A Tale of Two Sisters
Clover and Blossom were born in the spring of 2008 and were strays on our street. They came to our "communal" food bowl we set out for strays, and they were sweet, friendly and playful. I remarked to my husband that we ought to "take them in" (despite the fact we have 17 cats living here whom we have taken in. My husband said, "Naw...they belong to the house down on the corner". (As he wishfully hoped that was true...) At any rate, it appeased me for the moment.
Summer and Autumn passed all too quickly, and the sisters fended for themselves as best they could, getting their meals at our house, or as I later found out, at the little old lady next door's front porch, as well.
But in January, when the sisters were about 10 months old, it became icy and bitter cold!
The kind-hearted little lady next door brought them indoors, and she continued to care for them. In March of 2009, her son decided he was allergic to the cats and they "had to go". The lady tried to get them into a "no-kill" shelter but was not successful. Her son was going to "take them away" the evening she called me in a panic, wishing fervently for good homes for them.
I am a total sucker for kind little old ladies and destitute cats and I immediately told her I would take them and try to figure something out!
When I went to get the cats I realized they were both VERY PREGNANT. The lady thought they were just "getting fat" due to her feeding them all they wanted!
Long story short, Blossom gave birth to six kittens a few minutes before midnight on March 4, 2009 and Clover gave birth to her 4 kittens about 12 hours later. They were caged together, and it was remarkable how they encouraged each other during their respective delivery of their babies, by licking on one another, offering moral support.
After a short stay apart for a few days (I had thought they might need some private time with their respective kittens), the two mothers and the 10 kittens were moved to a new "nursery" my husband built just for them!
They were happy to be together and they shared the nursing and cleaning duties and nursed each others' babies without any thoughts as to "who is whose baby".
I began to realize these sisters were inseparable. I made arrangements with a no-kill shelter to get help in adopting these babies out when the time came and requested that they adopt the mothers together to a home or else return them to me so they can stay together for the rest of their lives.
At this time, (April 30, 2009) the 10 kittens have found homes of their own. Clover has been spayed, and Blossom is still nursing: a mother cat had died and left nursing kittens, and Blossom is now raising a new batch of kittens. Clover and Blossom are being kept together during this new chain of events!
Below are photos of Blossom (tabby & white) and Clover (black & white) and their kittens.
Mothers and babies at one week old in their new nursery.
Blossom and babies
One of Clover's kittens:
What a brood! Blossom and babies in March
Clover nursing an assortment of kitties!
Blossom does as well....
Beautiful, healthy babies!
The kittens at 3 weeks old:
Proud Mama, Clover, with the month old kittens:
Baby 5 weeks old. Isn't he beautiful?
There were 8 boys and 2 girls in the litters.
Shortly after this, the 2 families went to the shelter to be observed for 2 weeks, given their shots, etc. and then to be adopted out. This was such a precious experience to me...seeing the love and devotion of the two mamas! Join me in the hopes that the two mothers get an excellent home together! If not, I will take them here to live with us!
Back toStory Index.