Momma Cat and her litter (as photographed by Marco)
I wanted to post this yesterday, Mothers’ Day, but Marco had the internet connection all to himself to do some work.
From out of nowhere, Momma Cat came to live with us. We didn’t know she was pregnant until one day, my daughter went up on the roof deck to get the laundry, and saw two kittens snuggling in an old rug. At first, I didn’t want to keep them as pets because I somehow developed phobia of nurturing pets of whatever kind, owing to an experience I had when Aypee, my second son, was about eight months old.
I was alone in the house with my two boys, Marco, two and a half years old, and Aypee, eight months old. Marco was watching Sesame Street on TV while Aypee was sleeping in his crib. At that time, we had a dog named Au-Au. She had just given birth to seven puppies. Au-Au was very skinny and seemed to be malnourished, probably because of the nutrients she was losing from nursing seven puppies. I wanted to help her ease her plight, so I would sometimes feed her puppies with Aypee’s leftover milk.
As Aypee was quietly sleeping in his crib, I carefully tiptoed out of the house with his leftover milk to give to the puppies. I poured the milk in an old feeding bottle and gave it to the puppies. However I had to be careful not to upset Au-Au for as you well know, mother dogs are very protective of their young. I got so immersed in feeding the puppies that I momentarily forgot about my own kids inside the house.
Then suddenly, I heard a loud thud! Then a shrill baby cry followed. My heart missed a beat. Oh, my God! Aypee! I panicked and rushed inside.
There was my poor baby lying on the concrete floor, crying hard, and looking frightened. Apparently, he awoke and was looking for me, but I was out of his sight, so he attempted to climb out of the crib and fell, head down, as shown by a big ‘bukol’ (lump) that quickly formed on his forehead. Marco, on the other hand, was oblivious of what happened to his little brother because he was engrossed on his TV watching. Besides, what could be expected of a two year old boy?
I immediately picked up Aypee and tried to hush him. He wouldn’t stop crying, and in fact, there was a point when, as he sobbed hard, he held his breath so long it appeared he was turning bluish already. I didn’t know what to do, I was so frightened and all I could do was pat him, and say, “I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” and my own tears started to fall as well.
When my husband arrived, I told him of what happened and we immediately brought our baby to the doctor who advised us to observe him within 48 hours of any signs of vomiting, fever and unusual drowsiness. In case such would manifest, the doctor told us that Aypee would have to undergo further tests to determine if he sustained cerebral damage.
Cerebral damage! Oh, Lord, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself for my negligence if indeed he had cerebral damage. I didn’t sleep that night and just watched my dear little Aypee as he slept. I also tried to observe if he would have any seizures or if he would vomit when I gave him his midnight feeding. I prayed so hard and even bargained with God for Him to save my son from any injury, in exchange of material things, success and even my own life. That was how terrified I was at that moment. I was only able to rest and be calm when, after 48 hours, Aypee did not manifest any of the signs that the doctor warned us about. Thank God, indeed!
After that incident, I asked my husband to ‘deport’ Au-Au and her litter to my parents’ house. After all, the pets could be well accomodated there since they would be living in a bigger yard aside from the fact that my parents needed more dogs to guard the family compound.
It’s been many years since that experience. And I thought, this afternoon, as I watched the kittens play, huddle and purr with their Momma, that, maybe, just maybe… I am ready to have pets around the house again.
P.S. I thought of naming Momma Cat - Googlah, the white kitten Googly and the brown kitten Googlette, in honor of Google. My daughter, Gem, warned, “Mama, if you name them after Google, they will be searching every corner, then the house will be a mess.” True enough, I notice that the two playful kittens are always searching every nook and cranny of the carport where they usually hang out. But I don’t mind much. They are off limits inside the house anyway and I see to it that the screen doors are always closed to keep them out.
Okay then, I will just name them: Momma Cat, Kitty One and Kitty Two. Ay, ewan, bahala na si Batman, err.. Catwoman! LOL!
KapitbaHAY NAMIN DATI BINIGTI YUNG TUTA KO.
Muning started parading her brood of four today who used to live up on the roof. However, there’s way too many cats in the house already considering Muning also has about four boyfriends that hang out here constantly.
They’re cute but …
The old place where we grew up always had cats, even if we had dogs around. We never seem to run out of them. As soon as one dies for whatever reason, another one always replaces it. And we would always find a kitten on our doorstep trying to come inside the house, which we would eventually adopt by the way…
Our house then was a virtual zoo with cats, dogs, fish and yes, even birds… obvious ba na mahilig sa hayop? LOL
To Richmond> If my neighbor does that to my dog, I’ll do the same to him… promise.
Oh my word, that’s tragic… no wonder you had that phobia!
same reason why we haven’t got a pet just yet; my kids are still young… double the trouble. I’ll wait til they get a bit older so they could help me take care of it too
Belated happy mother’s day!
those are cute names- the ones in honor of Google LOL
My daughter VGood fell really hard head-first when she was about 2. She became drowsy so i quickly rushed her to the hospital. I was in my house dress and tsinelas, my hair must have been a mess, but I did not care! Thank God she was fine. We moms will do just about anything for our kids no?
Belated Happy Mother’s Day!
having cats as pets are like having babies. you have to train them for proper toilet habits, not to turn everything upside down and behave like a child. And the most important part is you have to decide the population control on their parts and it may involve a substantial expenses plus a lot of pets foods. they maybe cute, but they too need a home where they’ll have a happy and fulfilling lives. Enjoy them…
my gosh, that was quite a fall and for an 8 months old, Aypee was a climber. does he still love to climb? i would have been terrified, too. though they say babies are pretty resilient, don’t know for sure if this is true.
Kuya Aypee should read this so that he’ll know your sacrifices when he was still a “BIBI” and how much you do really love him
I have my Dog Story too. I have this pet dog when I was younger pero after a year, I hated her na because she ruined my red dress! as in ningatngat niya at kakatapos lang ata birthday ko nun. I was crying the whole time and my mom panicked. However, my dad is such an …. hahaha bawal dito :p lasing ata ayun sinagasaan daw nila yung dog (or accidenteng sinadya-ewan ko hehe) the next day the dog is dead and cut into pieces at na-digest na sa tiyan ng kanyang mga friends
touching story hehe
Oh, that was one sacry moment with Aypee. I know this feeling because once my eldest child also fell from the crib and my wife was so distraught that she had trembled actually. Buti na lang, hindi serious ang nagyari.
The kittens are so cute kaya lang they can be so magulo in the house…
Susmarya, Richmond, bakit naman ginawa yun ng kapitbahay ninyo? Baka gustong gawing ‘azucena’!
Eric, Muning has four boyfriends! Haha! Playgirl, huh!
Snglguy, oo nga, halatang mahilig sa hayop.. hehehe.
Naku, dapat ma-warningan ang kapitbahay mo, I know you meant your threat! E, alam ko namang mahal na mahal mo si Arabella.
Pining, kaya nga, ayaw a ayaw ko ng aso o pusa sa bahay after that incident. It was ironic, you know - I was trying to save the lives of the puppies, but then I put my own child’s life to risk!
Chateau, my daughter however thinks it’s kinda corny that I name them in honor of Google. Parang obvious daw na internet addict ako.. hehehe.
Hay! grabe, ang ganung experience, noh? It indeed is a good thing na hindi grabe. Pero mabuti na ang sigurado, so consulting the doctor is a good move.
Happy Moms Day too!
Thanks, Vic. I guess it’s my kids who enjoy them more that they protested in unison when I suggested to ‘deport’ them to my in-law’s…
You know, Belle, Aypee was very ‘malikot’ as a baby. One time, he even attempted to climb down from his high chair!
Parents need to really keep an eye on their babies all the time.
Naku, Mica, there are more stories about Aypee’s babyhood. Ang daming misadventures niyan! hahaha!
I guess your dad was irked by the dog for causing misery to his baby girl kaya sinalvage niya ito. Hahaha!
Major Tom, it’s scary, especially when there is no other adult in the house to lend a hand. I was mostly alone with my kids when they were babies because ‘katulongs’ just came and went so quickly.
Yes, I know what you mean. The kittens here sometimes test my patience. Ikinakalat ang mga walis, slippers.. etc.
i breathed a sigh of relief when i found out your son’s okay. caught in suspense, i was.
also, the cat pictures are really great.
I cannot tell you how many of my babies fell or how many times. That is, by my own reckoning. I don’t know the times they did which I didn’t know about which the current yaya wouldn’t have told me about. Awa naman ng Diyos … ayun … So we just do the best we can and supplement with prayers. Sabi nga nung friend ko: God loves our children more than we do … kaya .. we shouldnt worry too much.
You’re such a wonderful mom, Rhoda.
Kittens … wala kaming kittens ngayon. My daughters miss having them. And I need them for kitchen waste management. We want kittens.
Hi Rhodora, the kittens looks so cute!
We found a kitten huddled outside the kitchen door before (in Manila) and decided to adopt him. You won’t believe how sweet and gentle he is until now! He just wants to cuddle and purr and stay close to you. Well, unfortunately, the girlfriends he brings back home are not the same as he is. The last one bit my dad and scratched me on my foot
So I’m not really that keen to keep any pets around. Maybe when Lucho gets older.
Sorry to hear about your scare with Aypee. I went through that twice. 1st time was when he was 6 months old. When I heard the thud, and the wailing, I just rushed to Lucho and carried him and started crying too. Nakakatakot talaga, especially if it’s the head that was affected. Buti nalang wala rin bad effect on his brain.
When we were kids, we also adopted puskals (pusang kalye), much to my mom’s dismay. For some reason, we all named them “Mingming,” hehe.
My daughter Aya also had a big bump on the forehead just last year, at the daycare. I was so worried sick even if the doctor told me that it wasn’t serious. I made sure to check for signs of vomiting, nausea, etc. It took me days before I could heave a sigh of relief! Sobrang nakakapraning.
Aww cute little kittens. What’s best about cats is that you don’t have to take care of them that much as dogs are. You just feed them and they can take care of themselves. Just avoid their poo poo though. Hehe. Belated happy mother’s day to you!
Malaking pagsubok ang dinaanan mo with your baby and I’m glad walang masamang nangyari. Pets are like children, you have to teach them their limitations and they can save lives. Masayang makitang naglalaro sa paligid ng bahay mo and tama ka, maybe this is the right time to have pets again.
kiyut kiyut nang mga miyaw-miyaw mo! 
Hehe oo nga po
Na-meet niyo po ba dad ko before? He used to be a disc jockey sa halos lahat na ata ng radio stations sa Dagupan hehe nagtour ata :p
Snglguy, I was 6 years old then.
Liz, more scary stories of my kids’ childhood years coming up! hehehe.
Thanks, those photos were taken by Marco.
Anna, ako din, I wasn’t sure how many times they fell while in the care of ‘yayas’.
Oh, you want kittens? I can ship one to you.. ..
Sheilamarie, yes, I think it’s not a good idea for you to be having a pet around with Lucho growing up. Delikado.
Careful of Lucho! I don’t want to see him sporting another ‘third eye’ next time! hehehe.
Kathy.. hahaha.. ‘puskals’ for ‘pusang kalye’! Sa aso naman, ‘askal’ for ‘asong askal’! Ang galing talaga ng Pinoy mag-coin ng words!
Sinabi mo! Nakakapraning sa ating mga moms kapag nagkakabukol mga anak natin. But you know what, when the ‘bukol’ is on the forehead, it is not so dangerous. But watch out when it is on the back of the head - many major nerves are in there. Kaya kahit mauntog ang noo, don’t worry too much, unless it’s a really really hard bump…Pero sa likuran ng ulo, be careful. ..
Ferdz, thanks for the greetings!
Yes, cats, I also observed, are more self supporting. . And so right you are - hindi ko gusto amoy ng dumi nila! Parang gusto ko na tuloy silang ipa-deport.. hehehe.
LAR, salamat.. kyut sila kasi kyut din ang lady master nila.. hehehe…
Alam mo, my mom used to have 16 cats before! As in! Ibinibilhan pa niya ng mga maliliit na isda sa palengke, iniluluto niya especially for her cats. Minsan, I opened her fridge, I took out the cooked fish intended for the cats, not knowing it was for the cats, kinain ko! Ang sarap naman kasi ng pagkaluto. Saka ko lang nalaman na cat food yun, when I was finished eating… hehehe.
Mica, yes, I did meet him.. But it’s my hubby, your Tito Ike, who knew him better. Naging student ng hubby ko ang dad mo before sa LNU! Small world talaga, ano? Inip na ako - sana we can meet na!
Naku, Monmon, I can just imagine what you could have done if what happened to your pet dog occurred now that you are a grown up! Anak, maghunos-dili ka! Huwag kang padalos-dalos! hehehe.
na trauma yata ako sa story mo about Aypee. it must really have been difficult for you-Aypee’s pain, and you blaming yourself.
as for cats, we cannot keep one in the house, most of the kids are allergic to cats, but they love cats. incidentally, my mother’s day post was about Mommy Cat and her Baby.
belated happy mother’s day, dear Rhodora!
I bet he gave Tito a headache.. SUPER HEADACHE!!
If only i can make kwento here about his adventures as a student. Parang ewan mo kung iniisip ang future haha
I love my dad so much kaya when he died inisa-isa ko mga “best friend” (mga bwisit mga yun mga BI noon hehe) and interviewed them about Dad. Not-so-shocking revelations on how “cool” (cool daw sarap bugbugin lol) he was way back 
Tita kwento naman about Jojo lol 
thanks again tita
Dine, I read your entry on the Mommy Cat and Baby Cat. I was so touched! Kahit cats lang sila, they sure have feelings too!
Naku, Mica! Your dad daw was ‘tamad aral’.. sorry, pero yun daw totoo! hahaha! But he was good in writing and in practical applications, kaya kung essay type daw ang exam, tuwang tuwa siya!
But you know, I think I remember seeing him before carrying a little girl in his arms. Siguro ikaw yun. And I didn’t know he’s already gone until lately, when I told your Tito about you. I saw your grandpa’s pic in your blog, and I recognized him. I told your Tito, you must be Jojo’s daughter. I showed him your blog and the pic., and then he told me, that your dad nga daw already passed.
Naku, napakuwento na tayo dito sa blog ko.. hahaha! Sige, magkita na lang tayo at magkuwentuhan when the perfect time comes.
Take care, my dear! Mwah!
Mabuti at hindi ka nag-miyaw after mong nakain iyon. he he he!
Kung minsan talaga, mas masarap pa ang pagkain ng pets kesa sa tao.
LAR, hindi naman ako nag-miyaw, napatahol lang.. hahaha!
Naku, talagang masarap ang pagkakaluto ng nanay ko ng cat food niya! Timplado at kumpleto rekado!