out much more food, but decided to bring it to the back yard, where the kittens were staying.

I also spotted her hefting rabbits that were larger than she was over my six-foot fence. All six kittens were perfectly healthy. She completely sacrificed her own well-being for that of her babies. I know that much of that has to do with instinct, but I've heard of cats that do the opposite.

This is right before she got spayed.
She still tried to nurse after being spayed,
so I had to separate them until she healed.
Even after two weeks of healing, she tried to nurse.
Some mama cats kill the weakest kittens, or even half the litter. Some will keep enough food to survive while letting a couple of the kittens starve. Not mama MissKitty. She kept even her smallest kittens as healthy as can be. I can't help but feel tremendous respect for her, instincts or not.
MissKitty reaches for the phone.

MissKitty still loves to hang out with her kittens.
Cheetah is on the left, and Gracie on the right.

Can you believe that sweet little face?

This photo was taken just a couple of days ago.
She still loves to groom all her babies, and play with them.

A little LOLCat I created that pokes fun at my dancing ability

MissKitty loves to stick her tongue out.

This is an early photo of me holding her.

This one pokes fun at my dad's computer literacy. :)

This is when she was recovering from spay surgery.
I bought this super-cushy bed to set on the couch next to me

55 comments:

  1. Great photos! I do love me some kitty schnoz!

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  2. p.s. if she sticks her tongue out, she's probably just being silly - but it's also something cats do when they have hurty molars. Make sure to mention that next time she gets into the docs. I'm confident that with her surgery they looked her over, though, so she's likely just a silly little tongue-stick-er-out-er like mine!

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    1. Well, she only does it when she's stretching, and sometimes while she's sleeping. Once in a while, she'll leave her tongue sticking out just a teensy bit after she licks one of her babies. :)

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  3. Hi, popping in via the A-Z :) Lovely story and lovely photos!
    Suzanne @ Suzannes Tribe

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  4. Warning: Kristen do NOT go to my K post and see what I have a cat doing over there. LOL

    Great post!
    ~Sha'
    http://stfu4abetterrelationship.wordpress.com/

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    Replies
    1. I believe that was one I already commented on, and you answered. About shutting the door? That was funny. LOL :)

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  5. Great pictures! MissKitty is so cute!

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  6. Aw, she seems like such a sweet kitty! And she's very pretty - I don't think I've ever seen a cat that looked like her.

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    1. She really is sweet. I think someone must have kicked her out when she got pregnant, because she was very tame and sweet.

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  7. So much sweetness! I should try creating so e LOLs of my own cats...
    Congratulations on your Liebster award!

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  8. Miss Kitty is adorable! My M post today is very similar to yours, without the kittens....that explains why you have so many cats. i love the pic of her sticking her tongue out, our neighbours cat used to do that.

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    1. I loved your post! MissKitty especially loves to stick her tongue out when she stretches, but sometimes she keeps it out while she sleeps. :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  9. Such beautiful cats! I am such a cat lover but only have one right now.

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    1. I'm sure that one cat you have is loved and well cared for, which I love to see. It's better to have one that you love, than to have more than you can handle. I'm just lucky to have a really big yard. :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. She is sweet and a wonderful mother too.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  11. What a heartfelt story.... Lovely mama kitty. So happy you saved her and her family. You are very special yourself Kristen....

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  12. What a delightful story (and pictures, too). So now she is "your" cat. (Which is a bit odd, knowing that dogs have owners while cats have staff.)

    Blessings and Bear hugs!
    Bears Noting

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    Replies
    1. Haha! Well, she is like my teenager. Now that she doesn't have to work so hard for food, she has come to depend on me more.

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  13. Miss Kitty is adorable.

    Damyanti @Daily(w)rite
    Co-host, A to Z Challenge 2013

    Twitter: @AprilA2Z
    #atozchallenge
    AZ blogs on Social Media

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  14. Kristen,

    Aw, that is just precious! What a good Mama Kitty. You've got some great pics. I love this story, and I'm so glad you kept them all.

    You said you were in the high desert. Where are you? I live in the high desert too.

    Sunni


    http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/


    Sunni

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    Replies
    1. I'm in San Bernadino County. Where are you?

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. Awwww
    kristen such a cute cat
    U seem to be an avid pet lover !
    the way she nursed just makes me say "WOW"!!!
    motherly feelings are same any wer
    I would love to post the pics of my husbands cat missy now :)
    Soon in some post
    but cant link it to any alphabet nw !!

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    1. Thank you. Isn't she sweet? I'd love to see the photos of Missy. :)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. Another precious story! You are definitely blessed to be able to keep a family together who otherwise would likely have had a torturous and short life. Writer’s Mark

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    1. Yes, I feel lucky to have them too! Thanks for stopping by!

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  17. That is one Kute Kitty! Please give her a high five from me all the way from South Africa! She has my deepest admiration!

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    1. MissKitty says: "I don't understand this high five business. Just scratch behind ears, for goodness sake!" LOL Thanks for stopping by!

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  18. She's a precious one! And that was a heartfelt story too. :)
    Now I am seriously doubting whether I am the only person out there who isn't much of a cat/dog lover?

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    1. They are loved because of how much love they give back. They reflect the love you give them back on you.

      Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for stopping by.

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  19. what an amazing story... what an amazing cat....

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    1. Thank you. She definitely special. :) Thanks for stopping by!

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  20. Tough mama cat. How wonderful that you are a safe haven for so many!

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  21. One of the most beautiful cats I've seen! Lovely photos!

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  22. Aww, that was beautiful! I'm so glad they all found you. Kittehs rock! :)

    Laura Eno – A Shift in Dimensions

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  23. Love a good Kitty story.

    Came by from Tales of the Reborn Crafter

    http://talesofthereborncrafter.blogspot.com/

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  24. She is so cute! Loved all the pictures of her and the babies.

    Dark Thoughts Blog

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  25. I love zee kitties! Yours looks so sweet. I know so many people who have rescued cats from the streets, or provided homes for cats other people could no longer take care of. YOu're doing good work!

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  26. Awww! Miss Kitty is precious. You have some sweet critters at your house. :)

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  27. I remember seeing a video on youtube of a mommy cat hugging a kitten that was having a bad dream, it was so cute.

    Thanks of stopping by my blog.

    http://www.AMomsPointOfView.com

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    Replies
    1. My cats do so many cute things like that, but I always miss it! Haha! Thanks for stopping by!

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  28. Oh Kristen, what we don't know. We adopted our perma-kitty, who we called renta-kitty. She came to us pregnant and it took forever for her to trust us. She had her kittens in secret, and only one survived. It was a beautiful dark tortoiseshell. My guy, JC who is the most tender-hearted man alive, adopted Mama; baby came with, but would not allow us near her. Just when we were starting to win her trust, baby was hit and killed. JC was devestated, as was I. Not just because the little one was lost, but Mama looked and looked and mourned that baby. Mama was young and had been abused. My assumption is that physical violence was involved (she is blind in one eye and that eye is scarred and not in a way that would come from a cat fight) and this explains why she was so skittish at first. She really loves JC. He had her spayed, and little by little, he has coaxed her into the house. She's more comfortable over time, plays with his shoes and she has every toy, treat and whatever she wants. She's a true wonder. We love her to death. She chose us. Animals grace us with their presence. What a wonderful post, Kristen. Thank you!

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    1. Oh, that's so sad! Those poor babies! I'm so glad your mama kitty found your home, where she can be truly loved and cared for. You're wonderful to give her a new life.

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