KITTENS!!!

When Mama's milk started to come in on Friday, I knew we were close. When she went off food this morning, I knew we were really close. When I came home from class to find my blankets, rugs and laundry ransacked in an attempt to find a nesting spot, I knew things would likely be going down tonight. Then Mama hopped up on my bed at 2am, purring loudly and meowing and pressed right up against my legs, and I felt the contractions through the blankets and knew kittens were imminent! I tried to move her over to the birthing area I'd set up underneath my desk, but after about 5 minutes she was back up on the bed with me again. She wouldn't stay in the birthing spot unless I was sitting with her, so I guess that means we're doing this together. Why Mama is the only cat I know of who doesn't seek out some dark, enclosed and private space to give birth but instead decides that I need to be actively involved in the process, I don't know. It turned out pretty okay, though, since she couldn't reach the first two to break the sac around them due to her huge belly, so I did it for her and held them, rubbing them gently with a towel, while she ate the placenta and snipped the umbilical cord with her teeth.

Anyway, prepare for daily kitten picspam, beginning with these photos of Uno and Dos. I'm sure more are on their way shortly.

Uno.

Dos.