Tom Cat Mommies

[Kung Foo Chicken]

One year ago today my dad was down by the forest and found a small black kitten abandoned.
She had an upper respiratory infection and we assumed the mother may have had the same thing
and died. We took her to the vet whom gave us a very small dropper to give her milk replacer and
antibiotics. He estimated that she was one week old and didn't have much hope that she would
survive.

After about a week she had overcome the URI and was doing well. I had prepared to feed her
and do the bottom cleaning but, she was nowhere to be found. I was frantic looking around
the house and as I entered the hallway there she was perched upon the belly of my very fat
tom cat. Both the tom cats started carrying her around and doing the cleaning of the bottom
(I was very grateful for that!) and generally being nurturing.

I had heard many stories of male cats killing or eating kittens but, these two were smitten
by her so I continued letting them care for her only with me doing feedings. They continued
this behavior until she was nearly an adult. While the two males played rough with each other
they very much played gently with her.

"Yang-Fat cat" "Zhong-Siamese" "Myths Ethyl"

"Myths Ethyl"

 

[chickerdoodle]

What a great kitty family!

 

[Skyesrocket]

Aren't animals amazing? I love to watch animals interact. Very cool story!

 

[chixie]

growing up we had a black tom cat we called "pappa pierre" and a calico cat named garfeild who had kittens...pappa pierre would babysit the newborn kittens so garfeild could have a break... a really strange couple

 

[chickerdoodle]

We had a spayed female Doberman when I was in high school (

many, many years ago) that we adopted at the local vets. She was used by someone as as a "guard" dog and she broke her leg so they just left her (

) . I worked at the vets and bonded with her during the time she was healing. Two different families tried to adopt her but she would tear their house apart. I found she was actually well trained and very affectionate to the point of being goofy toward me--so the inevitable happened and she was mine, after all she chose me. She was perfect in our house--no destruction at all--its where she wanted to be! We were inseparable except when I was in school. One afternoon she didn't run out to see me as she always did so I went in the back of my mom's store and there she was--standing, all four paws in a tiny box with 6 cute nearly newborn kittens my mom found in the alley. She looked just like an elephant balancing on a stool in the circus. She was looking at the little fluffballs and wanted to lay with them! So we put them in a large box and Gypsy immediately layed down with them looking so proud!

She took care of them (except for feeding of course), washed their tiny behinds while they wiggled in protest, let them crawl all over her and even protected them like a mom would. It was common to walk in the back of the store to find 3 or 4 kittens' attached by only their claws like velcro to a normally stoic Doberman. Gypsy would have her her eyes closed with her big muzzle full of sharp teeth in an obvious smile in peaceful bliss. She tolerated them chomping on her, using her as a mountain to climb, jump on and off and even stick their heads in her mouth if she yawned. As they got older the time came when they needed to have their very own family. When prospective owners came to see them she would give a low growl as soon as they came too near them. I literally had to tell her it was OK and then pick up the kittens myself or she would put her body between the people and the kittens and show her teeth if the growl didn't work. Fortunately she trusted me and allowed me to pick up the kittens to show the prospective owners the now irresistible little butterballs. Much to gypsy's dismay all of them got new homes within a weeks time. She then went back to being my full time companion--only this time we adopted a stray cat we rescued in the back alley (maybe the mom?) just for her! So Spice and Gypsy remained friends for many years.

Aren't animals wonderful?

 

[L&Schickens]

I had a neutered doberman pincher who cared for 2 wild kittens that were born in our hay and the mother left them. Max did the grooming and snuggling and I did the feeding. It worked out great. I have pictures somewhere but not on the computer.

 

[thebritt]

Are the boys neutered?
Cute story!

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

Wonderful stories. A lot of unusual events happen in the animal kingdom.
I can imagine the dog taking care of kittens was very cute!


Yes, the boys are neutered. Myths Ethyl also has been spayed.
They still comply with her wishes and often they bring her toys and food.
I have to watch Yang as he can stand up on his hind legs and turn door
knobs. We have to keep the outside doors locked. He also walks on a
leash like a dog but, he doesn't like too much human affection. The other two
are affectionate but, will not walk on a leash at all.

 

[redhen]

Aww!