When Kittens Have Kittens

     About 5 weeks ago, I woke up to Luis informing me that our 6 month old kitten, had kittens.  I thought he was joking...he most definitely was not.

     6 months old people.  That means she was only 4 months old when she became pregnant.  Life lesson learned.  Oh but are they cute.

     When I walked into the laundry room, I was irritated because I had put off getting her fixed (I thought I at least had another month or two) and how could this happen and such.

     Then I looked down and pregnancy hormones took over.  They were so tiny. and cute. and tiny.  They tininess is what brought on the water works.  They were smaller than the palm of my hand.

     The really interesting thing is that Ruby, who has always hated us and wanted nothing to do with any of us except Zuko. (the only one she liked around here was the dog.  Go figure)  Suddenly, I was the most amazing thing in the world to her.  She actually purred and allowed me to pet her.  Even more, was she would whine if I stopped petting her.  It was amazing.  And she stayed that way...until she went missing.

     Yup. about a week ago, I noticed that Ruby hadn't been around all day.  Usually she stuck pretty close to the house, coming in to sit with me watch the kittens play.  Then suddenly: Nothing.

     Leaving me 3 little kittens to raise.  The second day it was apparent she still never came back, we put out some cream for them.  It was too late to get any real food,(she had already worked on weaning them by bringing them...dead stuff.)

     When I did get them real stuff, they went crazy.  Like they swooped in and you couldn't even see the dish underneath.  One even went back for thirds.

     Afterward, it was bath and snuggle time.  They can for sure tell that I'm their new mommy.  They follow me everywhere.  Which wasn't so good when I went down the driveway, and one tried to dive off the ledge to get to me.  I just barely caught him.  I guess you could say I have...cat-like reflexes. *ba-dum tss*

     Seriously though.  It has been rough without Ruby around to teach them things this past week.  Like how to properly clean themselves and where to go to the bathroom.  Or, you know, where not to go. Like in the house, on the welcome mat, and, my poor boys, in the dog food.
     Then there is the worry about what happened to her.  Ideally, it would be nice if someone just found her wandering around(like outside cats do) and picked her up thinking she needed a home.
What we are worried for is that  She either ran off to get pregnant again(I don't think it is likely since she didn't run off the first time.)  Or...she is dead.  I'm still hoping for someone to have taken her home.
     For now though, I will have to play kitty mama while I prepare for my own little one.