Well, since we don't have our Socs dog anymore, we thought it would be safe to bring some cats back on the farm. Socs thought it was his job to rid us of felines, so when the last one was gone 3 or 4 years ago, we didn't replenish the population. We didn't want the Labs to learn to kill cats. It ruins them for retrieving birds. After we lost Socs this summer, Dave said he thought we should try to bring some cats back on the farm, to help control the mice. (Oy!! The mice have really become a problem.) So after going to the farmer's market with our pumpkins we met a young couple looking to give away their half grown kittens. They brought them to the market last Saturday, 10/4, and I could tell that the wife was kind of attached to the kittens. She brought bottled water and a full bag of cat food and used a good bath towel for their bed in a pet taxi. I told Dave I didn't want to have to lie to them when we go back this weekend and they ask how the kittens are doing. They even gave us their cell phone numbers. We still have 4 dogs, 2 Labs and 2 mini Dachshunds. Precious, a doxie, has proven to be the most threatened of them all. She is insanely jealous, and I don't like the look in her eyes when she observes me holding the kittens. So I kept her inside while I allowed the kittens to acclimate to their new environment. They spent Saturday afternoon and evening either on top of awning over the deck or back in their kennel, while the dogs were out and about.
After we put the big dogs to bed in their kennels, I opened the cat kennel and let the kittens run freely around the deck. They ran around and investigated and played on the deck all night long. They are so cute. Sunday morning I let the dogs out one by one and let the kittens get used to being around them, but from a safe distance. I spent most of the day on the deck with all of them. I arranged and rearranged the deck furniture and the kittens and big dogs spent the day getting getting to know each other.
The little dogs stayed in the house most of the day. I just don't trust Precious. I was right not to trust her, because that afternoon I was getting ready to mow the lawn and she and Oliver, the other mini doxie, came out with me. Precious made a B-line for the backyard and went straight to the deck where the kittens were hiding.
I heard her start barking and then yelp (obviously got too close to a kitten). Then the scuffle erupted. The big dogs ran around to the deck from the garage and I could hear them going after the kittens. (All of them except Oliver, of course, who made sure I could see him with me in the garage and not in the middle of the fight.) By the time I got back there, I found Mac, the black Lab, in the trees and Precious and Ike, yellow Lab, beside him and heard a kitten crying. I got the dogs away and found little Boo, the black kitten. She was scared and hissing and clawed at me when I picker her up. Her breathing was rapid and raspy, but she wasn't bleeding anywhere.
I brought her in and kept her in the cat kennel over night. She slept a lot and spent most of Monday just sleeping in the kennel. Then Monday afternoon she scratched at the door to get out and I took her out to the garden where she relieved herself. But she wouldn't eat or drink yet, so I kept her in the kennel another night. Good thing too, because the temp dropped to 29 degrees and I think she would have frozen to death. This morning, Tuesday, I took her outside again and she pottied. She wanted to stay in the trees with the other kittens, but when she attempted ot climb the tree, she couldn't do it. She doesn;t have enough strength.
I brought her back in the house and when I offered her food again, this time she ate. Now she is purring and feeling quite at home next to me on the sofa, even though Precious sits on the other side of my lap. They are safe as long as I am between them, but I don't dare let either of them out of my sight.
I am hopeful that these kittens can survive the dogs as well as the winter. We might get some snow this weekend already, and last night was the first freeze of the season. Who knows what kind of winter it will be.
Pictures of the kittens below

Itty


Bitty


Boo



Ike, Mac & Boo before the mishap