This is how it all started...

Last autumn (2007), before we really knew her, a little black cat came by to visit a few times. We broke down and fed her, and I think she was living under our front porch for a while; but once winter hit she disappeared. We figured that someone took her in.

In early July she returned. She was very hungry and ate everything we would give her, sometimes three BIG cans of cat food a day. For a small cat of about six or seven pounds this both amazed and worried us. I feared the worst, and my fears were substantiated after a week or so of feeding: this little cat was preggers.

We still weren't sure if she belonged to someone or not and one night I saw, as nightfall came, that this kitty would wander over to the abandoned home next door. I joked to my wife that the cat might be living next door. Then a few evenings later, while I chatted with a friend on the phone, I saw my wife - in her PJs - walking next door. And five minutes later walking home with a pregnant little black cat following her. This soon to be mama cat had been living in the dank, dirty garage next door.

But not any longer. Sid earned herself the back room of our house. We started to call her "Six Dinner Sid" after the children's book of the same name since she, too, would visit all the neighbors begging for food before we took her in.

This is Sid on July 12th:



Mind you, that photo was taken a day after her vet said that she'd probably have four kittens in 7 to 10 days.

This is Sid on the morning of July 13th, the proud mama of SEVEN kittens:



Unfortunately, one of the kittens didn't last more than a few hours. Yet, I can't image how Sid would have managed all seven; she barely got any rest with the SIX that made it!

And so it began! I'll try to post more early kitten pics and video for all of you soon.