another animal loss

This morning J found the kitten, Uno, dead.

Fluffy had been taking good care of the kitten, feeding it and tending to it. Yesterday it took a bit to locate the kitten, we could hear it crying but had to look around a bit for it. J found it in the barn rafters and got it down, putting it back on the hay where it had been. Once Fluffy saw it there, she picked it up in her mouth and jumped up into the rafters again to put it back up there. I was impressed with her ability to climb with the kitten in her mouth. I was afraid the kitten might move and fall but J said there was a block of wood in the way, the kitten couldn't fall. I've heard it's common for momma cats to move their kittens. And since she brought it back up there we could tell she was insistant that it be up there. I don't blame her, with the kids in and out of the barn so much spying on the kitten I can see where the mom would want to put the kitten somewhere she felt it was better protected.

We were suprised to discover it had passed. I worry it was due to the freezing temps and the fact the kitten was in the rafters (with only a thin metal sheild between it and the elments) rather than on the hay where there was insulation. I'm surprised Fluffy didn't move the kitten as the cold set in. But then, Fluffy is such a young mom. I've also read that about 50% of kittens do not live to weaning age. What a sad thought. I worry how hard Fluffy will take this.

What a sad loss.