I think it’s a good time to tell Baby’s story. It began last April. My husband and I were headed back towards the house after doing our farm chores when we heard a strange noise about six feet to the side of us. We looked over to see a tiny gray fur ball moving sporadically and crying in a pathetic squeaky way. We noticed that the dogs were keeping a healthy distance from the creature as they tried to check it out. Our first thought was that it must be some type of rodent that one of the cats had hunted but not killed. We decided to check it out.
Boy, were we surprised to discover it was a tiny, newborn kitten! We couldn’t figure out where it had come from. Yes, we knew some of the barn cats had kittens but this kitten was far from any of the usual birthing places. It was, however, close to an irrigation ditch and we had just irrigated yesterday. This process takes place every two weeks. More than enough time we thought for a cat to think it was a good place to raise a family. We expected to find its siblings drowned bodies all over the place.
We scooped it up and hurried to the house to warm the tiny cold thing. I was not sure it was even going to make it. I found an eyedropper and began feeding it warm milk. It learned quickly to suck the dropper. After a few days we began to believe it would live so we obtained some kitty formula and a bottle.
It was a good thing I knew that kittens can not go to the bathroom until mom licks its potty place. I draw the line at some things and that was definitely one of them. I discovered that a warm rag or baby wipe worked just as well. I was very concerned about its aloneness and how that might affect its development so I dug up a fluffy fleece hat to use as a baby carrier. It went EVERYWHERE with me for at least six weeks. I also carried a small “diaper” bag with wipes, formula, bottle and a spare hat.
At night it slept in its hat, in our bed, right between us. We finally figured out that it was a she and we named her Baby. There are several reasons for that name. Some are rather obvious but the main reason is that a few weeks before we found her, I had seen the cutest new baby at the store, I had turned to my husband and remarked, “Oh, I wish we had a baby.” About a week after she showed up, he had walked in to see me on the floor “changing her diapers”. He said, “Well, guess God heard you, you’ve got your baby now.” I sure did.
A few weeks after we adopted her we figured out where she came from. Her mother had given birth in a bird’s nest, high above the very spot we found her at. She had to have fallen out. It was a miracle she wasn’t killed!
So Baby became part of our life- a very big part! It has been incredibly fascinating to watch a kitten who can’t decide if she is a bird, a dog, a cat or a human grow up. But more about that in part two. What we do know is life with her will never be dull. And that’s a good thing. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
Boy, were we surprised to discover it was a tiny, newborn kitten! We couldn’t figure out where it had come from. Yes, we knew some of the barn cats had kittens but this kitten was far from any of the usual birthing places. It was, however, close to an irrigation ditch and we had just irrigated yesterday. This process takes place every two weeks. More than enough time we thought for a cat to think it was a good place to raise a family. We expected to find its siblings drowned bodies all over the place.
We scooped it up and hurried to the house to warm the tiny cold thing. I was not sure it was even going to make it. I found an eyedropper and began feeding it warm milk. It learned quickly to suck the dropper. After a few days we began to believe it would live so we obtained some kitty formula and a bottle.
It was a good thing I knew that kittens can not go to the bathroom until mom licks its potty place. I draw the line at some things and that was definitely one of them. I discovered that a warm rag or baby wipe worked just as well. I was very concerned about its aloneness and how that might affect its development so I dug up a fluffy fleece hat to use as a baby carrier. It went EVERYWHERE with me for at least six weeks. I also carried a small “diaper” bag with wipes, formula, bottle and a spare hat.
At night it slept in its hat, in our bed, right between us. We finally figured out that it was a she and we named her Baby. There are several reasons for that name. Some are rather obvious but the main reason is that a few weeks before we found her, I had seen the cutest new baby at the store, I had turned to my husband and remarked, “Oh, I wish we had a baby.” About a week after she showed up, he had walked in to see me on the floor “changing her diapers”. He said, “Well, guess God heard you, you’ve got your baby now.” I sure did.
A few weeks after we adopted her we figured out where she came from. Her mother had given birth in a bird’s nest, high above the very spot we found her at. She had to have fallen out. It was a miracle she wasn’t killed!
So Baby became part of our life- a very big part! It has been incredibly fascinating to watch a kitten who can’t decide if she is a bird, a dog, a cat or a human grow up. But more about that in part two. What we do know is life with her will never be dull. And that’s a good thing. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?
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