Mowing Surprise

[Tambrey]

I did get some mowing done today, and in the process of mowing around our LP tank...the grass was really tall an I figured I had better mow in case they delivered today (they did not)
Well...I was mowing away on one side, watching for snakes and toads and so forth, when suddenly I see this little black and white furball working its way from the other side of the tank! I immediately cut the mower off and went to the furball...a baby kitten no bigger than the palm of my hand...it saw me and hunched down into the grass hissing and spitting...what a cute little thing I laughed and picked it up anyways...its huge blue eyes looking at me and its itty bitty feet with claws out at its face...
I turned around to look and saw her momma...a black and white cat we named Friendly...I called her over and she came right to me...I looked at her and held the baby down and said, "Is this your baby?!" She nuzzled it and chirped at it and began to clean it...so I picked Friendly up, and sure enough, she has been nursing one baby! I was worried there were more hiding somewhere...sometimes Friendly will let us pick her up, but most of the time not...

So I want to go and play with that baby every day so as soon as it is old enough and weaned, I can take it and find it a good home...AWAY from here!! and maybe get Friendly spayed as well!

[k9Karen]

I'm sure glad you saw the kitten before you got too close with the mower. Aren't they just too cute when they hiss and spit like that? Sounds like you've got your work ahead of you to get that little one to get over it's hissy fits with people. Any guess as to how old it is? What about a name? Let's hope Friendly stays nearby so things can work out the way you're planning. Good luck!

PS - what's the weather like in your neck of the woods? I imagine you're starting to cool down, at least a little bit. It's that time of year when everywhere is different. It's still hot as Hades down here, but we have had some drier air (Hurricane Ophelia was pulling it out of our area and pushing drier air from the north all over Florida). That's been our only hint that Fall is on the way. I miss having the lovely Autumn weather with the leaves turning and then falling (but at least we don't have a lot of goldenrod - I'm horribly allergic). I sure don't miss the cold Winters though.

[Tambrey]

I would venture to say she is 4 weeks at the most...Friendly hides her babies very well and we usually do not get to see them this young...
DH went out this morning and took her from her hiding place...oh she was really hissy spitty today and actually bit his knuckle hard enough to draw a couple specks of blood!...he held her by her scruff and told her a firm NO and she began to tremble so very badly...then he snuggled her into the crook of his arm and held her against him, and she was still trembling terribly, but finally managed to calm down...but every time we started to pet her she would open her mouth and give out a few barely audible hisses...sooo cute!

Her momma was eating, and I put a small dish of food and water over by the hiding place, so momma does not need to go as far, and when the baby is ready, the food will be there for her to try...

I have not given a thought to a name...probably something to do wiht being lucky to not have been found by the lawnmower!!...I would have felt just AWFUL...
But, since we do have lots of critters around here, I mow slow in taller grasses and along the pasture fences, because one never knows what is hiding in there...and I like snakes and toads too!

[Tambrey]

I went and got a couple of pictures...She kept wanting to hide under the turned ver bowling bench, their makeshift "cave", so alot did not turn out...I had ot stick the camera in there and take them without a flash to not bother her...

But I did manage to get her out of there for a few minutes...and when I turned over the bench to get her, I saw that Friendly had been hunting...there was a fat mouse And when I lifted her baby up and set the bench back down, she went back under it, and brought me the mouse and dropped it at my feet, so I had to sing praises to Friendly for her wonderful catch...when her and the baby went back under the bench, I tried to get some more pictures, but she kept wanting to give me the mouse instead...hahaha...she finally decided it was time to start hunting lessons and kept putting the mouse in front of the baby...

Friendly and her Baby


Baby hanging onto my sweatshirt

[k9Karen]

It can be hard to get a good picture when they don't want their picture taken, can't it? The kitten looks almost like her mom. I always wanted a kitten when I was a kid - my Mom wouldn't let me have one. If something like this had happened near me when I was a kid, I'd have asked my Mom if we could adopt it. Hopefully, you'll be able to find a good home for her.

[davet]

sheesh Tambrey, its one thing for people to talk to cats but then it is another thing for people to understand what the animals are sayingback...havn't read too much burt were there more kittens??

[Tambrey]

hahaha...I talk to ALL of my animals...and some I think are more understanding than others...

There was only the one that I ever found, and it only looks like she has been nnursing one...

However, yesterday she had moved it...other cats were coming to their place as well...I have seen her coming from the blackberry bramble patch, so I am assuming she has it in there now, and no way am I going to try to get into THAT mess!!

I will just have to be patient and watch for it again and jeep working with it to get it tamed...