RAIN AND LABOUR

There's this cat, her name is Skye, but I call her Chachi. She pitched up one day and kept asking for food. At first I was reluctant to feed her, but then she started trying to eat with my dog, Gabriela, who genuinely does not take kindly to sharing her food.

So I figured, right now I have a huge bag of very expensive prescription food that's just getting old on the shelf, since Salah Al'Din mysteriously disappeared - so I've been feeding her from that whenever I feed my dog. 

Turns out, she's pregnant, perhaps why she's always hungry. Tracked down her owners and they came to fetch her, yet that same afternoon she was back again, and she has not left since.

I've been doing my best not to get attached to her, I'm merely babysitting. 

I figure perhaps this cat is here for Gabriela's sake, since she seems to enjoy her company. Like that play date friend that never wants to go home, and the parents are not too concerned to fetch her either.

I'm not planning to buy more cat food when this is done, then my babysitting job here is done. So though Gabriela sleeps in the room with me at night, Chachi has had to sleep in the house by herself.

Yesterday morning however, after I opened the door for Gabriela, Chachi kept trying to join me in the bed. Each time I'd throw her out and she'd try again. She was determined and by the fourth time I surrendered in my sleepiness, even gave her a petting too.

Last night, after I closed the door, I noticed she was in the bedroom again, this time sleeping next to Gabriela. I gently let her out, and though I felt a little bad for excluding her, I knew that it's what had to be done. 

Then at around three this morning, I was startled awake - she was getting on my bed, again. But how? All three the doors were closed. I checked then saw that the door into the house was open a notch. I definitely closed it. So I let her out again, but this time around, I locked it too.

Sure as hell, not five minutes later, between her mewing and scratching, I heard how she was yet again attempting to open the door. She finally gave up, but I know now for sure, if she wants to she can and will open that door.

Later, while journaling, she got on top of me on the couch, purring loudly and wanting some more petting - she was definitely acting out of sorts. I've been missing my guy and the feeling of his weight upon me, so I indulged her none the less.

Then while writing in the studio, I noticed a discharge.

Even Gabriela knew what was up. I needed to take action quickly - she was clearly nesting before. 

Hurriedly, I made her a makeshift nest from a banana crate on wheels that I stuffed with newspapers, an old pillow and some rags, and placed it in a secluded corner of the studio, right next to me. 

I closed up my bedroom, and placed her in the nest instead. 

And as the rain started falling down at half past one, so too her contractions started coming on. This was happening, she was in labour and soon we would see her offspring.

This was the firstborn, it quite literally shot out there like a bullet.

Gabriela looked on sheepishly.

The second born was stuck a while, but it is also the most vocal of the bunch. It was not till the third that I got to capture both her contractions and the actual birth. It was a gentle birth, didn't cause her great discomfort, and sort of plopped out gently.

I went for a tea break and gave her some time alone, but managed to capture what I believe was number four and five. One still attached to some sort of membrane inside of her, the other not quite out entirely yet.

She has to lick them clean as they emerge, then she pulls on that membrane violently and eats it voraciously at the same time - gross, but effective.

About two to three hours later, she was done, and I captured this one of her, clearly exhausted and panting like a racehorse. All the kittens are black, there is very little that distinguishes them right now, and obviously all of their eyes are still shut closed too. 

Honestly, I lost count and I don't want to bother them right now, since they are all sleeping peacefully; her on her side and them lined up like sardines in a can, suckling on her teats.

Yet it looks like she birthed six kittens after all. Insane when you consider her small size. Guess I should send the neighbours a picture too. Congratulate them on their six grandkittens!

WORDS: rhodenel©22DEC2024 

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOTOGRAPHY: rhoderuth©22DEC2024