I wondered at the time where the mother cat was; was it owned by the residents, or "just another stray"? My heart reached out to her, knowing that the latter was likely the case, and that she was undoubtedly starving, flea-ridden and doomed to death, yet she searched out a "safe place" in which to give birth to yet another litter. The fact that there were only two kittens was proof positive of my assumptions.

On the other hand, if she was "owned" by the family, their willingness to see the kittens carried away spoke of another sad story.Too many people, out of ignorance, poverty, or just plain laziness never even consider getting their pets neutered or spayed. The animals are allowed to run loose, and when the inevitable happens and another litter is born, often mothers and kittens are whisked away to thenearest shelter. Alternatively, often as not, the owner will dump them in the nearest park, hoping that some good Samaritan will happen along and take responsibility, where the owner couldn't or wouldn't.

Soon we will celebrate Mothers Day in the United States. Millions of people will spend a fortune on candy, flowers, and other gifts to honor the women who gave birth to them. My own dear Mother passed onseveral years ago, and it is always a sad occasion for me, even though I am the current recipient of honor by my own kids. You see, I know that thousands of unwanted kittens will be born on that day, and thousands more will be euthanized, or die of neglect in some wayside alley.Thousands of mother cats will watch their kittens die from disease, if indeed the mother cat survives the birth experience.