A "Birth" Day in the Jungle

Here are the proud and happy parents shortly before the birth …

Early this morning as I was playing with the dogs, who, with their bouncy morning exuberance were keeping me from immersing myself in my early Sunday computer news, I heard a piercing catscream. The three of us jumped and ran for the kitchen, where we found Shadow lying on the floor by the door with a dark gooey wet blob between her legs … her new kittens were on their way! I ran to find her a box to give her minimal protection from the hyperactive dogs and Dusk and Dawn, her two fascinated daughters (from the last pregnancy). Carefully I moved her and her new little one, who she had by now cleaned, into the box, where she continued with the cleaning as I left to go look for some chiltepes (tiny wild hot peppers) for a breakfast treat for Jade, R2D2 and Storm, the three parrots. By the time I returned (5 minutes max), Shadow and the kitten had disappeared. I soon discovered them in an empty box upstairs.