The Birds and the Bees (and the Kittens)

One of these cats is not like the other.

All these kittens inevitably leads to the question of who the father is and what role the daddy has in making kittens.

While we were at the beach, my sister had the opportunity to talk to my 8 year old about what role the daddy cat plays in making kittens. Voicing what we all were wondering, my sister asked, "Do you know who the father is? Do the kittens' looks give you any clue as to which cat is the dad?"

My 8 year old was sort of surprised at this question. "No, we don't own a boy cat. We only have 2 girl cats."

My sister took the opportunity to explain to her the kitten version of the birds and the bees. Even though my daughter has heard this before in terms of chickens and humans, I think it takes a while for it to dawn on most kids that the reproductive process really isn't just how one species multiplies.

Following my sister's example, I provoked a conversation with my 5 year old. Walking on the beach that night, I asked her who she thought the daddy cat was. She gave me a similar response.

Her blank look said the same thing as the words that came out of her mouth, "Don't you know we only have 2 girl cats?"

"I know we don't own a boy, but there are boy cats in the neighborhood and our cats go outside. Did you know that the mommy cat needs a daddy cat in order to make kittens?"

"No."

"How did you think our kittens got pregnant."

Giggling. "They kissed?!"

And so I explained to her how kittens and humans are similar in this way. Intermittently, she'd run off to join her cousins and then run back and say, "Again." That was her signal to me to pick up in the explanation where I had left off. I explained it all and didn't even use euphemisms to label the body parts. She was fascinated.

But she's 5. She won't really understand all of what I said. However, I do want her and the rest of the kids to understand this: sex isn't a taboo topic with their mother. They can ask me anything knowing that I won't change the unpleasant subject or think they are bad for asking. Later on, friends will make comments about things they've never heard of before and I don't want my kids to be embarrassed to ask me about it.

All of this is well and good, but really, we need to find which cat in the neighborhood is responsible so that we can send him the kitten formula bills.