KITTENS, KITTENS, KITTENS : *** WHAT A BIRTHING MARATHON ***

Well, just as suspected: Crystal waited for Opal to show her how. After Opal delivered six little ones yesterday afternoon, Crystal decided to give it a go. Her first kitten was born 3 hours later, but she struggled until 6:40 AM to complete her job. Not to be outdone, she produced six wee kitties too. Unfortunately, one has lost the battle of surviving those first 8 hours, so Crystal now has five tiny little bundles of joy to nurture along. The two girls are together in one playpen, nursing whichever kitten latches on. Crystal's kiddies have string bows around their necks as a method of keeping track. Not that it seems to matter. I'll post a photo tomorrow so you can all enjoy the sight. What a miracle it was to see each queen help the other as the babies arrived. After 9 hours, Crystal was very tired and ready to give up. Opal coaxed and licked Crystal's face to encourage her to rally around. I felt humbled to have the privilege of witnessing this bonded loving connection between them. Right now everyone is sleeping peacefully: kittens facing the heat lamp at whatever degree of closeness and warmth they need. Instinct is such a marvelous mystery to behold. Till tomorrow ... Bye Bye.