Thanks for the offer, and I'll keep that in mind. I've had a couple
days to get a closer look at Spotty. In the past I only saw Spotty in
passing, and that was usually in the dark. I now see she has a bite on
her front shoulder that needs to be looked after. Looks like an abcess
that has burst - you know the ugly look when the wound hasn't been
treated and starts oozing and losing hair around the wound site.

Yet another reason why I question the wisdom of finding Spotty's legal
home. Just how good a home is it where they leave a momma cat outside
24/7, letting bites abcess and go untreated? Watching Spot, I'm
guessing she was bitten trying to run off some cat who got too close
to her babies. I'm leaning towards just getting them vetted/speutered
and into good homes. May not be the legal way to go, but I think best
for this little family. I'll see what my vet says tomorrow when Sammy
goes in for her checkup.

Right now I think it may be fairly easy to round up the kits. They've
taken to sleeping/hiding in the carrier, so it may work out that all
I'd have to do is wait for all four to get in the carrier and shut the
door. The problem would be having Spot decide this isn't a safe place
for them, and moving the family when I bring them home from being
vetted. And, even if she doesn't move them, the kits may decide the
carrier isn't the safest hiding place. If that happens, I may be
looking for advice on the best way to trap kits. I think they'd go
into a trap, but how sensitive are those traps? Does a 9-10 week old
kit weigh enough to spring the trap, and would the others learn to
avoid it when they see their siblings caught? Oh well, that's in the
future, and may not be a factor if I succeed in socializing the kits.

I've only been around two litters as an adult. Watching Spot and her
kits, it really strikes me how different they act than LB and her
kits. At the same age LB's babes were utterly fearless, while just
about anything startles Spot's babes, sending them into hiding. When
LB's babes saw a hoomin sit down (not just me, but any hoomin) it was
taken as an invitation to climb all over said hoomin. Spot's kits
instantly run and hide upon seeing/hearing a hoomin. It's really sad
when you stop and think that Spot's babies are reacting that way
because someone is letting them grow up in the OUT. They're acting
that way because Spot has taught them that it's the way to react to
the many real dangers to small kittens growing up in the OUT.

Yep, I've just about talked myself into a catnapping. These guys
DESERVE a better hand than they've been dealt.

I'm definitely working on it.

But then I'd be blamed for spreading KF ;-) They certainly are
something watch, as are any 9 week old kits are. Just now I looked out
the window to see the three mostly white kits investigating things
only kittens can see on the patio. Meanwhile Spot is giving their
sibling's stomach a good washing. Course he/she is squirming to get
away, but momma has a paw on his chest to hold her/him down. Just
looked out again and bathtime is over. Little Shadow, the tuxie, has
decided to lick the dry food, while the others are rough housing -
Little Goopy Eye just tackled Shadow from behind, resulting in a
wrestling match - Little Orange Ear is now biting Spotty's tail - I
don't see #4 right now - doesn't matter as they've all moved on to
other things as I typed this. Ah, the trials and tribulations of being
a kitten (or a momma cat).

And, yes, I know the dangers of giving them names. I need to call them
something, don't I? Shadow just sort of introduced himself - he
sometimes shadows Momma when she walks around - think those films of
dolphins or flocks of birds whose every movement seems to be
synchronized. He glues himself to her side, walking along so that
their tails are about even. When the others walk around with Momma
they frisk about investigating things, but he sticks by her side. Who
needs TV when there's 9 week old kits to watch? ;-)