Shai was scheduled for a spay and declaw in March but in February I picked her up and could feel nipples. We have had a few female cats and I have never felt their nipples - disturbing thoughts started entering my head. Watching Shai she was putting on weight and sleeping a lot more - started doing research. I mentioned my concerns to Greg and Emily overheard and said, "I'm pretty sure she is pregnant. I've known for weeks." So our baby was having babies. She must have gotten pregnant a little over a week after we got her. I didn't even know they could get pregnant at three months old!
Her belly got bigger and bigger. She couldn't jump much. Her balance was off and she looked pretty uncomfortable. We all guessed dates for when she would have the babies. As the weeks went buy we got worried that she would have the kittens while we were away in Australia but she was just waiting for Mack to come home for his spring break.
Tuesday morning, March 12th, Lily woke us up at 5:45am , "I'm pretty sure Shai is having her babies." Apparently, Shai was making lots of noise and moving a lot on Lily's bed. Lily got up and followed Shai downstairs. She woke up Mack first and they didn't wake us till a foot was coming out. We all watched as Shai gave birth to the first kitten in the dinning room. We had made a birthing box for her and after the first one was born on the floor she moved the baby and herself into the nesting box to deliver the rest. After the third baby was born the girls headed off to school. I didn't make them! They went on their own because they didn't want to be late and I think we were all hoping that three was the magic number.
Greg headed to work but Mack and I stayed and watched as Shai gave birth to two more kittens - 5 total. No wonder she was so huge. One grey and black striped, one black and white, and three black.
It was amazing to watch Shai instinctively know how to care for herself and the babies. She ate their placentas, licked them all clean and started nursing. And she pretty much nursed them all the time for the next 24 hours.
That isn't a piece of steak - it is the last placenta which Shai did eventually eat. It gives her the nourishment she needs to nurse the babies right away without leaving them to find food. Incredible how nature provides.
It was incredible and now we all just love watching the little kittens grow and change each day. We were sad to leave them when we went to Australia but we came home to little kittens with their eyes open and checking out a bit more of the world.
Ditten isn't sure what to think about the kittens...we will see.
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