Monday, March 18, 2024
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Rescue Story: My First Litter

quince blossoms with snow
Quince blossoms with snow, from just a few days before the mother of my first litter showed up.

Because I finally painted Nikka’s portrait this month I think I should also feature her rescue story, which includes the stories of her mother and siblings. I call it “my first litter” because the kittens were the first litter born in my house after I began rescuing. All the other cats I’d rescued to that point had been older kittens, adults or mother cats with older kittens.

Of course, I’d watched my cat Bootsie give birth to seven kittens back in 1970, but at this point I was an adult, and I was a little intimidated by the prospect, but also very excited to start learning. My veterinarian at the time was a multi-veterinarian hospital that had overnight emergency hours, so I knew I could call and ask for advice if I needed it, and I had talked to them when I took her in to talk over what to expect and what I’d be doing with them over the next three months.

I had this two-part story linked in my post about the artwork, so if you haven’t read it yet here you go…

You may have read a story here on The Creative Cat that begins:

One night in early April, 1988, still with patches of snow on the frozen earth, a very small, very pregnant cat politely but confidently asked me if she could come into my home to give birth to her kittens. Of course I said yes, and I witnessed the entrance to this life of four independent and individualistic progeny. The last one born stayed with me after the others were adopted; the “runt of the litter”, the little cat with the big attitude, a torbie, my Fawn.

Here and there I’ve written pieces of the story of the mama kitty and the special gift she gave to me—her confidence and trust, two cats who became part of my life, and a friendship with two humans that began before the adoption but endures to this day in part through the bond of that mama kitty.

Read “My First Litter”

Part One

Part Two

. . . . . . . .

The very first photo of the snow on quince flowers may seem somehow familiar. That photo was the basis photo for my block print “The Spring Kitten”, although it was taken later in the spring. Click the link to read the story.


Read other stories in my Rescue Stories series including tales of my own rescues from decades ago to today, and current stories too.


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Great Rescues Day Book:
Portraits, Rescue Stories, Holidays and Events, Essential Feline Information, All in One Book

day book with cat portraits
Great Rescues Day Book

Each month features one of my commissioned portraits of a feline or felines and their rescue story along with a kitty quote on the left page, and on the right page the month name with enough lines for all possible dates, with standard holidays and animal-themed observances and events. Great Rescues also includes a mini cat-care book illustrated with my drawings including information on finding strays or orphaned kittens, adopting for the first time or caring for a geriatric cat, a list of household toxins and toxic plants, or helping stray and feral cats and beginning with TNR.

Each book includes also 10 sheets of my “22 Cats” decorative notepaper with a collage of all the portraits in black and white so you can make your own notes or write special notes to friends.

The portraits in this book, collected as a series, won both a Certificate of Excellence and a Muse Medallion in the 2011 Cat Writers’ Association Annual Communication Contest, as well as the 22 Cats Notepaper mentioned below.

Read more and order.



Copyright

All images and text used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission, although links to your site are more than welcome and are shared. Please ask if you are interested in using and image or story in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of an image or a product including it, check my animal and nature website Portraits of Animals to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.


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© 2022 | www.TheCreativeCat.net | Published by Bernadette E. Kazmarski

Weekly schedule of features:

Sunday: Essays, Pet Loss, Poetry, The Artist’s Life

Monday: Adoptable Cats, TNR & Shelters

Tuesday: Rescue Stories

Wednesday: Commissioned Portrait or Featured Artwork

Thursday: New Merchandise

Friday: Book Review, Health and Welfare, Advocacy

Saturday: Your Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Living Green With Pets, Creating With Cats

And sometimes, I just throw my hands in the air and have fun!

 
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Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

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