Teeth & Testing Them

'Pot' the kitten is now just past 4 weeks old and is becoming very aware that there is life of some sort going on outside of the nest.

Her eyes capture me as I go by stalling me in my track. I reach in to smooth the flank of her mother who as always is purring and wanting my eyes on her. As my hand goes by, a soft paw, spread as wide as it can be, like a tiny baseball catchers mitt, reaches out. Oh, so you want to play, do you?

I offer my other hand to pet her and she seems to want more, she takes my finger between her two front paws and opens her mouth to explore what it is. She has teeth! They are tiny spikes, but she has not yet learned (or perhaps doesn't have the strength) to bite and hurt me.

Later, I tickle her soft warm belly, and she really engages in kittenish play..I wonder at the kind of life she would have in her nest now had there been siblings in her litter. Her play touch is gentle and sweet, all four limbs, over which she has not quite full control, overextend with the hands and feet open as wide was can be so I can see each little web of skin between each finger and toe.  They try to wrap around the fingers of my hand, their tiny talons touching my skin but there is no power in her at all yet. I become aware of my face stretched into a smile and of my heart filling with love.

Soon, she rolls over and heads off towards one of the toys I've placed in the nest, she mouths it for a few seconds, but loses interest when there is no reaction... then she turns and comes back towards mum for a feed.