Our 18-hour pet

On Saturday I saw a stray cat jump out of the trailer on our driveway, and didn't think anything of it.... until I walked past the trailer and heard little mewing sounds coming out of it.  Sure enough that cat had just birthed 2 little kittens in there!  We thought it was cute and the kids of course started begging to keep them, but since Pete and Strider are allergic to cats, were told they would have to remain outside.

The next day, though, brought some sadness.  Only 1 kitten remained in the trailer... and we couldn't see the mother anywhere.  We left it alone for a little while, hoping the mother was going to come back for it, but by late afternoon it became evident that the poor little thing was on her own.

We scooped it into a box and took it to the pet store to find out what to do.  We emerged 15 minutes and $16 later, equipped with kitten formula, a bottle, and the knowledge that she was a female and needed to be fed every 3-4 hours.

The boys got right to it.

She wasn't eating much, though, and as night came on, Pete and I got a little more concerned.  I stayed up until midnight to feed her, and then felt like we should keep her nearby in case she cried out for more food, so brought her into our bedroom.  Neither Pete nor I slept much...  She was so weak and helpless.  Pete got up at 3:30 and 6:30 to feed her, but again she didn't really want to eat.

The kids got up eager to see how she was.... but within an hour or two it was evident she was dying.

It's been a sad day around here.  We've talked a lot about Heaven for animals -- and how much we need our mothers.  I can see seeds of good things growing in the kids' hearts.... but it's still hard.