Editing Cat (section)

===Birth and after===

Pregnant females ("queens") deliver their litters by themselves, guided by [[instinct]]. The queen finds the safest place she can. Then she will clean it thoroughly, with her tongue, if necessary. Here she will quietly give birth. She licks the newborn kits clean. In the wild, leaving a scent is risking a dangerous encounter with other animals. The kits are born [[blind]] and with closed eyes. They ''suckle'' on her teats, and sleep a good deal. After two weeks or so, their eyes open. At that stage they have blue eyes, but not the best sight. A bit later, the best developed kit will totter out of the nest. The others follow. They will soon recognize you as a living thing: that is a great moment. At first, they go back to the nest to feed and sleep. After some more days they leave the nest for good, but still they may sleep together in a 'kitten heap'.<ref>''How to look after your cat'': there are two books with this title, as follows. 1. by Colin and Jacqui Hawkins, Walker Books, 1996. 2. by Alan Edwards, Southwater, 2006.</ref>[[File:2006-07-09 katze2.jpg|thumb|220px|Kitten with string]]

Kittens play endlessly. It is how they do their learning. They will play their favourite games, such as 'hide and pounce', with almost anyone or anything. Soft balls on strings are a standard toy; so is a scratching post.

With cats there is a limit to how far you can train them. They are at least as intelligent as dogs, but they are not pack animals. They like to do their own thing, and owners do best by fitting in.<ref>Gallico, Paul. ''The silent miaow: a cat's eye view of Homo sapiens''. Heinemann, London.</ref>