Posted by Miss Crowther | Posted in Special Event | Posted on November 4, 2015
We’ve always wanted a class pet and the closest we have come is having a ‘school’ cat. Now we not only have a cat but four kittens as well!
Earlier in the year, Sybil arrived. It took a little while to earn her trust and she wasn’t that keen on kids. Only people who arrived at school early when it was quiet met her before she raced off and hid under our classroom for the day. Our global pal Snappy had a happy ‘snap’ with her whilst she ate breakfast.
Sybil went off to the vets to be scanned for a microchip. Unfortunately she did not have one so it was off to the pound for eight days. No owner could be found and Sybil was adopted by Miss Crowther.
Just when we thought we were cat free, another cat was spotted in the yard. It looked a lot like Sybil and to begin with, people thought that it was the same cat! Mrs Lewis nicknamed the new cat Stevie – short for Stephanie or Stephan. Today we discovered that Stevie is definitely short for Stephanie!
On Monday Stevie and her large tummy arrived for breakfast. We suspected she was full of kittens.
Today she appeared looking much thinner and extremely hungry. She also only wanted to eat in one spot. Surprisingly she was extra friendly and didn’t run away when everyone arrived at school.
The mystery of where the kittens were hiding was solved at recess. Stevie’s kittens were waiting patiently for their mum under a blackberry bush. It wasn’t a very safe place – they would get wet and cold when the evening’s predicted storm arrived and they would make a delicious snack for Fantastic Mr Fox.
A plan was hatched to first catch Stevie (as she was going to be the hardest) and then move her kittens to be with her. It was a team effort and we probably won’t ever have another recess like it! Games were abandoned as we embarked on our mission.
Stevie and her kittens were soon scooped up (more easily than we imagined) and spent the rest of the day in Mrs Lewis’ quiet office getting to know each other. We all wanted to visit, but had to leave her in peace and make do with photos.
It’s too early to know if the kittens are boys or girls. Stevie and her kittens will be heading off to the vets for a check up and then a foster home until the kittens are big enough to be rehomed. Stevie will also be looking for a home. The RSPCA have some tips for adopting cats.
Did you know…
*Over the past 10 years the RSPCA have adopted out or reunited with their owners 222,916 cats/kittens.
* 1 in 4 Australian households are home to cats. (Source: Animal Australia)
* One homeless cat can have up to 41 kittens a year. (Click Here for the source)
* The average pet cat will live for 12 to 15 years.
* On average, cats spend two thirds of their day sleeping. That means, if a cat is nine years old, it has only been awake for three years!
* A group of cats is called a ‘clowder’.
* There is an expression ‘Having kittens’. It means that you are freaking out or panicking about something.
Do you have a cat? What is it like?
What interesting facts can you share about cats?
If you were Stevie, what would you say about the day’s events?
Have you ever ‘Had kittens’ over something?