Weird? Pretty much.

[Fcrate]

Just duck. Maybe BBQ is the wrong word, but during summer my dinner mostly consists of grilled meat of some sort, a salad and some Tahina.

[Dina]

Bbq is a perfectly fitting name for that  I hope it was delicious (and that all your cats had a little treat)

Argentinians don't have a tradition of eat duck. I mean, it is not that we don't eat duck at all, but it is not a common occurrence. Grilled chicken is very, very common though.

[Fcrate]

Duck is a common delicacy food here, and is considered a step up from chicken. If you're having people over for dinner, it's usual to feed them stuffed duck (spiced rice inside), but it's a bit expensive for everyday food, especially if you have a big family. Nobody grills them except me, I think. But I grill everything, and the first thing I ever made a BBQ of was a couple of ducks that me and a friend of mine hunted in 2011. I decided to have a BBQ, and went to the local mechanic shop and had them make me a custom spit to roast the ducks on (about 1.3m long, because I had an idea of roasting a whole sheep on it in the future). It's shaped like —|________. They also made me a couple of metal Y shaped spikes. It takes a lot of time and effort to roast anything whole though, so it doesn't see enough use for my liking.

[Dina]

Oh yes, duck is a delicacy here too, way above chicken, and definitely more expensive. I don't think it is common for guests though. Perhaps in the high society, but as far as I know it is something that people eats in restaurants or at parties but seldom at home.
I had duck in Paris though, that is un unlocked achievement  .

[Fcrate]

Here they eat it more in the country side. In the village here, maybe one on every 10 houses have a chicken coop with some ducks thrown in, mostly to eat on Thursday dinner (start of the weekend.
My cat's daughter, Athena, has just eaten something poisoned. I isolated her from her kitten and gave her Atropine. Watching now and hoping she becomes alright. This poison is nasty stuff. goddamned bastards. :@

[Dina]

Oh no, I hope she is going to be fine. I lost a cat by poisoning and it was awful. I had some other cats that were intoxicated with different things but they survived, but that one, a sweet, sweet tabby, couldn't. I hated my neighbours for that.

[Fcrate]

Yes Dina,  I know the feeling, but I'll tell you more about this poison later. Well, the cat is still alive, and breathing normally now. She can sit up and rarely have muscle spasms now, although her pupils are still dilated. She's trying to crawl to my room, but her kits are inside and I don't want them to nurse from her now. The question is... How do you milk a cat? 

[Regenbogen]

Poor cat. Hope she gets better soon, but I agree on not letting the kittens drink her milk for now, the risk they get the poison too is too high, depending on the poison.

On how to milk a cat... Puh.
Sure to say not like a cow or a goat.

As a mother myself and having had to feed a weak baby but not being a cat myself....
I would say, put her somewhere she feels safe and can't hear the baby's. She needs to be calm and relaxed, not afraid or anxious. You would need some time alone with her, keep the teats warm and try to do the Kind of Massage the kittens do with their paws. I don't know the english word. In german it is called "treteln". Then I would gently rub with both hands on each side with thumb and forefinger from the outside to the inside of the teats. And hope the milk flows. Maybe even half round gentle rubs, anything that works.
By now she surely hurts there. Maybe use one hand to scratch her behind the ears while you massage her.
If she even let's you touch her. Touching a hurting cat directly on the hurt can be interesting. I would do it only while having protection on my arms and hands.

Edit: As for keeping calm: the milk doesn't flow if the mother isn't relaxed.

[Fcrate]

Thanks Regen. I tried for 10 minutes, but the poison was still playing hell with her nervous system, and milk wouldn't flow. After an hour though, she crawled to her kits, looks like its teats started to hurt like you said and she wanted to release it. I put a net on the kits and kept them touching her, and started rubbing her like you said and managed to release some milk. I'm not sure I got it all, as I don't have a baseline for how much milk she has, but I think I got most of it. I'll do another one tomorrow. I think she's recovering

[Regenbogen]

That sounds good. Let's hope the kittens didn't get the poison. I don't think there is a lot of milk, I mean cats are so small. Most of the milk is produced while feeding, there shouldn't be much reservoir like with cows for example.
All the best wishes to her. Athena, is it?

[Dina]

Yes, best wishes for her!

[Fcrate]

Thank you She's much better now, resting comfortably and no more convulsions, but still not eating, she only drank some milk, but nowhere near enough.
@Regen:  Yes, Athena.

[Dina]

Glad to hear that she is doing better 

I'll be back later, I have two important meeting this afternoon.

[Regenbogen]

Thank you She's much better now, resting comfortably and no more convulsions, but still not eating, she only drank some milk, but nowhere near enough.
@Regen:  Yes, Athena.

I hope she will eat soon. But she has the name of a goddess, so she will be fine.

Our neighbours noticed Bella's absence and asked if she was OK. She rarely walks through their gardens any more. That's actually good news, because I think she is almost deaf by now and being careful outside. Deaf cats don't hear cars in time.
We thought for years that she might have problems with hearing enough. For months now she cries very loudly, always when she comes home and no answer from anyone makes her calm down. She only stops, when she sees someone. And she is often surprised by people "appearing" behind her.
Also ehe hasn't caught a mouse in months.

[Dina]

Well, my first meeting went well, now to get ready for the other one.
Well, Regen, be extra sweet and caring with Bella, she will be grumpy, probably, as she does not understand how people is suddenly so sneaky around her. Still, I am glad your neighbors asked for her, it was nice from them.
See you!