Kaachan’s Miracle of Birth
Family Cat #3: Kaachan
I solely dedicate this particular entry to our 3rd family cat, Kaachan.
I don’t normally talk about our family cats, though I did mention the first two (they’re still around, they’re just skulking around the neighborhood somewhere) in my old About section (Ming Yao and Darkness), but Friday yesterday (it’s Saturday morning already and I’m playing an insomniac at the moment) was one of the more interesting days in my life.
That day, I witnessed a natural miracle of birth. In other words, Kaachan gave birth to more kitties. Actually so far, just one. Last year Kaachan came about and emigrated her entire clan of three kitties, thanks to the migration of Darkness in our backyard. Two of the kitties ventured out on their own (they didn’t die, they just declared independence; they’re still hanging around our neighborhood settling at the neighbors’ backyards), except one. Dad called the remaining kitty Junior. Reason being is because he is a tuxedo cat like Ming Yao, except his face is all black (will post a picture later), but a very shy cat. He would only show whenever Kaachan would start following me whenever I walk around the backyard.
Some months ago I noticed that Kaachan looked strangely fat when my dad started feeding Kaachan and Junior regularly. Though I still wouldn’t be able to pet them like I do with Ming Yao and Darkness, Kaachan and Junior did find some attachment with me. They wouldn’t let me pet them and yet they kept following me around and snuggling themselves around my legs when they can, and Kaachan just couldn’t stop meowing whenever she sees me. Like Ming Yao and Darkness, they wouldn’t come inside the house. They’re stray cats after all and they’re probably used to the wild now.
As weeks passed, Kaachan’s body grew bigger and bigger, which was somewhat unnatural if we thought that we were feeding Kaachan too much (not really, she gets equal share of food with Junior). Then few days later, we then realized that Kaachan was pregnant. Even my mom, who wasn’t really a big fan of the stray cats that we’re taking care of at our backyard, even suggested that Kaachan was indeed pregnant.
Yesterday Friday afternoon, I just got back from shopping when I heard Kaachan’s constant meowing from outside. I thought they wanted my attention again and we would walk around the backyard again. But when I got out, Junior was ready to go, but as for Kaachan, she stood up and I noticed her slowly dragging her entire body with her as if she was limp. Then seconds later, she went back to the mat in front of our glass door (where she and Junior would always wait for us to come out with food on their plates) and lied back down again. When she turned, I saw something black and shiny at her… behind. That’s when I realized that Kaachan was about to give birth.
Dad came home and I told him about Kaachan giving birth. He was excited at first, but when I told him that she’s currently giving birth at the mat at our glass sliding door front, he got worried. It wasn’t about the staining of the mat that he was worried about. He was worried that the poor newborn may die due to lack of warmth (Dad grew up with a farming and ranching family, so he’s pretty familiar with animals in general and how the newborn needs to be kept warm in order to survive). Inside our house and through the glass door, we witnessed Kaachan giving birth. Nothing “graphic” or disgusting going on because Junior was there next to Kaachan, aiding his mother by placing his forelegs over her and using his body to cover her behind. Dad assumed Junior was doing that in order to keep the newborn warm once it came out.
Once finished, both Kaachan and Junior started licking the newborn, cleaning it and keeping it warm. Junior was a good son to the mother and we just couldn’t help but saying “aww” at the mother and son cats. Dad attempted to have Kaachan to move herself in to a huge box that he made so she could have warmth for her newborns, but instead Kaachan hissed at Dad when he tried to move the mat (with the newborn lying on it). Kaachan ran to her baby, carried it, and just took off to somewhere else… safe.
When we told Mom about Kaachan giving birth, she got mad at Dad for “interrupting” the childbirth. But other than that, even for someone who didn’t like the stray cats that much, said that it was quite a miracle. Before Kaachan and her newborn took off, we did take a glimpse of the baby. It had black fur and black all over.
Looks like we’ll be having another tuxedo cat… or even an all-black cat… like the father, Darkness. We won’t be seeing Kaachan (or Junior for that matter) for awhile from that day, but we had a feeling that they will return- along with the kitty- or kitties even- all grown up. The only thing we could hope for right now was to wish the newborn survive its first days of being outside the world.
A miracle of birth indeed.
Mirrored from ADRIATASTIC!.