Ningazidda

Mom to all

9/91 - 1/6/01

Ningazidda came to me as a tiny, frightened kitten from a co-worker. For the first week I had her, I barely saw my kitten. Eventually I kept her on a leash so she wouldn't get lost. Every morning and evening I put her on my lap and gave her milk off my finger.

One of my most treasured memories is the night I went to bed and felt tiny tiny tuggings by my feet. Ninga had finally decided to sleep with me. I peered down, not wanting to disturb her, and saw her tiny self curled up by my feet.

This is my first picture of Ninga, she is hiding behind the foot of my bed.
Ninga was always a tiny cat. At her heaviest she weigh 6.5 pounds! She looked best at 6 pounds. She had chronic upper respiratory trouble even as a kitten and a slight heart murmur, but she was an active, happy cat most of the time.

Ninga loved people, and demanded attention from them. Everyone who visited had to give her a cat treat and pat her. Inspite of her small size, she was often the dominant cat in the house. I believe that she was part abysinnian judging from her head shape, coloring, and tempermant.

 

Most of Ninga's life centered around kittens. She took great interest in the domestic and the wild kittens that I raised. It didn't matter that they weren't her species, they were kittens. She washed them, slept with them, and let them nurse on her even tho she didn't have any milk. If seperated from them she would cry. If I did something to upset them she would come running and yowl at me.
  This is Ninga playing with Anshar, who is only a few months old but already as big as she is.
Most of Ninga's babies were caracals. These wild cats quickly outgrew her, but still respected her as Mom.

This is Ninga with HissyFit and Singer caracals. They stayed in my place until they were 6 months old, weighing about 25 pounds when they left! In this picture they are about 2 months old.
This is Ninga and Phenomenoa caracal, about three months old here.

All totalled, Ninga helped me raise ten caracals and one serval. The first two babies (one caracal and one serval) she was less involved with, mostly watching. She did eventually play with the serval although sadly I do not have pictures.
Despite Bastet's fiesty nature, Ninga mothered her just as she had all the wild cats. She seemed confused, however, when Bast stayed around well after reaching adulthood. Kittens were supposed to get big then dissapear and be replaced by small ones again. Ninga realized that this one was here to stay.  
Bast was almost twice Ninga's size, but Bast learned to respect her mom. They were very close and were usually found together. Bast learned all her kitty manners from Ninga, from how to beg at the table to where to sleep on the bed.  
Anshar, not being one to compete for anything, let Bast take his place as Ninga's primary companion. He didn't much care for Bast, since she was forever swatting at his fluffy tail. He had held his own against the caracals just fine, so there wasn't any worry about Bast.  

 

  
Ninga's last set of kittens was Bendy, Six Toes and Hermes. From the moment Ninga heard SixToes and Bendy squeaking, she came over and claimed them.
Ninga couldn't understand why Bendy didn't just get up and follow her the way Six Toes had. She was very worried about him and kept nuzzling and talking to him until he tried to follow her.

Hermes came later and was not immediatley accepted, but Ninga finally agreed that he was one of hers.

The fist sign that Ninga accepted Hermes when when she let him eat out of her food dish.

  
I will not dwell on Ninga's last months. I spent all my spare time with her and her kittens. She was happy most of the time, and I believe the kittens made her life much better. Without them she would have had little to occupy her time and think about, except getting her meds. She and Bendy went with me over Xmas and we all had a wondferul time. I think she enjoyed having an entire house to roam in again and not having much competition from other cats. She died soon after we returned.

I miss her stealing food from my plate, and sharing my breakfast in the morning. I miss her greating me at the door, and being curled up with the kittens.