Cinco's Cinco

 Sometime between dusk on April 24 and dawn of April 25, Cinco de Meow gave birth to five kittens.  She rejected all three sheltered birthing boxes and chose the lumber bin as her nursery.  With "Grandma Suze" and "Grandma Spook" standing guard at each end, there was no question about where the kittens were even though we could not see them.  Based on Cinco de Meow's size, the smallest guess as to the number of kittens was six -- and I was concerned that she'd have more than eight.  She fooled all of us, giving birth to just five (cinco) but they are big kittens. 

The is the original lumber bin, in which Cinco de Meow first took refuge.  The supports on one end had collapsed, but those on the other end and the bottom support held.  This gave her many places in which to hide.  It became her version of a cat condo and she chose it as her nursery rather than any of the sheltered birthing boxes we prepared for her.

After two days of not being able to see the kittens, my neighbor resorted to taking apart the lumber pile board by board.  Like a giant game pick-up sticks with lives at stake.  This is the bottom, stable level.  The reddish boards are actually two old iris bed frames, on which the 2 x 4's from the old fence were stacked.  This left a large cavity at ground level.  The gap under the top frame is Cinco de Meow's entrance to her hidey-hole.

When the first boards were removed from the bottom layer, there was Cinco de Meow on the ground with her kittens.  This is their first family portrait.  I took the kittens into my house while Lil refurbished the nursery.

Cinco's cinco, at less than three days old.  None were very happy at being separated from each other or their mother for even long enough to be carried to the shelter of the house, but once they were able to huddle together again they quieted down and some even seemed to fall asleep.  Of course, until they open their eyes it's a bit hard to tell.

Cinco back in the nursery, counting noses rather than watching the camera.  Lil contributed her old flannel jacket as bedding, hoping that Cinco would recognize it from the times she snuggled into it on a cold, rainy day and that the kittens would get used to her scent.

"Roof" replaced, but in such a manner that the front boards can be removed to check on the kittens.  Cinco & family seem to have accepted the refurbished nursery.  Better rain protection is still needed, but at this time of year protection from the wind is most important and the location is shaded after late morning.

Age, 1 week.  The kittens are becoming accustomed to the carrier and their trips into the house.  Cinco is even taking the ritual in stride.  For individual photos, see Blackie, Curly, Polly, Smokey, and Tux/Loudmouth.  Yes, we're still debating names.  None of these portraits are good, and aren't worth trying to download if you have a slow-speed connection.  But at least they show the size of the kittens.  I have rather large hands -- over 7 1/2" from wrist to tip of middle finger -- and I doubt that any except Smokey will fit in my hand in the next photo session.

Cinco can't quite bring herself to climb all the way into the carrier just yet, but now accepts the kittens' disappearance  into the house for  a while each day.  As fast as they are growing, we're going to have to step up to a larger carrier soon.

Ten days old, eyes opening.