Maxine and the Kittens | Melinda J. Irvine | Our cat has four new kittens

Does anyone remember back in July last year when I found a tiny stray cat by the side of the road? Well that little cat became a mother yesterday and our little family has grown four more. Let me tell you about Maxine’s babies.

The day we found Maxine in July last year.

Yesterday morning after what seemed like an impossible amount of time for a 5 month old cat to be pregnant, Jerry found Maxine at the front door with 4 gorgeous little kittens. We’d built her a nest weeks ago and expected a dramatic labour and birth, but the whole thing was done and dusted while we slept. Maxine is an awesome mother.

Maxine and her kittens just a few hours old.

So our four little cuties are called Declan (ginger male 1) David (ginger male 2) Rosalie (little girl mostly white) and Pat (little girl looks most like Maxine). Pat is the weak one and is having trouble feeding and it’s so sweet the way Maxine will gently tend to her. I’ve also been trying as much as possible to help her feed but she’s not terribly interested.

What was really horrible though, last night the big Ginger Tom (most likely the father of the kittens) attacked the little family while I was inside with the door closed. I heard a big screech and then tiny screams from the kittens. I raced outside and poor little Pat was lying bleeding on the ground (about 6 feet from the nest), Maxine had fought off the Ginger Tom and their was orange fur EVERYWHERE. I was so proud of her.

Maxine and baby David.

I moved Maxine and her babies into the bathroom and they spent the night there. This morning I moved everyone back outside but about 30 minutes later I discovered Maxine carrying the kittens one-by-one back into the house. The ginger tom was lurking on a side-wall and she could smell him.

So now we have a bathroom filled with cats and tonight Pat is finally having a good feed (I have to move David out of the way so he wouldn’t pull her off). Oh I’m loving having these little cats. They all have homes to go to as well. Can you imagine the four little kids who are counting the days until their new pets can come and live in their homes?

Declan, David, Rosalie and Pat.