Once upon a time, there was a cat named Judy. She has just become a mother to 4 little kittens - Playful, Leo, Sleepy, and Scady. She brought the 4 kittens to a nearby apartment. A few families in the apartment fell in love with Judy and her kittens. They fed them food and milk. Judy was happily nursing her little kittens. It was a joy to watch the 4 kittens cuddle up together, roll on the floor on sunny afternoons, or chase each other. The kittens provided a much-needed reprieve for many little children in the apartment, who are stuck in their homes and online classes thanks to Covid. They observed how the kittens were nursed by their mother. They observed how Judy was protective of her kittens, standing guard nearby but at the same time, giving kittens the space to play and have fun.
As the kittens grew, Judy pushed them to become more independent. She was hissing and growling at them when they wanted to nurse or cuddle up with their mom. After a few months, Judy left them but the four siblings were always together. They developed many skills needed to grow into an adult - climbing trees, chasing each other, prank pouncing, sharpening their claws, and having fun. The children in the apartment were enthralled to see the little kittens and their playful acts.
Given that the four kittens were all female, a male cat named Octavius enters their lives. Initially, the kittens were scared of him, but slowly they warmed up to his presence. Some of them became too close to him and moved to the next stage of their lives. Playful got pregnant and she walked around with a baby bump. Next, it was Sleepy's turn. Both of them walked slowly with their baby bumps. The children are now more excited that their friendly kittens are going to become moms. Sleepy who is usually a very calm cat becomes more aggressive, thanks to pregnancy hormones.
As days passed by, Playful and Sleepy aren't running around as much and it was hard to spot them in the garden. Playful found a safe and cozy cupboard in one of the apartment bedrooms to deliver her babies. She sat there and delivered her babies at ease. Her siblings gave her the much-needed space and stayed away from her. The apartment dweller hears a faint meow sound one evening and then discovers Playful in the cupboard along with her tiny babies in a carton box. The children are even more excited to see these tiny kittens, who are smaller than mice. They are yet to open their eyes and can't stand on their feet yet. Playful is super protective of her babies and she doesn't want the outside world to see them yet. She lifts them with her teeth and takes them back into the cupboard.
The children are now seriously discussing what to name the three little kittens who have just arrived.
P.S.
This story happened in just 6 months - a kitten turning into a mom and delivering her kittens. The children (and adults) got to observe the different life stages of a cat.
Pregnancy and birthing happened so naturally, with the mom listening to her instincts, finding out a safe space, and delivering the kittens all by herself.
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