A Mother’s Work is Never Done
Each year my human decides to pull out some more photos of me with the kids. I hope some day she gets over this. We caught her digging through boxes and cartons in the entertainment center and she wouldn’t even let us help look, though you can be sure I would have gotten in her way if I had known she was looking up the photos she took when my babies were tiny. At least she didn’t choose another where I’m nursing them and my lovely figure is all distorted!
But these aren’t so bad. Sigh…I almost feel wistful. They were so small, I was so much bigger than them, and look at us now.
But she didn’t have to show this one! Oh, I don’t miss those days! Six litters were way too many! When I look at this one I hope for every girl cat everywhere in the world that she be spayed before she evens knows what’s happening!
This is more like it, all grown up and happily napping together, with me on top.
Happy Mother’s Day, and speaking of that human, she wants to say something…
. . . . . . .
Tough Love From the Mother Cat
I have apparently always needed a feline caretaker. Initially it was my boy Kublai who rescued me while I was in college and helped guide my life and provide inspiration for years afterward, and caused me to rescue any cat who seemed to need help.
When he felt I was sufficiently improved as a human and other cats would benefit from my education, he moved on to his next assignment. For a decade I was left in the capable paws of Sophie and Cookie who were always on each side of me, often even leaning on me, to provide love and support. Cookie guided me alone for six years after that, always at my side, smiling, and happily accompanying me in most activities.
Cookie began mentoring Mimi before I even realized, and I was left in the practical paws of Mimi who treats me as she did her kittens:
“You need to eat now.”
“Get over yourself.”
“You are not the center of the universe.”
“You need to go to bed.”
There are times when I could use the company of a human to help make a decision, to help answer a question or just for company and with my sometimes odd hours no human is around, but I turn to look at my feline familiar and am met with a direct gaze from eyes as deeply understanding as any human’s could be and I know the mind behind those eyes understands on a level beyond words. Sometimes in my own non-verbal way, that is exactly what I need. As a human whose life has been guided by loving, nurturing felines I can honestly say I am grateful for their guidance.
See Mimi’s Mother’s Day greeting from 2013, 2012 and 2011.
From we Creative Cats to all you cat moms and pet moms and human moms out there! And here’s a video a friend shared of a rabbit, whether wild or a domestic rabbit living on its own, nursing its babies. Mother rabbits build a warren of tunnels underground and after the first few days leave their babies all day long so they don’t lead predators back to the warren. This rabbit isn’t giving birth but uncovers the opening enough for the babies to come out and nurse, then she leaves again, and they all obediently scurry back inside. I saw this once in my back yard many years ago and thought I was seeing things, but then learned about wild rabbits. It’s one of the reasons I started building the brush piles along my fence, so the mother rabbits could have cover in and out of their dens.
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My mother died in 2011, and my loss of Peaches taught me what to expect in her loss. I wrote an essay for Mother’s Day, as well as other things about my mother, which you can read on Today.
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Mimi, you were a good Mom, and still are,to your kittens
and a good Mom to Bernadette 😉
We love Jelly Bean and Mimi at bath time.
Mimi and Mom B are both good moms.
Happy Mother’s Day !
Purrs Georgia and Julie,
Treasure, JJ
and Angels Tiger and Tillie
Georgia and Julie, it’s kind of nice to “retire” for a while with this wonderful little family!
Sweet Mimi..I know that was so much for a tiny Mama like you to go through..but somehow I know that you were a good and loving Mom to every kitten you had..I can tell by the precious kids that are still lucky enough to be with you..And Mama B..any kitty is lucky to be with you..for a short time or for their whole lifetime..Their lives and yours are so much better for it..Happy Mother’s Day and Hugs to both of you!!
P.S…Is there anything cuter than a tiny black Jelly Bean??..lol
Bluemoonalone, I’ve seen a lot of kittens, I don’t even know for sure how many, and Bean was cute from the very first moment, and is still about the cutest one, ever, and as an adult too!
Thank you, Bluemoonalone! Mimi is my special girl, I can’t live without seeing her all through the day but she’s always with me, unless she’s cuddling with her kids. My life is definitely better for their presence!