Ten Weeks Old!

Well, the little monsters are 10 weeks old today, and time's flying by. I realised just the other day that I only have another three weeks with these little ones, and I'm dreading it. The time has flown up until now, so I know it's going ot go in much more quickly than I actually want it to.






Every week they learn something new. This week, Hamster learned to cuddle. Not with me though, with his mum. I came upon them the other day all snuggled together on the sofa. Nothing abnormal in that except that Tia had a front paw over Hamster, and he had his paws wrapped around her neck. It was too sweet for words, and one of those moments when I really wished that I could see enough to use a camera. He's been ever so sweet with her this week, and her favouritism is slowly shifting from Porker to him. He doesn't bug her for milk as much now which is also helping this. Whenever they try to suckle, she'll mostly get up and move away a few times before giving up and letting them get on with it, although I did see her discipline a kitten the other day when they got too pushy in the search for milk. I'm glad to see this. She gives me the impression that she's about ready to be rid of them, and I can't blame her. After constant suckling for 10 weeks from things that have had teeth for 6 of them, she must be very sore!





She won't share my lap with any kitten but Porker. She just about tolerates Hamster, but if the Baby comes for a cuddle when Tia's sitting with me, she'll flounce off my knee in a real snit, and won't come back again even when the Baby's long gone which she inevitably does as soon as Tia gets off. Obviously, mum has found something much more interesting to do than have cuddles from the boring old human, so she has to go check it out. This does her no favours in Tia's book bearing in mind that she's just tried to get away from her. Yep, I think Tia will be glad when they go.





The Baby too has learned a new skill. I was cuddling her the other day when she rolled right over on her back, reached up with a paw and bopped me on the nose. I laughed but thought nothing of it. After all, kittens' paws are everywhere. But when she very deliberately did it a second time, I was forced to admit that there was thought behind it. Cheeky madam! She's ever so cute though. She absolutely will not use claws when she's playing with your fingers any more. She doesn't even like to slap them very hard, but will lie on her back and let you do pretty much anything to her that you want. I'll admit, I exploit this a little. I know she won't bite me, so I handle her all over and do things I know she doesn't like just to get her used to having them done. The vet will have no trouble checking this little lady's mouth, I can tell you! Through it all though, she just sits until I'm done.

Three Little Kittens, sharing a group hug.

She's gotten very people oriented, well, even more so than she was, over the last few days. Yesterday she kept crying for me to pick her up. She did this so much that I actually thought she might be ill! In the end, the only way she'd settle was if she could lie on her side on my shoulder and bury her face in my neck. She stayed like that for maybe 10 minutes, but of course, she waited until I was in the middle of cooking dinner to do it. Why do they always hold back until you're really busy before demanding attention! Please, someone tell me why!





Porker's tough man image is crumbling. He's purred quite a bit, then caught what he was doing and stopped, but he always forgets again. For the last two days when he wants attention he puts his two front paws against my leg and scrabbles and cries piteously until I pick him up for a snuggle. As soon as he's in my arms he turns to mush. These boys are super sweet.

Porker on the scratching post.

You know, even though I'm a bit worried about finding new homes for them, part of me wouldn't care if they were never sold. I want to keep them all for myself. I don't want to miss out on any of their new little quirks. If there are any future owners reading this, be warned, I will be blubbing before you've even got your kitten out the door!

Baby getting ready to pounce.

Kittens fighting!

Well, that's it for today I think. Pictures will be added later on today courtesy of my super friend! Check back and you'll see 'em. As always, here are the weights. The Baby has gained spectacularly! Actually, I forgot to mention that, or at least, I think I did. Another breeder commented that she's had a few fussy eater kittens in the past, and that might be the reason why the Baby wasn't gaining. I put down some hills along with the Animonda, and I've never seen a kitten eat so much! So although I hate feeding it, it's gone down every day since, and she's gaining steadily. She's still far behind her brothers, but considering she'd dropped to 780g on Tuesday morning, she's doing marvellously!





The Baby: 942 grams, but she was 967 earlier today!
Hamster: 1150 grams.
Porker: 1249 grams (He's the size of an 11 and a half week old kitten!).

Day 48

I did think about not updating today, because if I do, I'll have very little to tell you tomorrow, and I'll definitely update then because they'll be a whole seven weeks old! Isn't that amazing? Doesn't seem like yesterday when I was telling you they were six weeks, and doesn't seem like a minute before that that I was whining and complaining about all my sleepless nights trying to get Hamster to suckle. Time flies, and they develop so quickly.





There's so many things to tell you about. The Kitten Attract litter is doing reasonably well. There were a couple of accidents in the pen, but not too many, and none since I changed the inco pads again. It's probably my fault. I hadn't needed to change them for a few days thanks to the litter, so I guess their little feet tracked eaux the poo from the tray and onto the pads. Natural then that they should poo there. I'm starting to think that it's associative too, as the poo is always in the same places. They've never had an accident while out, she says with crossed fingers, or if they have, they're hiding it so well that I can't find it. Anything is possible though, and I haven't seen too much usage of the outside litter trays. Only time will tell I suppose.





They've been coming out more and more frequently. Yesterday they spent half a day out, and as they coped well with it, today they've been out since this morning, and won't go back in until tonight. They're very sociable, or they are with me anyway. JP, a friend who's spent a fair bit of the summer here, is a nice guy to play with, but they purr more readily for me than for him, and will fall asleep more quickly on me too. It's a nice feeling to know that after all my hard work I'm flavour of the month!





The Baby did a wonderful thing yesterday. For the first time, she actually jumped on me for attention! Previously she'd climb, but yesterday she launched herself at my leg, hung on and squeaked until I picked her up. As soon as my hands were on her, she was all purrs and wiggles. She's a very busy little person, and even when she's loving on you, she rarely sits still for more than a tenth of a second! I've started to stop touching her as soon as she walks away from me now though, and she's getting it. Today she thought about walking away, then changed her mind and crawled onto my shoulder instead. The mood was somewhat spoiled when she attacked my earlobe, but it's the thought that counts, right?





Porker has started a trend which seems to have gone down very well in this house. Yesterday, he sat down, thought long and hard about it, then jumped straight onto the top edge of the sofa and climbed up. Then he proceeded to make himself comfortable and go for a snooze while his sillier brother and sister contented themselves with the less comfy carpet. However, it didn't take them long to realise he was missing, and once they did, they had to find out where he was. The Baby was next up, closely followed by Hamster who needed a little bit of help. They were so proud of themselves when they got there! All three decided to have a celebratory nap in the human's lap. Said human was very pleased with the arrangement until I realised that I had been sitting there for two hours barely moving, and I had things to do!





Hamster had his turn at being the leader too. He climbed right to the top of my largest scratching post. This is about 3 ft high, so when he looked down from the very top, which he'd gotten to surprisingly quickly actually, it's no wonder he felt a little panicked! He came down almost as quickly as he went up, and none of them have tried it again.





Where one door opens, another one closes. yesterday, the opening was with Porker. Somehow it clicked with him that humans are nice things that give nice tickles and tummy rubs, and that really, it'd be a good idea to purr for them. He's getting as good as the Baby now! Only problem is that Hamster has taken that as his cue to stop altogether. I haven't heard a rumble from him in days. Oh well, all in due time I suppose. Can I be blamed for being impatient? Hamster did snuggle an awful lot yesterday after he'd been groomed. It was perhaps one of the tenderest moments I've had with these kittens so far. I'd just finished doing his tummy and he was quite sleepy. I put him up by my shoulder, and he spread his paws, put the two front ones around my neck, snuggled his head in against my skin and hung on. He stayed like that for minute after minute, as calm and quiet as you like, just enjoying the closeness. Today, mind you, he fought the brush tooth and nail. He's unpredictable!





Tia's milk seems to have totally dried up thanks to the Urtica. Kits are still keen to feed, and because I don't want it to start straight back in again, I've been putting a soft cat jacket on her during the day so that they can't feed. They have a comfort suckle two or three times a day, but that's about it. This way, she can still socialise with them, sleep with them and cuddle them. They don't seem overly fussed that they can't suckle.





They're all eating from a bowl now, although I haven't seen them eat much since they've been out either. I think I'll put off weighing them until tomorrow so that I don't worry myself. They're all happy, healthy and absolutely full of beans, so I know there's nothing wrong with them, and I don't need the extra anxiety!





Right,that's about it for now. I'll tell you more tomorrow!

Day 46 and Tia Update

Well, it seems as though things are conspiring against me to make sure that I don't update this every day, or every other day even. I'm just so, so busy lately that I never seem to have the time to sit down and write. Last night, the first peace I got was at about half 12 at night, and by that point, my eyes needed match sticks to prop them open.






Ok, so what to tell. Litter training continues to be a problem. They will wee in there consistently, thank goodness, but pooing is another matter entirely. One of them is going in there just fine, perhaps two, actually, but someone would still prefer to poo on the pen floor. Thankfully, nobody has done this while out. I did find a poo right beside the litter tray, but it was on an inco pad, so it didn't matter all that much. I went out yesterday and bought some Kitten Attract litter from Pets at Home on the recommendation of other breeders. They say that this sorts all of their problems out if they have stubborn kits, so let's hope the same is true for mine. I haven't done poo check yet this morning, so I live in hope... For another 20 minutes.





They still tend to sit down when they use the tray. This results in, to put it in a straightforward way, clingons on the starboard bow. Nobody likes having them removed or indeed removing them. I've been tempted on more than one occasion to shave their bums, I can tell you! Hopefully they'll get the hang of it soon, but when, I don't know.





Tia has been kept mostly separate from them until yesterday. Kittens were desperate to feed and she was in a right tizz as she wanted to nurse them. I spoke to the vet, a different one this time, who said that it would be fine for them to nurse a few times a day. I couldn't believe my luck when Hamster latched onto the nipple that was the most affected. Tia was too busy with watching the other two as they muscled in for a drink too, so didn't notice until he was well and truly going, or else she'd have kicked him off. It must have only been sore for her for the first few minutes though, because after that, she allowed him to nurse for a full 5-10 minutes. She got very uncomfortable towards the end, but I got down with her and coaxed her to stay still. I could see he was draining it, and indeed he did. I kept her food intake low yesterday, and she didn't balloon again. Kits have been allowed to feed once since then for their comfort's sake, and will probably do so again this morning when they come out.





Yesterday was the first day that all three ate together when I put the food in. Previously, they had to be shown where the dish was, or would simply find it by ailessly wandering that way one by one, but yesterday they very definitely came for food. It was nice to see! Separating them has definitely sped up the weaning process.





I managed to buy a card reader for the computer yesterday. This means that now, when pictures are taken, I can actually get them onto the computer and upload them which means you get to see them! I hate depending on others for picture taking like this. It never seems to happen often enough, and it drives me mad. I don't often dwell on my blindness as a disablement, but at times like that, I can't help but get cross about it. If I had my way, I'd have pictures of them every day for you to see. I'm going to hassle to get some taken today, so we'll see what happens. I can't hold someone to randsome, I guess, no matter how much I really want to to get the photos!





Oh, Porker purred for the first time yesterday! It wasn't for long at all, but he did it! I'd picked him up after a mad half hour, Ok, probably more like two hours, running round the living room and attacking anything that moved, or didn't, and he just flopped on me and purred. They're all much more cuddly after they've run around a bit. The Baby is the only one who will actively seek a cuddle. If I get down on the floor with her after she's run around, she'll climb on me and settle down for a purr. I'm glad she's staying. I think I'd have a hard time letting go if she wasn't.





That's it for now I think. I'll post again as soon as I have pictures!

Six Weeks Old!

Well, what a time I've been having! Kitten proofing a house causes more problems than I had thought possible, and it's the reason I haven't updated in ages. I use a wireless keyboard, and that transmission is picked up by a small USB dongle which plugs into the back of the computer. The only problem is that there's a load of other wires that plug in there too, and with kittens around, and small, hooligan kittens at that, all wires need to be protected because if they chewed through them... Well, it doesn't even bear thinking about, really. In short, to kitten proof, I had to block off the back of the computer with a load of cardboard. The only problem is that it dulls the signal pick up from the keyboard, so every time I type, half the letters are missing. It's a real pain, and the only way I'm able to type now is by sitting in a really uncomfortable position with the keyboard balanced at an angle on one knee. I'm hoping that I'm able to think of a way to combat this soon.






I've spent the last two days just kitten proofing my living room. Holes have to be blocked, and cardboard is the cheapest way of doing it, but it needs to be cut to size then taped in place, and that all takes time. Cables need to be covered in protectors which are expensive and time consuming to fit. I've spent most of today sewing insect screen onto a baby gate to keep them out of the kitchen, but allow me to still have my back door open so that I can air the house. It's been a nightmare!





I did all this because I thought they were ready to come out of the pen. They're pretty active in there now, and seem desperate to come out and explore. The only problem is that someone is still pooing on the floor, and I think it's the Baby. I can never catch her at it though as she moves too quickly, and to be honest, I wouldn't know what to do if I did catch her. I've done her bum in the tray, expressed pee that is. I've put her poo in there. I've left the tray to get really smelly so that she can smell where to go. I've also totally washed it out and given them a clean tray, but nothing I do seems to get the message across. I've disinfected the pen and last night, even taped incontinence pads down so that she couldn't associate the smell on the floor, despite washing, with pooing there. Nothing, but nothing has worked. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them, as I'd really like to have them out now. It's about time really.





They were all fitted with bells today in preparation for coming out. In typical fashion, Porker struggled like a demon when having his put on, then gave up completely and didn't bother with it once it was around his neck. The Baby tried to fight hers as soon as it was on, then got very upset when she kept getting claws in the face for some reason. Hamster was so wriggly that I had to get my friend to hold him while I fitted his.





Every day their play is getting rougher, and today I actually had to separate Porker who was mercilessly stalking the other two, despite their screams for him to leave them alone. I watched him chase the Baby from one end of the pen to the other, pin her in the corner next to the litter tray and beat the stuffing out of her. It wasn't nice to watch. But they're all as bad as each other and take it in turns to instigate the fights.





They're eating solids really well now, and will suckle from Tia only occasionally rather than all the time. I feel sorry for her though as she's so full of milk that her glands are massive. I can actually trace the outline of her milk sacks, so the next thing I need to watch for is mastitis in her. She's been very, very clingy and affectionate today, and over the last few days, has begun to jump onto my lap again or paw at my leg which is her way of demanding a fuss. I've missed it so much and I'm glad that she's getting back to the way she used to be. She's still eating like a horse, and so are those babies! Thankfully, I have another cat food order due to arrive in the next few days. It's amazing how much they pack away, and they're not interested in dry food at all!





I've given up on the week 5 pictures, and have been so busy that I haven't gotten any weke 6 ones taken today. My priority is to get the house sorted for them while I have help, so hopefully I'll manage the pictures tomorrow. They're getting big fast though, and soon won't sit still long enough to have their photos done. It took me a whole five minuts tonight until Hamster would sit still for even three seconds for my scales to measure his weight!





That's it for now I think, but as tradition dictates, I'll give you their weights so that you can see how much they've grown. There are some humungus weight gains, I warn you!





The Baby: 594 grams.
Hamster: 655 grams.
Porker: 774 grams.

Up to Day 38

The best intentions are just that; intentions. I intended to hoover the house yesterday, friend did it instead. I had planned to make a few nice desserts, the ingredients are still in the cupboard. I had been intending to update my blog, I didn't. I think I'm going to have to do these updates in the mornings if i'm to do them regularly at all. Previously, I've done them at night so that I can give you a flavour of what's happened that day, but for the past few nights, I just haven't had the time. Not once since my last update have I been to bed before midnight for various reasons, and when you have a biological clock that wakes you up at 8 AM whether you've just gone to bed or not, then when it gets past 12, you want to get to sleep pretty sharpish. Last night I had the intentions again, was even supposed to make phone calls, but instead I got taken to the cinema, and the movie didn't let out till almost 11. I then had to walk home, feed cats, order cat food, feed cats again as mum had cleared the plate, dash off a few emails, feed cats for a third time as mum had obviously decided to make a bid at the world record for most cat food eaten in two hours to stop babies having any, put a wash on... The list goes on. I went to bed at 1 this morning and was so tired that I doubt I could have even told you my own name, let alone put together a coherent blog post.





So, what to tell you? Well, the amount of poo on the pen floor is decreasing by the day. I took the little ramp away from the litter tray that they'd been using to climb in and out, and for some reason, rather than hindering, this has really helped the litter training process. They still get mucky bums, Porker in particular, but they're gradually learning that when you poo, it's not necessarily a good idea to sit down and try to do it, because 1, it gets all over you and either you leave it not feeling very nice or you have to have a go at cleaning it off, and 2, if you don't clean it off, the big evil monster woman will come along and rub you with a baby wipe, and if that doesn't work, will actually bath you!





Solids continue to be an up and down process. They will all go to the dish now on their own except when mum is around. I had thought that Tia's milk was drying up nicely, but last night, she was so full that I could have sworn she had mastitis. I actually thought she did, so put a kitten on the affected teat to drain the milk. The best way to get rid of mastitis is to express the milk, and the best form of that is a hungry kitten. When she came out about ten minutes later, the swelling was gone. Cats will only produce milk in relation to the demand, so I'm presuming that the little piggies are feeding from her all night long which is why she's still producing so much. I don't really know whether I should start trying to dry her up or just leave them to it. At the moment, I'm keeping them from suckling all day long, and they are eaing the solids quite happily, so maybe I'll just leave things as they are.





The Baby has been the last to break 500 grams, but she did it yesterday. She's so, so small compared to the other two though, and feels terribly light. There's times when I wonder if I wasn't mixing her up with Hamster in those early stages you know. I put collars on hem all about a week ago, just a very thin, soft piece of elastic with a few beads on so that I could tell who was who. It's helped enormously!





They'll be coming out of that pen soon, whether I like it or not. A few days ago, they learned to climb right to the top of the mesh, and Porker actually managed to scramble over the top; something I'd not have thought was possible if I hadn't been there to see it myself. That pen is over 2.5 ft high and he's only a tiny little thing! I rearranged things so that the mesh now starts from the bottom and there's a solid pannel on top and that seems to have controlled the hoard for now. It won't be long though. Hamster can now jump, yep, you read right, jump to the very top of the mesh. A few more days and they'll be over, so my big push this week is litter training and eating from a bowl rather than a saucer. It's also kitten proofing my house!





We've taken them out a couple of times, and I tell you something, they run riot. In about 0.1 seconds, my living room degenerates into kittens running madly in three different directions, mum trying to round them all up and then lying on her side, offering them her teats and screaming at them to come and have a drink (of course, this is much less effective than it is in the pen, as hungry little piggies would rather go and reek havoc elsewhere), three people desperately trying to keep up with kittens and colliding with each other in the process, and desperate shouts of "No, not under the sofa!/ no, not under the TV cabinet!/No, no, no, help!" They love those forays into the great unknown though, and it's a teller how well socialised they've been, as they fear nothing. Hmmm, perhaps I've done too good a job?





All three now scream to be picked up when I come in first thing in the morning, and all three climb the mesh like little monkeys until you give in. I've had to take them all out at once now, because if I leave any behind, they shriek at the injustice so much that mum comes flying to see who's torturing the kids. It's odd though. The Baby is the only one who purrs consistently, and even then, only for a few seconds before she's off doing something else. She's a very busy little person, and is the most active out of the lot of them. I did hear Hamster purr under his breath this morning, so I have hope, but Porker, whilst being the cuddliest, and maybe the most placid, shows no signs of it yet.





This week is also the week of learning not to bite, and although it's going well, the babies aren't enjoying it one little bit. I permitted gentle nibbling when they were exploring the world with their mouths, when hands were big scary things that needed to be rationalised, when they were just learning to play. Now that their teeth are in though, they don't just nibble. They grab hold with paws and bite... hard. None has drawn blood, but that's still behaviour that I'm not willing to tolerate, and the habit needs to be broken young. Each time someone bites, they get a tap on the nose, or, if you're Porker/Hamster, several taps until you let go of the finger that certainly isn't food! The baby, as usual, has caught on pretty quickly, and although she'll test her luck with a bite now and then, she will mostly check herself just as her teeth are about to sink in, and will give you a head bump instead. And I've just been interrupted by her. I picked mum up for a cuddle, and as soon as she heard me talking, she screamed so much that mum went running as usual. As soon as I picked her up, she started purring like a motorboat! These babies are such time wasters, really they are. I've been up for an hour already and I've got nothing done!





They've got lots of toys in their pen now that they're mostly done pooing on the floor. Ping pong balls have always been there because they can be disinfected and washed, but now they have a furry mouse that chirps like a bird when touched (the irony, right?), a rope mouse that they can get really rough on, a ball with feathers sticking out of it, a crinkle ball and a ribbon hanging down from the top that can be batted. I also introduced them to dangler toys yesterday as they were watching Tia play with them and seemed fascinated. I had a Da Bird for Tia, well, a cheaper version which had fallen apart, but I kept a feather back and taped it onto the string. This was the perfect size for fraidy cat kittens, and after a bit of teasing and, yes, I admit it, judicious poking and tummy tickling with said feather, the chase was on. Nobody, but nobody, not even a feather, gets to touch their tummies unmolested, and after this ultimate insult, they vowed to kill the offender and kill it good. At one point, there was one on the feather itself, one on the shaft, and another on the string... I think they won!





I ran out of Bozita, so they've been changed to Animonda until I can get some more. It's not flavour of the month. They eat it, but aren't too enthusiastic about it. I cheated last night too. Normally, Tia cleans their plate as soon as I go to bed which means that they're starving first thing in the morning, and is probably why they're suckling so much. Last night though,I put a full tin of pilchards in a separate bowl in there for her. She gets these occasionally, and absolutely loves them. Needless to say, she didn't bother with boring old kitten food. I even caught one of the babies having a go at the fish, so it was a hit!





I'm still toying with pedigree names. They will need to be registered soon, so I need to settle on something pretty sharpish. I'm thinking Moonspun Isntshe Lovely for my girl, but not sure about it as it's a bit cliche. What do you all think? And any suggestions for the boys would be super too!





That's about it, I think. Sorry it's been so long in coming, and also sorry there still aren't any pictures, but I'm still waiting for them to be given to me. I hate these delays!

Five Weeks Old!

Well, they're five weeks old today, and I don't know where the time has gone to. Most of the last five weeks have passed in a blurr thanks to hardly any sleep, and demanding babies. However, things are looking up!






you remember my last post all about poo? Well, fingers crossed, but I haven't had any poo incidents either yesterday or today! Little girl was definitely the culprit, but she seems to have sorted things out. of course, as soon as I say that, she's going to have the runs all over the place. I've changed their diet too though which may be helping. They came off nature's Menu and went onto Bozita instead. If you don't already feed this, you should try it. The Pate variety is excellent for weaning kittens! Porker is putting on so, so much weight, and looks very fat and healthy, as do the others. I had someone over to look at them yesterday, and she commented that they were massive for five weeks old! I think it's the good food they've had. A lot of breeders will try and cut costs by feeding softened dry food etc, and I can understand it, as all wet food is very expensive, but I think it definitely shows in the size of the kittens. Bozita is a BARF diet, and since they've been on it, their poos have become less smelly, and the Baby has toiletted appropriately!





They learn so quick, these kittens. They seem to learn it all in the night as well. yesterday, the Baby learned how to jump, and although she still hasn't mastered it and appears totally surprised every time she does it, she's teaching the others too! They've all been out for short periods of supervised play on the carpet, and she's so quick already that she even outruns mum when Tia goes to bring her back. I think she's going to be an absolute handful.





All three of them have learned to climb the mesh at the front of the pen, and are really in danger of coming out over the top, Hamster in particular. he gets the highest, but all three scream to be taken out and, if not cuddled, then allowed to explore. The Baby loves a stroke, but still isn't purring consistently. Porker will cuddle with you and then wrestle you into submission when he's had enough. Hamster is the best snuggler, but only when he's in the mood. If he wants to play, nothing will persuade him to have love instead, although in fairness, that's true for all of them.





I've seen all three go to the dish by themselves now and eat, although I'll give them a little helping hand and a prod in the right direction when I'm around during the day. Porker, in typical Porker fashion, is gaining the most. He's increased his lead now to a solid 100 grams. This food really is amazing though.





I left them alone for the first time last night. I kept them in the pen in the living room, and I went to bed all alone. I want Tia to stay away from them a little bit now, because the longer she's not with them, the less the demand on her milk supply and consequently, the less she'll produce. It also makes the kittens hungry and forces them to search out the solids dish. Now those who have been following me all along will remember that Tia is my shadow. I can't move without her with me, and had to shift the kittens into the bedroom when I went just so that she'd continue to feed them through the night. So my plan of going to bed was fool proof, right? She'd come with me and kits would fend for themselves. Wrong. She came into my room only twice; once to use the litterbox, and a second time to throw up on my carpet. I found the latter by stepping in it. I have to say that I felt quite lonely last night with no furries for company, and it was very, very strange sleeping without Tia around. I hope her personality changes don't persist, as she's much less cuddly now than before she had the babies.





When I got up this morning, all were happy and bouncing around. They've been playing a lot today, but unfortunately, pictures weren't taken. I've been faithfully promised that they will be tomorrow though, so watch this space!





As usual, I'll finish off this post with their weights so that you can see the progress for yourself. This week, they all have an 8 in them somewhere!





The Baby: 448 grams. As you can see, she hasn't gained much, but this is normal when transitioning to solids. The slight weight loss and the hunger drives them to search out and eat the food. She's gained 16 grams in the last day though.
Hamster: 488 grams.
Porker: 588 grams. What a little fatty he is! he's all muscle though.





Oh, just as a last thing, I've been featured today in The Cat's Whiskers
a blog written by a breeder friend of mine. It's got a lot of useful information in, so you really should go and have a look! Please do comment as well, as I'm sure she'd love to hear from you!

Crappy Day

I've had another exhausting day. In fact, scrub that. I've had an exhausting few weeks. These kittens are, I suspect, just as draining as human babies. I'm just as tired as many mums say they are. No sleep through the night, feeds every few hours, bum cleaning... Oh yes, today's been the day of bum cleaning. Oh, and poo mopping. And even bathing!






Now, for those of you who are desperate to have a litter of kittens just for the "Oh, but they're so cute!" factor, please read on. For those of you who have already gone through this, yes, today's the day where I need the "there there, you'll be all right" kind of sympathy!





Someone's not using the litter tray, and that someone has a beautifully runny bum. That someone usually leaves their poo just outside the litter tray in a corner, which means that when the others come out from doing their business, what do they stand in? Well, poo is slippy, so naturally, they fall over, having not expected to have their feet go out from under them.





If any of you have seen a very young kitten get up, you'll know that, even if they fall onto their chests, they will never push straight up onto their feet. They have to roll around first. So, we have three long-haired kittens, one pile of runny poo in a high traffic location, and unsteady paws. Need I say more?





The Baby and Porker got so bad that I actually had to bath them, and neither were very pleased. The Baby was petrified of the hair drier too, but Porker, after his initial fright, was more confused, then annoyed about the big noisy thing we were using on him. He didn't rate the air being blown at him too highly either.





So, numerous baby wipe baths, then a real one, a pen clean and disinfect later, I thought I'd lie back for just a minute and rest. 20 minutes later, I smelled the distinctive, what can only be described as farmyard, odour and thought, "Oh great". By the time I'd managed to get to the pen, Porker had rolled, hamster had trodden in it and walked all over the pen, and the Baby, whose back end was sodden right down to her feet, had curled up in the freshly washed bedding for a little snooze.





out came the carrier and out came the kittens. In they went into the carrier, and I got to listen to their protests while I went into the pen. I didn't spot that those poo laiden paws had made it a little closer to the front than I thought, so when I knelt down in my nice clean jeans, the knees of them got unclean in a hurry.





So, numerous baby wipe baths, a pen clean and disinfect, old bedding wash and new inserted, a shower and a new pair of jeans later, in went the kittens, and out went the last of my energy. I'm drained, absolutely and totally. They're mostly clean now (I couldn't face another actual bath), but for how long? I've put an incontinence pad down over the poo spot in the big pen, and, after I cleaned and disinfected the bedroom one as well, I did the same there. hopefully that'll stop them from using the floor as a toilet, and if it doesn't, then I pray that the inco pad soaks up the worst of it before someone comes and takes a poo bath.





In brighter news though, hamster gained a whopping 33 grams between yesterday morning and evening. I thought my scales were wrong, but they weren't. This morning, he'd gained another 3! Weight gains have been less today, and Porker actually lost, but I'm not worrying. It's important that they get a little hungry when they start solids, because it encourages them to search for food. I did tell you I was starting them, didn't I? I remember mentioning that Tia's milk was drying up, and I suspect it's done so more now, because only Porker is showing any real interest in feeding from her, and he's an opportunist so it's hardly surprising. he loses interest very quickly though. Every single one of them will not eat from a dish if you put them down in front of it. It's almost like they're afraid of it, as they'll wriggle and run backwards away from it. To get them to eat, you have to hold them still, open their mouths, drop a bit of food in, and then wait for the thick Persian brain to kick in (it usually takes two or three tries and about five seconds of licking, chewing and thinking) and say "Hey, what you've got in your mouth really tastes nice. And you're hungry. Hmmm, why not have some more of that?" If you're Porker or the Baby, you'll allow your head to be guided to the dish as I lower my food laiden fingers down. Then I can slip away and leave you to eat your fill. However, if you're Hamster, you point blank refuse to eat unless it's on my fingers. It takes me about five minutes to get him to eat from the dish, and he'll only do so if I bury my fingers in the food and he can eat near them. He's such a silly clutz, that boy, but terribly sweet. He's the quiet trouble maker. If I'm helping one of the others eat, he's usually the one attacking the back of my arm, and as soon as you turn your attention to him, he lies perfectly still as though he were asleep!





To finish off today, the first kitten has been booked. I find this good news and bad all at the same time; good because I know the man he's going to live with, and I also know he'll be spoiled rotten and loved to within an inch of his life. Bad because it's really brought home to me that in seven weeks, these babies won't be mine any more and I'll have to give them up. I suspect I'll end up blubbing before the new owners have even gotten them out the door! Porker's owner (he'll remain nameless until he chooses to reveal himself), you have been warned! I am a total wet rag and I admit it. It does take a weight off my mind though. I'd be happy with this first litter going to live with people I know. I know all my kittens will be precious to me, but I think these guys will always hold a special place with me. They were my first, after all.





So, that's it. If anybody lives close-by and feels like cleaning mucky bums and scrubbing pens, I'd love you forever! The "oh, but they're so cute!" factor is sadly absent today, even though they are! Even covered in poo and spreading it all over the place, I still love 'em. Little monsters!

Day 31: Lots of Firsts!

Well, over the last few days, there have been lots of firsts! I can't remember exactly how many days ago it was when I last updated and I'm too tired to go back and read, so sorry if I tell you something more than once!






As you know, Hamster was the first to poo, but when I checked the bedding last night, I found the first real, solid poo. Who did it I don't know, but whoever did produced a lot for such a wee kitten! They've all been going in the tray to do wees though. It's sweet in a weird sort of way when you see the size of their teeny tiny clumps compared to Tia's massive ones. They haven't mastered pooping in there yet, or if they have, I haven't found it. But the litter tray has become a fun place to play and romp and beat each other up!





Today there were quite a few new things. It started this morning with the Baby. I've taken the bedding out of the day pen and just left a bedded bit at the front for them to snuggle up in. This was because when they were fighting, they were throwing the bedding around the place, knocking it into the water bowl, burying the food dish, getting stuck underneath it. They also couldn't manage to play with the ping pong balls I put in there for them because they wouldn't roll on the bedding. They're much steadier on their feet on the solid floor, and the ball rolls better. When I put them all in there this morning, the Baby ran around like a mad thing. She dived into the litter tray, then threw herself out of it again... Right on top of the ball! What a shock she got when it rolled away and dumped her onto her little fat belly on the floor. This simply wasn't on, so she chased it, then beat it into submission with a paw. Except that it didn't submit. it moved again, so she had to run after it and whap it a second time. This is the first time I've witnessed toy play with this litter.





Once this was done, I was interesting again, and she came running to the front and squeaking. When she climbed the bars and screamed at me, I knew she wanted a cuddle. But as I picked her up, she purred a little! Again, it didn't last long, but this is the first time any of them have purred when anywhere but their safe, cosy bed. She kept it up for a good few seconds too, and groomed me like mad when she was done. She's also pretty much stopped biting when she's playing with me now. She'll bat my finger with her paws, but when she grabs hold with both and drags it in towards her belly, it's almost like she checks herself before biting, then just licks instead.





They're all learning to put up with kisses. The boys fight it. Well, they're boys, so that's understandable, right? the Baby just puts her face up, then snuggles it against mine for a second. Don't worry. I don't kiss my cats on the lips! Too grosse, even for me! But when that little face lifts, it's awfully cute. I'm so glad that I know she's staying, because I think it would be very hard to let go of this one if she wasn't.





Their weights have been all over the place recently. I know it's time that they should begin to wean, but they just aren't interested in food since Porker's choking episode. Today though, myself and JP, a friend of mine, took them out of the pen one by one so that they wouldn't have the distraction of others to contend with. Surprisingly, the Baby wasn't the one with the first in this department. Porker was the quickest to catch on when I put a saucer of fresh, stinky food in front of him. After about five minutes of coaxing, his face was in the dish and he was sucking up that food like a little piggy! Only problem is that he almost needs to be held down when at the dish. He still thinks he's suckling, and for him, he's used to fighting others off. his strength was in pushing up tall so that the others couldn't climb on top of him, but when he does this at the dish, he loses where his food is and has to be guided back. Once he got started though, he seemed to love it! He hasn't been back to the dish on his own though.





Hamster was the next quickest. JP started him off, and he did have a small go at the dish, but he preferred just to eat straight from his fingers. The Baby was the hardest. She point blank refused anything, even a lick of food. In fact, she ran away from it like it was something horrible! She's the one I'm most worried about, as her weight is all over the place, so I opened her mouth against her will, and slipped my finger in at the side where, even to push it out, she had to lick it. I knew that that first lick was all it would take, and I was right. As soon as she got a taste, she was off, but she too wouldn't eat from the dish. She wanted nothing to do with it, and in fact, it seemed to scare her. Whenever I sneaked her closer to it while she was licking and wouldn't noticed, she'd lift her head, look down, then scuttled backwards as though it was chasing her. She was only happy when her back was pressed up against my leg.





It's important that they wean soon for their own health. Tia just doesn't have the milk supply any more, and even with a dose of urtica last night, it hasn't stayed flowing. She fed them last night, but today they're back to how they were before; feeding for only short periods, disinterested even when she's in there with them. I'm going to give it another day or two, and then I'll separate Tia from them for a good few hours and feed them the food. This speeds weaning considerably, and provided the separation is only short-term, will not cause any lasting damage. If they were still gaining weight then I'd not worry, but as they aren't, they need to move onto solids whether they want to or not!





So as you can see, day 31 has been quite an eventful one! I wonder what's around the corner for tomorrow?





In closing, I'd like to answer questions left on a comment. Kittens will poo from the moment they're born, but they will only do this when mum stimulates them by licking the lower belly and bum areas. By about four weeks, they've developed the muscle control to do this on their own. This is the time that breeders will normally notice their first poo piles in the bedding, and it's then when the fun of litter training starts. Thankfully, mine have been very easy so far!





They're confined to the pen until they are totally continent in the tray, and steady on their feet. The pen provides a safe area for them to romp, play and learn about staying on all four feet, and it also provides a small, contained place so that they can learn to remember where the tray is, and use it! Cats are clean animals, so do not like to poo in the bedding. Kittens, even when they do it in the bedding, will do it at the edges of the cage and try and hide it. They will eventually learn that the tray is the correct place though. Cats originally came from thedessert, so when they find a place where they can dig, instinct takes over and says, "Hey, this is sort of like sand, and you can bury poo in sand". They will come out of the pen only when they are all the way convinced that it's a good idea to pee and poo in the tray.





I'm not going to keep all of the kittens, no. The little girl is definitely staying, and if one of the boys turns out to be an extreme cuddler, then he'll probably stay too, but otherwise, the two boys will be sold. here, it's a given that the kits will be registered before sale. Paperwork is held back until proof of neutering is sent to the breeder, but under the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy rules, cats need to be declared or registered before selling. If a cat isn't registered, then the new owner can put them on the register themselves, and could place them on the active, which means they could be used for breeding. That's something I don't want to happen without my knowledge, as breeding cats need to be of outstanding quality to be considered for this.

4 weeks old!

Well, they're four weeks old today, and what a whirlwind month it's been! From tiny, helpless babies who did nothing but sleep and suck, or in Hamster's case, just sleep, to fighting, running, exploring little hooligans. The transformation has been quite amazing to watch!


I told you that they learned to bite almost overnight. They seemed to have done the same when it comes to moving fast, and escaping! As soon as I take the front off that pen, the kits are clambering over the front. The Baby now throws herself over, whereas Porker sort of flops. He'll climb up the side where the bedding reaches higher, then move to the front and get his front paws and head over the lip. There then follows a period of him being a seasaw with his tummy as the fulcrum point. He pushes with his back feet, then goes head down, then thinks twice about it and pushes with his front feet to get back into the box. Eventually he gets brave and flops out usually onto his head. Again, I'm thankful for thick carpets! The kits have only been allowed out under close supervision and for short periods, but they love it! Hamster enjoys being out, but he's not brave enough to do it himself yet. He'd rather climb the mesh when it's on the pen and scream at me to pick him up. The Baby does this regularly, and Porker will occasionally. It's very sweet, as they quiet immediately if I take them out for a cuddle.

Baby

Porker gained weight thankfully, and although his meow is still bubbly, he's running around like there's nothing wrong with him at all. Hamster lost so much weight that he put himself back to where he was yesterday. He broke 400 this morning, but is right back down to 395 again. however, it's meant his sister could catch him up, and I think this is important, as it'll stop her being pushed out as much when it comes to feeding.

Porker

Hamster also did something else this morning. I woke up to find a kitten with a very mucky, smelly back end, and a nice little present for me on the bedding. Hamster had done his very first poo! We breeders are obsessed with cat poo. Ok, perhaps that's a little too strong, but when a cat is ill, some of the biggest tell-tales are found in the litter tray. So I got very excited when I saw this. He actually passed some solids! So the kitten litter tray went in the pen today, and JP, a friend of mine, even made a little ramp for them to get in and out nice and easily. They've all been in there for an explore, and when I did their bums tonight, I put them in the tray to do it, then buried the pee-soaked wipes in the litter to give them the smell. I plonked all three in there before leaving the bedroom, and they had a whale of a time romping around! I've seen them all climb in and out now, so I know they can do it.

Hamster

There will be photos today, and perhaps even video, but a friend of mine will need to post those, so you'll just have to wait a little longer! However, as usual, I'll give you their weights so that you can see how much they've grown.





The Baby: 392 grams.
Hamster: 395 grams.
Porker, 481 grams.
That big fatty will be breaking half a kg before the other two have really got their teeth into the 400s!

If the video won't load, view it HERE

Day 27, Less Than Happy

Even if I'd had the time yesterday, which I really didn't, I don't think I could have brought myself to write anything. I was too wrung out, too upset, feeling too guilty and exhausted and not up to the task any more that it wouldn't have been a good post.






I've learned a few hard lessons over the last few days which I'm going to share with you. Warning, this post is not a happy one, but it does have a semi happy ending, so do bear with me!





It started on Friday when my mum and the family friend, hereafter called FF, came to see the kittens and stay overnight. During this period of their lives, it is important that kits are socialised extensively with humans to ensure that they are comfortable and unafraid when around them. As long as people take propper precautions, i.e, hand washing, and arriving in clothes which haven't been exposed to any other animals, then I'm fine with them being handled. When my mum and FF arrived, I instructed them on the safe way to hold kittens, then passed them each a very sleepy, placid baby. My mum did fine with Porker until he started to wriggle, but she told me as soon as she didn't feel confident any more and I was able to take him back. However, FF wasn't so good. Hamster wriggled out of his hands and fell from his chest to the sofa. As if that wasn't bad enough, and really, it wasn't as the sofa's soft, he slipped off the edge of that and fell to the floor. I thank god that I have very thick carpets all through this house. He had a soft landing, and didn't even squeak when he did land. Of course, I checked him over straight away. He was just fine. Moving around, licking my finger, cuddling up to my hand. I was livig though. It's not hard to hold a kitten. You just keep them in your hands all the time and you can't drop them. I carry all three at once when I move them from bedroom to living room and back, and never have I dropped one. I didn't say much. The poor guy was so shocked himself that he was speechless, but I didn't offer him another chance to hold a kitten. So, the first lesson I've learned is that people will sit on the floor when handling kittens at this age. They will also hold them intheir hands and not do things like put them against their chests.





The next day I was pretty tired. As usual, the cats had got me up quite a few times throughout the night, so sleep is still a luxury that I don't have much of. I was leaving for town with my mum and FF, but thought I'd feed Tia first. While waiting for the other two to be ready to go, I noticed that Porker was very interested in Tia's food. I'd been told by another breeder that kittens should be Ok with soft, small chunks of meat, as even at this age, they have teeth, so when he went to Tia's chunk bowl, I wasn't too worried. I watched as he ate a chunk, feeling proud that he had managed it when the others only wanted patae, then I did an awful lot more than watch as he began to choke and gag, and finally stopped breathing.





I can honestly say that I've treated human patients in cardiac arrest with less panic than I felt. I've resussed more calmly, but as I snatched up that little body, my brain just started screaming! I think I yelled at my mum and FF to phone the vet, but I really can't remember. I held Porker upside down and tapped him until, thank goodness, the food came back out. But now there was a new worry. What if he'd aspirated some of it and it was still in his lungs?





Immediately, I dosed him with glucose to stop him going into shock, then rang the vet in a right old panic. She commended me for what I'd done. I'd even listened to his chest and was able to tell her that breathing sounds were increased. She said I could bring him if I liked, but that she'd be able to do no more for him than I already had. I was to watch him until Monday, and if he went downhill, I was to get him in straight away.





For the rest of yesterday and all last night, I watched. His meow sounded wrong, bubbly almost. His chest sounded louder than it should have done. But he wasn't lethargic, and he certainly wasn't going without food. As usual, he was the most greedy at the milk bar.





This morning, his meow still sounded almost as though he had a sore throat, but this evening, he beat up his sister so thoroughly that she had to actually be rescued, so he can't be feeling that bad. His weight gain is still super too. So, second lesson: No matter what others say, always go with your gut instinct. Kittens should never be given chunks until they are much older and know how to chew.





Speaking of fighting, it's like they've all learned to do this overnight. When I put them to bed on Friday, they were sweet, gentle little things, but when they woke up yesterday, they seemed to have learned in a few short hours how to bite, and how to do it good. Yesterday evening they discovered how fun it was to bite and wrestle with each other, and from then on, it was carnage. I've taken the bed area out of the pens today too, because they've also learned to explore, well, the Baby and Porker have. I came back today to find Hamster on his own in the bed, crying and crying for mum who was happily lying in the back of the pen feeding the other two. To level the playing field a bit, I took the pen out, and they now happily follow each other around. They've started climbing the mesh at the front of the cage now, and whenever I go over, one or more can be found with front paws on the bars, mouths open as they scream for me to pick them up. The Baby even purred today when I was stroking her, and she knew it was me too, because she looked! The purring lasted only for about half a minute, and it was broken in between, but this is major progress.





Such a lot has happened in this last weekend, and tomorrow, they reach another milestone. They'll be four weeks old. I didn't think all three would make it to that point. After yesterday, I thought it again, so it'll be quite the little celebration tomorrow! I'll have pictures for you. I may even have video!

Day 25... I Think

Well, today the kittens were kept very busy with their first long stay visitor. They've been handled by people for brief periods, but I had a friend over today who spent a whole afternoon adoring them, and what little flirts they were! Porker climbed out of the box at one point. Ok, he needed a little help and a boost, but that's what happens when you try and grip with your back feet and they slide out from under you because you just happen to be standing in the cat food bowl. Poor little boy didn't know what to do when he managed to get up and over. He hung over the side for a moment, claws scrabbling wildly until I came to his rescue and helped tip him out. But then there was this great expanse of carpet to contend with. He took one look, plopped himself down, and didn't move. We sat on the floor with him and arranged our legs so that he had a boundary to work with. Once we'd done this, he was off, but it was me he was interested in. He came right up and nuzzled in against my leg. i tell you what, if I didn't already love them with all of my heart, it would have totally been theirs at that point. To have him come to me when there were so many new and interesting things to do, well, it just blew me away.






When it was the Baby's turn, she came right out and had a sit on my knee for about five minutes. This is the longest she's ever stayed with me without crying, and as you can see by the photos, she was enjoying herself! Hamster had a snuggle too, and seemed very keen to look all around him, but less keen to explore on his own just yet.





When my friend left, it was time for me to be the big, mean scary person again, because it was claw clipping time. I've been putting it off for ages because the idea of clipping claws that tiny terrifies me, but it really needed done. So, one by one, I subjected them to the torture of being held still and cooed to while tips were snipped painlessly away. Well, by their screams of protest you'd have sworn it was torture anyway! Porker did twitch at one point and I took a claw off rather short. it bled a little, but I stopped it quickly enough. I felt guilty as anything though, but it didn't seem to bother him. I hope those claws grow slowly, because I don't want to do them again until they're much bigger! By the time I was finished, I'd broken out in a cold sweat and everything!





The Baby wasn't so interested in solid food this morning, but Hamster ate a load of it! I'm wondering if I got the pair of them mixed up yesterday. It's easy to do because they're so similar in size and shape. you know, it wouldn't surprise me to find that Hamster is also a girl when they go for their check up at nine weeks old. He's more similar to the Baby than to Porker. What do you think from the photos? They were taken today when my friend was over. I think you can see that their points are starting to come in nicely now, but I'm still not sure what colours I've got. I wish they'd hurry up, because I need to register them soon!





Ok, so picture order is Porker, then Porker with mum, Hamster and lastly, the Baby. I'm thinking about a propper name for her, and I don't know why, but I've settled on Dora. It wasn't what I'd planned. I had a list of beautiful pedigree names all picked out, but Dora just feels so right for her. We have a programme for kids called Dora the Explorer, and it fits this little girl so well. She's been the first to do everything! Also, if we're getting sentimental about it, Dora is contained in adorable, and she definitely is that! Opinions?





They all put on a fair bit of weight again last night. Those nutri-drops are a godsend!





My mum and a family friend are coming down this evening, so kittens will be subject to more cuddling and adoration. Somehow I don't think they'll mind one little bit! I'll write tomorrow to tell you all how it went. Right now, I could do with some sleep. Tia had me up every hour like clockwork from 3:30 this morning, and I'm really feeling it! These cats are more work than human babies!

Day 24

Looks like my promise to update every day has been broken. It's hard to find the time sometimes though, what with kitten caring night and day, keeping mum happy, cleaning trays, feeding a ridiculous amount of food at all hours, and keeping up with my own life on top of it. I will still try to update every day, but sorry now if I don't manage it always in the future.






Well, today we've had huge steps forward! As usual, it's my little girl that's made them.





Lately, the weight gains have yo-yoed a little bit, so although it's early,, I thought it about time they started solids. They're so big, or at least, the boy is, that I'm sure they're about ready for them, and their teeth have come in already, or Porker and the Baby's have, so they're able to handle the food. Up until now though, nobody was interested. Porker would lick my finger if I got some gravy on it, and he had a wail of a time yesterday when I put a bowl of blended food down and he went paddling, but he didn't appreciate it as food, and mum didn't thank me for the cleaning job he needed once he was done playing!





I got a new brand today, Nature's Menu, just to try and see if fussy pants Tia would consider eating it. Well, as soon as I put it down, she was straight in there! I've never seen food disappear so quickly! It is a patae consistency, perfect for little mouths, so I thought I'd try some with the kittens. Hamster wasn't interested at all, and just cried when I smeared some on his mouth for him to taste. Porker was more interested and had a good lick of the mush on my finger, but whenever he got anything more than juice, he pushed it out of his mouth and had to be coaxed to lick a little more. But the Baby, well, she loved it! She doesn't know how to chew, but boy does she know how to lick, and as soon as she got a taste of that food, she started to suck for all she was worth. I kept giving her gobs of the stuff, and she ate about a teaspoon full. She got more on her than in her, bless her, but it wasn't for the lack of trying! However, she wouldn't eat from the bowl at all. She backed away as though she was scared of it, but let's hope the smell draws her back.





They've all lost weight today, all except Porker, and he's only gained 3 grams. The two smaller ones got dosed with nutri-drops which usually makes them ravenous, so let's hope they gain a lot during the night. I'm glad that when they do gain, they put it on massively, as it means they can lose a bit without it becoming dangerous. Still though, it concerns me until I see that they've gained again.





So, it looks as though I'm going to have to start litter training soon. Oh joy! Only problem is that Tia won't let the kits out of the bed yet. Whenever they head off for an explore, she drags them back, plops them down and washes them until they give up trying to escape. I can't put a litter tray in the bed, so I forsee problems just round the corner!





Pictures are likely to be another few days in coming, I'm afraid. The ones that were taken on week three still haven't been sent to me, and the next time I have anyone up to see me, it'll be Saturday, so probably Sunday by the time I get someone to put them on the blog for me. It really frustrates me that I can't get the pictures when I want them!

Day 19 and sorry!

I'm so sorry that I haven't kept you up to date with kitten progress. I won't make excuses other than that life has been hectic, I've been tired, and the combination has meant that I haven't had much computer time or any inclination to write.





You see, the kittens have all gone through a spate of losing weight, and when that happens, I'm called on to make sure it doesn't continue. It started with Porker. Now that's a huge worry, as he out of them all should have the least trouble feeding, given that he's the biggest and all. Then little Hamster lost on the same night that Porker lost for a second time. Something had to be done, so I got to stay up, just as I was doing before, and latch not only Porker, but Hamster, then make sure nobody fought those two, stop them fighting each other, and still leave room for the Baby to get a feed. It was mighty difficult, I can tell you! Hamster gained a little, and so did Porker, but it wasn't enough really. However, it was a gain, so the next night, I'd planned to only get up three times. However, over the course of that day, the Baby lost weight too, so it meant another pretty much sleepless night and more helping. I had commitments to fulfill during the day, and I was just shattered to put it mildly.





However, it was worth it, as they're all gaining again on their own! This means that i can sleep for three hours at a time now. Oh what luxury that is! I'll usually put them to bed between 10 and 11. The moving triggers them to suckle which means I can sleep in until 2, then again until 5 and then I next get up at 8. That gives me time to latch them on and clean out the day pen for them before the 9 AM get up time when the kittens are weighed. Then it's off to do the night pen while they have a comfort suckle with mum. The routine that these kittens need is astoundingly rigid.





Porker is playing consistently now, and they're all getting better on their feet. They'll now patrol around the kitten box. Well, more accurately, they'll wobble round it, fall over, cry because they've fallen, get bored of crying when it doesn't achieve anything, get up and start the whole thing again. The Baby is cutting her teeth by the feel of things when she gummed my finger to death today. Poor little girl cries a lot whenever I touch her or do anything with her, but she did come towards the front of the box last night and this morning and climb up the side to stand just under my chin. Of course, she was squeaking all the while which brought mum running, but I think it's because she's a moaner rather than because she's afraid of me. I'm almost getting a purr out of someone when I tickle them, but I'm not quite sure who yet, because as soon as I go to check, they stop and I can never be sure if it was them or someone else.





I'm really missing cuddling time with my Tia though. Even though she doesn't want to be in the kittening box, she doesn't want picking up either, and the kits aren't at the stage where they enjoy it yet. Truth be told, it's getting me down. In my darker moments, it feels like I'm doing a lot of back-breaking, exhausting work for no return at all. I know that's ludicrous, as my kittens are thriving, but the stupid part of me asks if it would really be so hard for Tia to snuggle me from time to time, to show her appreciation for me outside of crying at me, waking me up or demanding food. I'm stupid, but there you have it. Well, this is the only time I'll have to go through it, as when the next litter comes along, there'll be other adult cats still around to heal my lonely heart syndrome!





The two little ones should break 300 grams by the time the morning hits. Do you know, that'll make them over 3/4 of a pound, and they're not even three weeks old yet! I'm going to start them on solid food soon too. Watch this space!





PS: Sorry about the lack of pictures, but the friend who's putting them up just hasn't had the time to do it yet. I promise, you'll have them soon!