After noting that Miss Maryland never tried to enter her sister's nest box, I found her cuddled up with Miss Caroline's kittens trying to nurse on her. Hmmm...something was up. She was indeed in labor and would hear of no options other than to have her babies alongside of her sister. I had no choice but to comply and when things got going I snuck Miss Caroline's kids out to a separate warm spot to leave room for the birth. The amazing thing was that Miss Caroline took charge of her sister's labor. A lot of licking goes on...and both mamas did their share. Caroline made sure that each baby was cleaned off and she helped to cut the chord and eat the placenta. Both mamas rested together in between kittens with the little ones nursing on whichever mama was available. This went on all night until at some point Miss Caroline's babies (they are a week old today) got hungry and called to their mama. She brought them into the nest box and they began nursing on whichever nipple was nearest. I worried about the newborns being able to compete for a spot at the soda fountain with their older cousins, but so far so good. This is truely a super litter...fourteen in all.
Note in the picture on the top, Miss Maryland is nursing her babies and her sister's in a kitten free for all. Weights will come tonight, but of the newborns I did weigh, all were over 3 ounces so well within normal limits.
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