Herding Kitties

 There are hard mornings and this morning is one of those. BBKitty and her sister Cami are letting the youngsters run amuck. We gathered them up this morning from off the driveway and put them in a box for the moms to pick up the kittens and take them back to wherever they had moved them. Last night they had them under the front porch. At least Cami is by the box but since they are quiet and napping she might not be so inclined to move them. I think one or two kittens are missing but we aren't too sure. We were able to help another kitten with their eyes, so that is always a good thing. All the other cat chores went well but chasing little kittens, while not hard is heart breaking. They are related to Camo and she always stopped caring at some point for her kittens so she let them fend for themselves, we assure, or she dropped them here. 

I am kind of struggling with this week's lesson. So many things to cover but I need to find those things that fit together and make sense in able to apply the lessons to our lives. 

Well, it is almost twelve hours later and we are doing the same thing that we were doing about this time this morning. Herding kittens. When we left the kittens this morning, we left them in a box that the mothers can get them out of. Late morning when we arrived back home the box was tipped over and the moms had them under a tree. This evening kittens have been moved hither and yon but it feels like their preferred gathering place is on the porch in the corner. We put a bed there for them. They are good moms but they have a lot on their paws for being first time mamas. Round 2, we just came in after finding the orange kittens and we think they have been among the blackberries all day. Family is now under the porch again. 

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And now for the latest update on kittens. Family has moved from under the front porch to under the back porch. Although it is noisier they are safer there. We've heard a few meows but the sisters are near so that is a great sign. I am not confident all the kittens will make it. Two look a little lethargic but we shall see. Maybe the older cuzbros will help reign in the younger ones with play. One of the little ones is bigger than the others and I believe that he/she is from BBKitty's litter which will be one month on July 1st. Last night we discovered that the kittens have once again been moved by the moms. We saw two of them yesterday when we fed the Feral Fam. The moms are around so that is a good sign. 

We don't know the places where the sisters take the kittens because they did not grow up here in the yard. With Cutie we pretty much know the progression. She has her kittens finding out about the gravel road and that is my least favorite growing up test that she gives her babies. By next week she will have moved on paying just a little attention to them. 

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Yes, this week it is all about the Feral Fam and the newest members. Last night one of the little ones ran freely about the food bowls. I checked on her eyes and she had one matted again. Since Roy had gone to church for a men's fellowship supper, I had to remember how to help a kitty without the extra set of hands. Brought her in the house, got some meds in her and got that eye cleaned up. GMoey was happy to see her and she scared Willie. These little ones are eating food. They are at the age but I think all the moving and such has them a little smaller than their age would show. We are seeing three kittens, Roy thinks maybe four. 

All the Feral Fam is on edge. They are keeping out of the way and hidden. Think their arch enemy is frustrated and attacking. We have not seen Spotty for three days. He does that but with the tension in the air, we just wonder. When Roy got home last night, he heard the sound of a brutal cat fight. He tried to find it but too far over past Mary Joyce's house. Cutie has kind of moved her tribe near the fence and on the rocks. That gives three ways to exit or hide. Thankfully, all four of her showed up for breakfast. 

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I'll wrap this up because this is going to be a longer story I have a feeling. Now four kitties on the back porch in a pet playpen. This morning around 4:30 when I was feeding the first guest I heard the mournful wail up toward the neighbors and the church of a cat. I hope it wasn't hurt or being stalked by the mean cat. We think he finally did Spotty in. We have not seen him since last Monday night. That Spotty was getting so close to trusting us. Now, we have these little ones to help. Calling the vet in the morning to see if we can get them in and on the way to health.