Kitten??

As I drove in to my driveway tonight when coming home from a dance, I noticed CiCi was hanging around and I glanced another head behind her under the step.  This cat then ended up under my porch- where I have never before seen one of the cats go.  I am not entirely sure at the moment whether this was a kitten, or if it was Marx and I just didn't notice in the dark.  It was a tabby, but I couldn't get a good look at it what with it being dark.  I caught a glimpse of it under the porch from keeping my car headlights on, and it "looked" for the moment I saw it to be a kitten but not a very young one.  It's possible from the short glimpses I got that it was really Marx and I just couldn't tell in the dark.  I came back out with more food (I am a sucker, I know... they were already fed today.  Twice because one came around that I don't see often.) and looked under the porch with the camera flash light from my cell phone on, but didn't see it under there.

I've never seen Marx or any other cat under the porch itself.  I'm not actually sure that they can even fit under there, as it has lattice all around with no gaps.  I don't think Marx would be able to fit his head through.  So tomorrow when I go to feed them I will see if I can get another look under there!  If CiCi brought me a kitten that's fine by me!

~Kakers

Well, hello mommy!

So, I have already introduced you to the 5 kitties that I see the most.  Now I think it is time to introduce you to the next crew- the mommy cats!  Starting with my dear Milky.  Yup that's right- Milk is pregnant!  A few weeks ago (I don't remember exactly when) I noticed that her sides were bulging out just a little.  Sure enough, she's been getting larger and larger by the day!  I'm not sure exactly how far along she is, but based on when I noticed she was pregnant and how much bigger she has been getting my best guess is there will be kittens sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

Here she is with Sugar on Tuesday:

Then Thursday:

And Yesterday (as you can see, she is getting rather comfortable with me!)

Today she didn't stick around long enough for me to snap another decent picture, she ate some of her special food (around here mommy cats get kitten food, dry and wet!) but not much and then wandered off.  She seems to be getting uncomfortably large, so I am wondering if she either has a lot of kittens in there or if I have under estimated how long she has been pregnant for.  She is a dear, too, and lets me feel her stomach while she is eating :) Haven't felt any moving kittens, but she sure is getting big!

And as it would turn out- Milk is not the only momma cat around here!  At some point Spaz started showing up.  She startled me at first, RUNNING at me from the neighbors yard through the foliage right up to me and the bowl I was pouring food into.  Not at all timid like the other cats.  She has since damn near followed me into my house and my car and is certainly NOT afraid of me nor is she too proud to beg for food- and affection!

At first I did not know if she was a male or a female, and after I was certain she is just a people loving cat and not one that fools you into getting close so it can bite you, I went to see about picking her up to find out.  Didn't take long to find out either as I right away found that she is lactating!

Spaz is quite the darling kitty cat.  I have not a clue in the world where her kittens are, and am rather concerned for their health.  Spaz is all fur and bones, which is ultimately why I sprang for so much kitten food.  When it was only pregnant Milk, I was feeding her my cats premium food and the rest of the kitten food that my kitten had been refusing to eat.  When I realized just how malnourished Spaz is, I decided she absolutely for her and her kittens health needed kitten food.  She sure does look happy when she has a full belly!

And last we have CiCi, who I just found out today must also be a mommy, by glimpsing her teats as she walked down the steps!  CiCi (C.C.) is short for Conjunctivitis Cat.  The poor thing looks pretty worse for the wear, and I am nervous with her looking so ill and being around my other strays.  She appears to have a problem with conjunctivitis and I noticed today what looks like a small growth coming off her neck... it didn't look very good.

And lastly, I am starting to wonder if Splenda is also pregnant.  She is starting to get some belly on her, and she doesn't eat as much as the other cats.  So I don't know if its from me feeding her, or her being pregnant too.  Either way, I needed an excuse to share this picture from Thursday showing off just how gorgeous she is!

If anyone out there has any tips on what to do with the pregnant/nursing stray cats let me know!  So far I have not seen any kittens, probably partly due to there being no safe hiding places in my yard.  I am considering building a makeshift shelter for the kitties, so they can move their kittens over if they so choose and Milk can have a comfy place to give birth, but I am low on funds and not sure how I could put one together cheaply.  So for now I just make sure to feed them!

Happy Saturday!

~Kakers