The ginger cat was giving birth. Four red-haired lumps, which appeared one after the other into the world, not yet dried properly, were busy at the bottom of the basket, bumping and pushing their paws apart, poking their muzzles into the mother's belly, trying to find their nipple in the thick fur on her belly. She did not pay attention to them and waited for the next kitten to be born.
A big smoky cat was sitting near the basket and was also expecting the birth of the fifth kitten. He was not, as it might seem from the outside, an outside observer. He took an active part in the ongoing act of birth: he carefully licked each kitten that was born with his tongue, rough as emery.
Finally, the cat gave birth to the fifth, last kitten and sighed with relief. Hastily licking the baby, she jumped out of the basket, not paying attention to the kittens, which, sucking on the nipples, hung on them like linen on clothespins, and, like linen from a sudden gust of wind, fell off and fell from her sudden jump - who into the basket, and who is beside her.
The cat shook his head accusingly. He carefully lifted the kitten that had fallen near the basket, and, putting it in place, gently pushed it towards the other kittens: it was warmer in the bunch.
The cat did not return from the yard for a long time. Hungry kittens crawled along the bottom of the basket, bumped into each other and squeaked desperately. And the cat, forgetting about the kittens she had born, was in no hurry to return to the house. Having relieved her need, she calmly walked around the yard, watching the flight of butterflies, trying to catch them. Tired of this unseemly occupation, deflated by the heat of the July sun, she chose the most branched tree and, stretching sweetly, lay down in its shadow on the soft fragrant grass.
Here she was found by a cat who could no longer bear the squeak of hungry kittens.
They returned to the house together. The cat walked in front, tail tucked guiltily, and the cat was behind. He walked and grunted angrily, continuing to shame her for her negligence and neglect of maternal responsibilities.