Thursday April 4, at 7am I went up to the weasel room for the morning rounds of meds, special feedings etc. As I fed Taz I heard a squeaking noise. I called to the pen of terror, "Ok, who's picking on who?". As I went over to check, there was Maggie May the kitty in her spot in the ferret bed and there were little wiggly things laying with her. As my eyes focused in I realized that they were kittens. Good God, she had her kittens in the ferret pen! Screams of "Oh my God," repeatedly rang through the house. All I could think is that the ferrets had injured the kittens....or worse. They responded to my excitement on hind legs with anxious faces as if they were saying, "I didn't do it. I didn't break the cat. Honest mom, she was just like that when we woke up!" Jasper and Cotton were asleep two levels up from where Maggie gave birth. Jasper just yawned as if to say "What is all the commotion about? Oh yeah, kittens, they're cute huh?" I grabbed weasels by the handfuls and put them in another cage until I could get mom and kittens moved to my room. And every single one of the four was absolutely fine. Not a hair on their head was harmed and Maggie seemed perfectly content with her decision to have her babies with her 11 ferret midwives. Since she came to live with us I have not been able to keep her out of that spot. She has mothered the poor fuzzys to no end, licking and grooming them before they fall asleep in one big pile. No one was sure when she was due and I thought she had at least a few weeks to go. The night before she gave birth she cried so pitifully to go be with the fuzzies that I gave in. I think she had it all planned out. Even stranger is that she won't let Snapshot (the dog) within 6 feet of the kittens, but when I took a fuzzy for a visit she purred and gave her a head butt. She is a wonderful momma kitty. There are two tabbys, an orange and white and a black and white. It's been a long time since I've seen baby anythings and my roommates and I are just loving every minute of it. At a couple days old they are already scrapping with each other over who get's what nipple. I will always be amazed at how gentle all of the fuzzies were in not harming these babies. Somehow I just think they knew and the carnivore instinct just didn't occur to them. I am so proud of my furkids. What a wondrous event. BTW The winner of the kitten pool is Jamie Filler with MSC. Thanks to all who participated! Handing out cigars, Kim and all of da special little sometins up my sleeve [Posted in FML issue 3745]