My critter of the day photo is late today; I have a whole bunch of photos from the living room camera to go through, but had my computer off until just a little while ago. Just as a precautionary measure. The arborist was in to clear the trees today! I am so thrilled! I’ll be posting photos from that later on. I have lots to go through!
Until then, enjoy the wonderfully maternal Beep Beep and her little wormy babies.
Proud mama!
This morning, I was able to get images of all three litters of kittens!
In the sun room, it was easier to get video than still shots.
All of Butterscotch’s babies have their eyes open now.
You can even hear Butterscotch purring as I took the video! The shake at the end there was her finally pushing her way under my hand to get to her kittens. :-)
Beep Beep seemed really happy to see me. I gave them both treats, right next to them, so they wouldn’t have to leave their babies to eat them. Butterscotch came out anyways, but she is not as into the treats as much as Beep Beep, who started looking for more! :-)
I was so happy to hear Beep Beep purring away as I pet her – and even got to touch one her kittens!
While putting food out for the cats outside, I checked on Rosencrantz as well. She ran off when I came close to the old dog house, so when I put the kibble out, I put some right outside the opening.
It’s not as easy to get pictures of these ones. :-D
By the time I came back from putting the bird seed out, she was happily eating the cat food by her kittens, instead of the food by the house, so I think she appreciated the gesture. :-)
We’re just overflowing with babies! :-D
The Re-Farmer
A photo from late April, of big Jim, just chillin’ in the sun. :-)
I have since moved this old bench, which I had found in, and dragged out of, the underbrush.
On a hunch, I decided to check on the mamas in the sun room just a moment ago.
The new box nest did the trick.
We have four more kittens.
I didn’t have my phone at first, so I missed getting a picture of all of them while Beep Beep came out to eat the treats I brought for them. When I came back, I could only see these two. I wasn’t going to disturb her any more than this, just to get pictures.
She was quite content for me to lift up the blanket and check on her.
What a difference from last year. Both of them kept moving their babies after we figured out where they were, until the kittens were too big and mobile to do it anymore. Now, they are good with me reaching right in and petting them (and, in the case of Butterscotch right now, her babies, too).
That makes 12 kittens in total, unless there is another litter somewhere we don’t know about.
Oh, my melting heart!
The Re-Farmer
Just got back from checking on Butterscotch and her kittens.
When I first came in, she and her babies were all cuddled up, and I wasn’t going to disturb her.
She came out while I was paying attention to Beep Beep, though, so I took advantage of the situation.
Continue readingPart of my morning rounds now includes checking on kittens and mamas. I am happy to say that Rosencrantz is showing no signs of wanting to move her kittens anywhere. When I check on her, I stand to the side of the dog house, stick my phone camera into an opening, and try and see through the screen. This morning, Rosencrantz ran out, but she did not go far. I snapped a quick picture, then stepped aside, calling to her a bit. She was comfortable enough to go back in to her kittens.
I still have some hope of being able to bring Rosencrantz and her babies into the “maternity ward.”
While visiting with Butterscotch and Beep Beep earlier, they both went into the old kitchen while I topped up their food and water and grabbed the bird and deer feed. Butterscotch even let me pick her up and cuddle her for a bit, before she went back to her kittens, but I’d managed to get a quick picture while she was out.
I am now kind of concerned. And confused. (slight graphic warning)
Continue readingThe girls and I made a trip into the city today, and when we got back, I made sure to visit the mamas and kittens in the sun room.
Two of the kittens have their eyes open! The orange and white tabby does not, and I couldn’t see the face of the tuxedo to tell one way or the other.
They are so adorable!!!
In other news, we are finally ready to get the trees done. All of them, not just a half-job. I made the call this morning, and they will come out within the next two weeks.
So two live trees that are putting the house as risk and one dead tree that is a risk of falling onto the power lines will come down completely. Then the power lines will be cleared of branches the whole way. They will be bringing a chipper to do the small stuff, and we will be keeping the wood (there was the option of them taking the wood away, if we wanted).
We’re thinking about what the next big job (money wise, at least) should be a priority. It will mostly likely be to rent a heavy duty chipper for a week, and clear out the piles of branches all over the place. Getting a quote to get the driveway done with fresh gravel is also on the list, but as much as it could use it now, this will likely be a next year thing.
Little by little, we’re getting the job done!
The Re-Farmer
While going outside to investigate some animal noises (the visiting toms were at each other again), my daughter and I were surprised by another noise.
A tiny, squeaking noise.
Coming from the old dog house.
Continue readingWith Butterscotch staying in the box nest I had hope Beep Beep would use to have her babies in, I decided to move the kittens in with her.
The next time I saw Butterscotch, she was where the kittens had been. Now, she’s hiding under the swing bench.
This mama wants her alone time!
I had put treats on the pillow to tempt the mamas to use it, but Butterscotch has been ignoring them. Beep Beep loves them, but won’t go in where the kittens are.
We are at the point where we’re expecting Beep Beep to have her kittens any time. She is also so very cuddly, while Butterscotch has become less so. It used to be the other way around. I think Butterscotch is ticked off at us for closing her up in the sun room. :-D
The Re-Farmer
My husband went out to visit the cats in the sun room, and found the kittens squirming around on the floor!
He put them back in their spot and told me about it, so I made them a new bed. Hopefully, the walls will be enough to keep them from rolling off the bench seat they are on.
Unless Butterscotch is the reason they were down. She’s been using the box next I made in hopes that Beep Beep will have her kittens there. I thought she might have tried to move her kittens there, but when I went in later, I found her in the box, and the kittens on the swing bench.
The theory is that mama needs a break from the babies. :-D
While mama was snoozing in the box, her babies were snoozing on the bench. Even when they started mewing as I moved them, Butterscotch stayed right were she was!
If nothing else, it’s clean and warm. :-)
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 