Kittens rescued

Monday night we rescued two hungry kittens from under our house. We think the mother cat somehow found a way under the house and had her kittens there in a place that was safe and warm and quiet. Something must have happened and she was unable to get back under the house to feed and care for them. For two days we had heard the cries of the kittens, but had mistaken the sound for a bird. Finally on Monday night we made another search and discovered the sound coming from under the house. At first we were sure it wasn't a bird, but were not really sure that it was a kitten. Was it possible it was a squirrel or raccoon? Listening closer we heard what we thought were two different animals making the sounds. We opened the vent that went under the house near the place the cries were coming from. It was too dark to see anything so I got a flashlight. Shining the flashlight down under the house I saw a flash of eyes - but nothing more. We had figured out by now that the cries were coming from two kittens. It was several feet down to the ground under the house, and there was no way the kittens were going to be able to climb out without help. At this point we became aware of a black cat hovering around nearby - probably the mother. We tried putting a board down under the house and hoped they would walk on the board and come out from under the house. Nope, that wasn't going to happen. No enticement worked - no food, or calls, or laser light. We decided we would have to go to the garage and go thru the opening there that led under the house. That proved to be a much better idea. We uncovered the opening, and got the flashlight out to shine around and see if we could spot them. It wasn't long before we saw the two sets of eyes begin to work their way from the other end of the house and come toward us. The first one out was a furry little black fluff ball about the size of a tennis ball. The second one was a little lighter in color. They were so tiny! We saw the mother had followed us and was hiding in the garage watching what was going on with her babies. We decided the best course of action would be to open the garage door a little, and leave them all alone to see what would happen. We left food and water for them, and then came into the house. Before bed Dave went down to the garage to see if they were still there and close the garage door. He found no sign of them, so we assumed the mother had taken her babies out of the garage to a new hiding place.

I was a little sad the kittens were gone, but we really didn't need any more animals anyway. That was probably for the best. The next night when Dave was in the garage before coming up to bed - he heard the hiss of a cat in the garage. The mother and babies were there afterall - just in a new hiding place! We left more food and water for them, and in the morning before Dave left for work, he lifted the garage door enough for the mother cat to go out if she wanted to. Later in the day, I went down to check and found no evidence of them and assumed she had really taken them this time. Wrong again. When Dave came home, he went on a search and found them in a new hiding place. So for the time being, we are housing and feeding the mother and babies.

Katie has claimed one for a companion to Tucker, and I would like one myself. We'll see what happens, and if they stay around long enough for us to actually claim them. They seem to belong to no one the best I can tell - but I'm not sure.