A Mother’s Love…

6/25/26

Second time is not like the first. In some ways it was very similar, but other ways completely different. She carried her babies to term- same. She needed me present to deliver-same. She wanted her human mom to keep a hand on her for encouragement- same. I remember how much I wanted my mom with me when I delivered my three babies. She was a comfort to me every step of the way. A Mother’s Love is always there! She was able to stall her labor if I was not right there with her-different. She stalled it for hours waiting for me. (I had twin infants from foster care. I couldn't sit with her uninterrupted until they went to bed.) I had to stay with her through the night for her to feel comfortable enough to deliver. We had 2am 3am & 4am babies- different. Last time we had afternoon babies and Charlotte seemed more relaxed. Maybe because she didn’t know what was coming?

She is a pretty experienced mom as she raised seven babies her first litter. With this being her second time around we thought it would go much like the first time. Not so much! She has been way more protective this time. She had three babies as opposed to seven which gave her real quality time with each baby. With seven she welcomed my company more readily and seemed relieved when she could get a tiny break. With these babies she was in the nursery with them every second. Never leaving their sight. She knew more this time. She wanted to keep them so close to home that she even chewed their whiskers off! Something I just recently learned mama cats do instinctively to keep their babies from wandering too far off. Isn’t that fascinating? She doesn’t know where her other babies went. She did not chew their whiskers off the first time. She did it the second time. She wants her babies close to her.

A Mother’s Love is close to home. My mom always felt like home to me. I love when my kids come home. I understand Charlotte. I respect her and admire her. I know she is a cat, but I think she is remarkable. She knows short whiskers lead to babies close to mom.

The problem with chewing off their whiskers is, the kittens don’t learn to explore with confidence the world around them. For their own good they need their whiskers. It helps guide them safely around their environment. It gives them spatial awareness. Whiskers are important because it helps them navigate in the dark, hunt prey, measure the width of tight spaces and it even helps them express their mood. They are the cats radar system. This is why you should never cut a cat’s whiskers; it leaves them disoriented and scared. I noticed the babies had less confidence this time around and I couldn’t figure it out until I noticed their whiskers. We keep learning every day. I learn a lot from Charlotte.

As a human mom I wonder how many times I figuratively chewed the whiskers off my kids? I didn’t mean to leave them without a proper way to navigate this world. The good thing about whiskers is they grow back! Thank Goodness! I pray the figurative ones do too! A Mother’s Love is a forever love!