Journals

Mama Cat and Peach Blossom have been settling into our household with lots of help from the kittens and Kitty Boy. Bobo enjoys his much enlarged family, but it’s Kitty Boy’s duty to keep everything smooth going. Just like he did with the kittens months ago.

This was taken on July 4th. Molly had put out baskets for the kittens and needed to add another for Kitty Boy. The third basket is off to the left where it can’t be seen in this photo.

The baskets were the center of play and rest for the kittens (and Kitty Boy) and they’re still used for play now.

Peach Blossom has been using the largest basket to sleep in at night. Both Peach Blossom and her mom are a lot less shy now.

Here’s Peach Blossom in her basket and her mom sitting close by. Mama Cat doesn’t run now when one of us has to walk by. Everyone eats breakfast and dinner in the kitchen and everyone loves their treats.

Mama Cat sometimes sleeps in the large basket at night when Peach Blossom is up in the loft with us or on the rug in front of the woodstove.

When the three kittens were born, the Mama Cat was infrequently seen in the yard. We ended up with two and except for a brief sighting of the third in June we weren’t sure at all how the third was doing — until August. We’d been feeding the Mama at the edge of the yard and she made a point of going to the food from different directions, moving along the perimeter of the yard. If she thought we were near (25 feet was too close) she took off, no matter how hungry she was.

In August we began to have sightings of the third kitten, which Molly named Peach Blossom, and the Mama together. They were living under the house. We moved the food bowl closer to the house where they could reach it easier but Mama was doing all the eating, Peach Blossom wasn’t weaned yet. (We’re glad Grey and Blondie take so long!)

In late August we tried to trap the Mama and failed utterly. We want to take her to the vet, and the kitten too, to have them neutered. We made more attempts but she stayed clear of the trap, no matter what enticing food was inside. No luck on Peach Blossom either.

Once we were sure that Peach Blossom was weaned or nearly weaned, we let the big guys out and they made quick friends with Mama Cat and Peach Blossom. Mama Cat adores Kitty Boy and it’s fun watching Peach Blossom play with Kitty Boy’s tail. The Mama and kitten have slightly relaxed their vigilance and have been eating on the porch now. The Mama is less likely to run away if she sees us in a window or through the panes in the door.

We still hope to catch them one of these days — hopefully before Mama becomes pregnant again!

Here are photos of Peach Blossom on the back porch visiting with Grey (who is still kept inside for now until he has all his shots).

And Mama Cat and Peach Blossom eating on the front porch. Peach Blossom gets so he waits, looking in the door, when it’s dinner time.

More soon!