QUEEN AT TIME OF KITTENING 21 



have a hot-water bottle ready. Wrap this in 

 a cloth and as the mother takes care of each 

 kit, remove it to the hot-water bottle out of her 

 way. After you are sure all the kits have ar- 

 rived, remove the soiled bedding and give her 

 the babies. Should the mother seem exhausted 

 before all the kits arrive give her a saucer of 

 evaporated milk diluted with warm water. If 

 the kittens arrive head first, you will very likely 

 have no trouble and aside from remaining near 

 and giving clean, dry bedding, the cat will re- 

 quire no extra attention. Do not feed the 

 mother heavy meals for the first two days; let 

 her have plenty of fresh water and good raw 

 minced beef; do not handle the kittens; 

 protect them from the light. It may be your 

 queen will not like a box for her bed and insist 

 on finding her own place. In this case it is 

 sometimes best to humor her till the kits arrive 

 and then give her the bed you wish her to use. 

 Sometimes a basket in a bed-room closet is a 

 favorite place till the kits are old enough to 

 get about. 



