Things I learned from a mama cat

It all started in the late fall. My middle kid, also known as "the animal whisperer," got sort of attached to the neighborhood cat.

Okay, he got really attached. He named her "Scruffy" because she really was. (I love her face in this picture. She looks totally aggravated by his affection.) She belonged to the neighbors across the way, but she wandered around the neighborhood all day. He was worried she would get run over. He was worried she was hungry. It would get cold at night and he would worry that she was cold.

 And lonely.

Have you ever tried to shepherd a child's heart that cares so much about animals? When you sort of like them and respect them as God's creation but don't really feel this real attachement to them like your sweet, quiet son does?

Well. It can get sticky really fast.

So we fed her. (hush, I know what they say. But did you read those previous paragraphs? Do you see his face? Okay then...)

And when it got really cold, Daddy said he could let her sleep in the garage. We bought her a woolen blanket at the thrift store, and he got a box and made her a bed. And put her food and water in the garage.

This cat, this Scruffy, looked really appreciative for these acts of kindness.

Fast forward to the spring, and the girl kid comes running in the house one afternoon, tears streaming down her face.

"MOM! A cat is on Scruffy and biting her neck and Scruffy is making this terrible noise and you have to come help her! Quick!!!"

My heart sank.

Oh no... 


I started to stumble over my words, trying desperately to avoid a conversation about any birds and/or bees, and trying to get back to the school day, so I said, "Oh, well, I mean, really I, um...."

In the midst of my stumbling, her eyes got wide and she said, "Oh. Right. Um, yeah. I'll get started on my work..." Her face flushed as she dug around for her school books.

I mean, we have had some talks, but neither of us was up for one that day. But she knew sort of what was up and "no talk" was good for both of us that day.

But now we had a bigger problem.

I started pondering cat fertility and the probability, or perhaps the possibility, that she wouldn't become a mama.

I started eyeing her belly, watching.

Sure enough, a kid came in one day and stated, "Scruffy is getting fat."

I looked at the girl kid and her eyes got wide. We groaned together.

Here we go.

The hubs and I had a rare dinner date one night. We were going to see a movie too, but had a little time after dinner before the movie started.

"Anywhere you want to go?" he asked.

"Well, actually, I need to run in to Walmart and get some toilet paper," I replied.

He literally rolled his eyes.

"Really? That is so not romantic. Toilet paper shopping on a date?" he groaned.

Well. We have kids and we're old.

Our dates are not what they used to be.

Anyway, as we walked down the aisle of WalMart, him with a huge economy pack of toilet paper under his arm, I said, "Oh yeah. Scruffy's pregnant..."

He literally stopped in the aisle and threw his head back and said, "OH MY GOSH!"

My timing is also not what it used to be.

Fast forward to a warm night in April. We had come home from church on a Wednesday night and as we were getting into the house, Scruffy kept trying to dart in the house. We kept shooing her away, and the thought crossed my mind that she was trying to get in the house to have a safe place to have her babies.

That wasn't an option for poor Scruffy.

The next morning as we flew out of the house for a field trip, Scruffy came walking up. Skinny.

"SHE HAD HER BABIES!!!!!" I yelled. "Get in the van; we're late!"

The poor kids were wide-eyed and worried about her the whole field trip.

We looked for them the rest of that week, but couldn't figure out where they were.

Then, a week later, I went out to exercise one morning and saw that Scruffy had accidentally been locked in the garage over night. I let her out and she ran right to a bush by our front door. I peeked in the bush and sure enough, nestled in the soft dirt under a bush against the house were her babies.

I just cried out, "Oh, look!" Tears sprang to my eyes and, I know this is going to sound really weird, but I just started to thank God for His creation.

I called to the kids and they were so excited.

The kids sat by that bush for the longest time. The middle kid sat there longer, even after everyone else had gone inside. He sat there for hours. 

A couple of days went by. We were all outside one afternoon and suddenly Scruffy walked by us with something dangling out of her mouth. Two kids started crying and one kid started yelling. 

Loudly. At the cat.

I had to quickly explain that this was the way mama cats carry their babies. 

I'm not sure they believed me.

What was so cool was that she was bringing them into the garage. We had a huge box that our lawn mower had come in. The boys had been playing with it, but they flipped it over and filled it with blankets and towels and made a home for those kittens. 

Mama cat wasn't ready for us to play with the kittens yet, so she hid them in an exposed wall of the garage behind some boxes where the kids couldn't get to them. Finally, after a few more days, she put them in the box.

The kids were beyond ecstatic. 

I cannot tell you how many times I went into the garage to find the kids in the box with the kittens. 

Sweet Scruffy was always nearby, but she allowed the kids free reign with her babies. 

The kids loved on those kittens. They each chose one and named it. 

We ended up with Fuzzy, Muzzy, Sophie, Ninja and Scruffy Jr. 

(After a friend investigating and telling us that they are all girls, we had to rename Ninja "Nya," which is the girl Lego Ninjago ninja. And if that means nothing to you, be thankful.)

Watching this cat mama her babies has truly been amazing. To see how she knows perfectly how to care for them, is just the neatest thing. I have seen God's sovereignty so much in this cat. The way she was perfectly created to carry, birth and care for these kittens is nothing short of awe inspiring. 

I have also really identified with her. 

She is eating so much food. She is single handedly keeping five kittens alive. I even give her a bowl of milk occasionally, just as a treat. She's working so hard to nurse them and keep them alive. I find myself sitting by her while the kids fawn over the kittens. I stroke her and tell her she's doing a great job.

You know, Mama to Mama. 

I rub her belly and cuddle her and try to bring the kittens to her if one escapes. I let her out for a break and watch the kittens while she's gone.

I may be taking it all a little far...

I mean, she just looks at me some times as if, "I am so tired of this..." 

And I remember. 

I took Dr. Sear's advice and stayed in my nightgown for two week after each child was born. This reminded me that my only jobs were to allow my body to heal and take care of my baby. 

I would sit and nurse that baby until I thought I was going to lose my mind.

But you know what? Those days were only a handful and they disappeared like a mist. 

I'd be so much more patient and appreciative now. 

And this cat is. Patient. She leaves the kittens and goes out for breaks now and then, but for the most part, she takes constant care of them. 

She never once mentions the old life she left behind.

Okay, I know she can't but as I watch her, it's almost as if she knows these days are fleeing and she's okay with where she is.

As again, as crazy as this sounds, this spoke to me. 

These days are fleeting. 

Even when you are trying to eat and this is what is happening:

Or when you're trying to eat and the kitten is trying to nurse:

I mean, is she not saying, "What the heck? Help me out here."

Can I tell you how many meals I ate while nursing a baby? How many times I dropped food and drink on a baby's head? It was so long since that I went without a hot meal that I still to this day don't mind a cold plate of food.

Yet she is patient. 

They rarely leave her side. Even when they have an entire yard to play in.

Yep. I understand that too. 

This is me, trying to lay in my hammock for five minutes. And there are my little kids. Even though they have a whole yard to play in. 

But that's okay.

These days are short.

They follow her everywhere. They meow and she meows back to them. Where ever they are in the yard, they communicate. It's amazing, really. She always knows where all five of them are. And one day, a kid almost hit one of them with the back garage door. (They are fast little suckers.) The kitten squealed and Scruffy came across the yard quick as lightening. 

Again. Amazing. 

God's creation is perfectly created. 

It makes me worship more. 

The way she protects these kittens is flat out admirable. 

Poor Fluffy has gotten swatted more than once for getting too close. She's not impressed with them anyway, especially when a close inspection usually results in a swat to the nose...

...Or to her tail as she runs as fast as she can away from a mad mama. Oh that I would unabashedly protect my kids from the evils that would tempt them. Not in a harmful, sheltering sort of way, but in a way that is modeled for me in the way Jesus cares for His flock as our Shepherd. 

And so we have been blessed by these little kittens. They are almost constantly with a child.

And no, we are not keeping not even one.

And yes, we've had lots of tears already about this.

That's okay too.

It's been fun for the kids and good for me.

I've learned a lot from Scruffy.

She is always patient and tender with her babies.

And even though having kids is harder than having kittens, I'm still reminded that I am the nurturer and protector of these precious kids. I want to be as tender and sweet with my kids as she is with these kittens. Even when I'm tired and weary and don't think I can go on, the Lord offeres His grace to allow me to do what's right and not what's easy.

And I want to. 

And just because kittens are cute, here are some more pictures.

 

Fine. I may shed a tear or two when it comes time to get them go. I go get one out of the box and snuggle it when I do Bible study or read. They are soft and sweet and oddly comforting. And cute too.