"NOVEL NOTES ... Jerome K. Jerome
She was the most motherly thing I have ever known. She was never happy without a family. Indeed, I cannot remember her when she hadn't a family in one stage or another. She was not very particular about what sort of family it was If she could not have kittens, then she would content herself with puppies or rats. Anything she could wash and feed seemed to satisfy her. I believe she would have brought up chickens if we had entrusted them to her.
All her brains must have run to motherliness, for she hadn't much sense. She could never tell the difference between her own children and other people's. She thought anything young was a kitten.
We once mixed up a spaniel puppy that had lost its own mother among her progeny. I shall never forget her astonishment when it first barked. She boxed both its ears, and then sat looking down at it with an expression of indignant sorrow that was really touching."
(Not so sure about the rats!!)
I love that picture. Look at the cat's eyes, she is far away in a peaceful world of her own.
ReplyDeleteAbsolute pure contentment. A very happy mum.
DeleteMany years ago we had two female cats who had kittens at the same time. One of them simply handed all her kittens over, and walked away. The other brought them all up. She was a mother to her core.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely story that is. Of course these days with strict laws that couldn't/shouldn't happen and yet there are still many unwanted cats (and dogs too).
DeleteSuch a lovely mom.
ReplyDeleteShe has that mumsie look doesn't she?
DeleteI wonder if she thought there was something drastically wrong with her dear, sweet barking kitten.
ReplyDeleteGood mom. Great Mom, rather. :) Good to hear a story like this!
I can imagine the look the mother cat gave to that 'kitten'. I am sure though it wouldn't have stopped her mothering the pup.
DeleteAs with people, some are meant to be mothers while others not so much.