Revisiting the year….Way back in April, Mama had a litter,somewhere but we didn’t know where. She must have shown up very soon after she had them because she was still showing signs of birth,and she was so, so hungry. I knew she had to be in one of the neighbors bushes and she would make her way over briefly 3 or 4 times a day to eat. Then one day we found the group in the hole by the automatic pool cover. It was dangerous there and one of the kittens got caught in the rope. We were very broken up about that. She took them away again somewhere. Then one morning they all were laying on top of her in the porch chair, all four of them. She looked like a possum. They stayed in our bushes after that. See the little guy in the back, I was never able to catch him so I couldn’t find a home for him.

Here are the three, the one who is missing is in the bushes. I front two I found homes for and the back one became part of our clan.

This is the big guy as of this morning. He is six months old and just got neutered yesterday. He is doing fantastic. His name is Miggy and he has a voracious appetite. We kept his claws because he goes in and out to be with his brother Pookey, who finally came out of the bushes and can be cuddled and loved, but can still be skittish and scared.

This is Pookey’s place that Kevin built. It is on our covered porch. The roof is on hinges so I can open it.

It is insulated and it also has an electric heated pad, that warms up with their body temperature. We made it large enough so that Pookey, Miggy and Mama can fit in. I am sorry I don’t have a picture of Pookey, he is big and handsome like his brother and he also yesterday became neutered and received all of his necessary shots. I have a swinging door for it but I am afraid he won’t go in if it is on. We have to tighten it up a little more with spray in insulation and glue some on the roof too. But he is getting used to it. If it gets too cold, he can come in the house but he seems happier outside. BTW, the black spots on the heated pad cover are little tiny burrs that will not come up easily.

So I wasn’t fast enough to get Mama spayed after that litter and she got pregnant again. I put her in the sunroom near the end of July so we would know where the kittens were at. She was not happy about this the first week. But then she became accustomed to the Bed and Breakfast. She had the kittens August 10th and it was an awesome experience for me. We now have a very special bond. She has come such a long way since January when I first met her on my front porch. She was skittish and scared and kept looking behind her like something was chasing her.

Here is Mama and the kittens maybe 3 days old.

Here they are at 3 weeks old. They were as much of a joy as the first litter. Easier because I knew where they were at.

From 7 weeks on I have been introducing you to the people who have given the kittens their forever homes. The last two left on November third they went together to my friend Joan. She has named this little boy Dooley.

This little girl is name Lacey. They are so funny because they do everything together, sleep, eat, play, poop. If one does it then the other does it. They have a wonderful home as all of the kittens do. I am so grateful that our friends, family and friends of family have given them their forever homes. I am also happy to say that Mama has been spayed. That woman had a workout this year and we are taking care of her, she can go inside or out and gets lots of love and food.

So we had our sunroom empty for two days and this little lady is occupying it for a couple of weeks. She can’t be more than four months old and she was found in the neighborhood. One of our neighbors who loves cats was fostering her then they couldn’t keep her anymore. We found a wonderful family that will be moving into a new home soon and they are giving her a forever home. She is a sweetie! Such a happy story.

So I made this painting this year and it says it all. I have seen Pookey eating a frog, Miggy with a mouse and a Vole and who knows whatever else they find in the surrounding yards. They are a treat and we love them. By the way, this print can be purchased in my Etsy Shop.