A Mother for Mother's Day

It’s Mother’s Day, and I would like to celebrate Rhapsody in her role as mother.

I have not taken care of a cat who was concurrently taking care of kittens. Neither have I had a cat in my care who has given birth to kittens. Therefore, watching Rho as a mother, right from the start, has been illuminating for me.

She was an excellent parent from the beginning. She cleaned her babies as they were born, gathering each close to her, and making sure each had access to nutrition. As they grew, she was watchful and concerned whenever I took one to handle, to have him become accustomed to human touch. Rhapsody knew me and trusted me by then, and so was not jealous of her kittens. She was, however, always vigilant, and cleaned them, even if perfunctorily, each time they were returned to her.

Something I noticed was that their comfort and needs came first. For the first few weeks, Rhapsody had been very hungry, much of her own strength going into the kittens. She had to keep eating. But if she was feeding the kittens when I brought her food, or if they were snugly asleep next to or on her, she did not move to satisfy her own cravings. She wanted to, that was clear, but she would not move until they were awake or finished drinking. This has changed with time; the kittens, stronger, bigger, still need sustenance, of course, but consciously and instinctively, Rho knows they don’t need her quite as much. She spends more time away from them.

Is this part of the plan? Subconsciously, does she know this will aid them in gaining independence? She probably realises in some form that it is time for the children to learn to eat on their own. I have been trying to interest them in soft-food, mashed up and served in Kitten Milk Replacement for familiarity. I put some in their mouths, and they chew - not that the food needs it - and swallow, but do not eat on their own, yet. Rhapsody probably feels that they should.

But she remains their caring mother. Last week, Allegro got himself stuck in the vertical bars on the side of a bookcase. He and his siblings have crawled numerous times by then through the bars. This time, Allegro crooked his rear leg so he wasn’t fitting through the bars. In a minute, he probably would have reversed himself and pulled himself through easily enough. But instead, he started crying. His mother, who was on the couch, immediately jumped down to assist him. She didn’t know what to do, and so looked to me. Extricating the little fellow was easy. But mum was worried nonetheless.

As time goes on, I expect Rho to become less involved with the babies. They will become ever more rambunctious, their care a bit tedious. It will be time for them to move on, either in the Cosy Cabin, or, more likely, in their own homes. But their start in life will have been excellent, their feeding and cleanliness first-rate, and their sense of security and belonging unmatched. That will all be due to their mother.

Happy Mother’s Day, Rhapsody.