Little Orphans

We do not own cats. Honestly, I do not like cats. There has always been a battle between cats and me in connection with my flower beds. I had an area in one of my beds where every plant I put there died. I finally realized that it was the main litter-box for the neighborhood cats. I understand that cats have their place and in a farm setting they can be helpful in keeping the rodent population in check. Since our neighbors both have cats, we have found no need to get any of our own. But - I do have a soft spot for just about any animal, including cats.

For whatever reason, our barn seems to be the ideal place for mama cats to hide their new litters of kittens and any given year we will find two or three litters hiding in our haystack. Early in the spring we found two litters of kittens and then the mamas eventually relocated them. About two months ago, we discovered a third litter and the mom was terribly afraid of us if we even came into the barn. One day after leaving, she didn't come back. The three kittens were crying so loudly and when we picked them up, they tried to suck on our fingers and clothes. Not a good sign.

I went to our freezer and found the goats milk we had saved from when our goat had kids. I warmed it up and found a dropper. The kittens downed the milk. We continued to feed them with the dropper and kept them in an enclosure in the barn. One day when I went out to feed them, I walked in the barn just in time to see one of the kittens walk underneath one of our donkeys! Those little kittens had figured out what to use their claws for and could climb out of their enclosure. Time for them to move!

We put them in the bathroom inside our garage where they are safe and cannot get into the donkey's pen. They are eating and growing happily! Hopefully we can find them a new home very soon!