Midnight snack & weigh in!

Dad - Oswald 

 Another busy busy day here at Sphynx Cat Central. All the adult girls got bathed. Prune was well over due as I let her be last time as she had only a couple of days earlier given birth and I’d not wanted to bath her late on in her pregnancy given her size. She sure needed it & the ear cleanse & manicure too! Those talons!!! 

Sadly, none of my girls love water, despite my efforts to entice play so baths are a necessary evil. Noodle, who used to put up with it begrudgingly now fights to get away and comes out in hives (we use Pet Remedy room spray before & during bathtime as well as their shampoo all in efforts to de-stress this as much as possible. The results as ever are worthwhile. Noodle looks positively glowing being the lightest in colour she looks grubby quickest. Thanks to overzealous Floozy play she has some bite grazes around her neck area, bless her. She is often the instigator of catch me if you can, so she must enjoy the game. I am often run over or used as a springboard as they rampage through the bedroom or lounge.

Anyway, it’s nearly 12:45a.m & I’ve just given a late feed. I’ve noticed that in the last few days their appetites have gone nuts. It could be that Prune is producing less milk….they still suckle her a lot & she visits frequently to allow them to nurse, plus their tummies are never empty, so it’s more likely a huge growth spurt and milk becoming less satisfying.

I’ve also not seen any avoidance behaviour on Prune’s part as yet, but it won’t be long I don’t think as their first teeth are coming in. They’ll be over zealous, and nip her so she will soon begin to stop laying for them so much. She’ll start to grumble at them & push them away rather than leave them to drop off to sleep while suckling because they’ll get over zealous with their new pearly whites! 

I’m now feeding around 40- 50ml between them at each feed I provide (4 times a day). The good feeding they get from us both certainly shows in their weights which tonight are Black (Pudding) 446g, and the Blue lads are 424g, 407g & 356g. That 356g weight surprised me a bit, he’s not looking like a 51g lighter kitten. 

This is the last week that I will syringe/teat (Miracle Nipple™ ) feed them as next week they are going to be taking the next big steps. Lesson 1 is learning to drink from a dish. From there we will move on to weaning. And with that must come litter training since mum & her willing helpers will immediately stop performing toileting duty. Well, maybe Floozy won’t at first & she too will get a life lesson! Oh boy!

My beautiful daughter in law is almost at the end of her pregnancy. I’m on call for when the action starts - whence I  will drop everything to take care of my (feral) toddler grandson, Holden while his little sister is being born. Holden arrived almost a fortnight early so with only 1 week until the official due date left (as of today Sunday August 1st) it is quite literally an any time now situation. My plan is (hopefully) to start to wean & litter train after my new granddaughter has safely arrived. This will allow me to give it my full attention, however, if baby decides she’s too comfy where she is, with the appetites of these little darlings, I may well have to begin beforehand. We will see! 

Good night all 🐾🐾❤️🐾🐾

  

Dates!

 Busy day today with a few bits n bobs, one job involving a trip to the vet, which was purposeful in that I needed medication for Madam Floozy. 

While there, I booked Prune & her kittens in for ….

• Prune - annual booster (Noodle will be having hers on Tuesday) and 
• kittens for their first vaccination & microchip appointment (2nd September) 
• & 2nd vaccines (30th September)

These are important dates because the first vaccines (usually) allow the opening up of viewings & the second vaccine appointment at 12 weeks marks the date when kittens should be ready to go on to their new homes.

While it’s not written in stone that in person viewings will be offered at NSCH in 2021, it is preferred, so I’m hoping that it will be possible - even if it must be limited to one person only from any new family coming into our home to meet them. 

The microchip administration creates a small puncture would so, I’ve decided this time to have these implanted during the 8 week point so that they can be fully & well healed before kittens go off to their new homes. This allows me the peace of mind that the wound is not brand new when the kittens leave. However, if the vet when they examine the boys on September 2nd decides they’d prefer them to have achieved the extra size they will be at 12 weeks then I will opt to wait for them to be implanted during the second vaccines appointment. I’ve never had a kitten have a wound get infected, but I’d rather there was no chance for that to happen by having it done while they’re still “on my watch”. It reminds me actually of the time I had my very first litter at a breeder implanted. This was in fact a single kitten litter, and I’d a lovely lovely vet then named Phil. I was the only Sphynx pet parent at that practice & I remember Phil felt nervous of implanting the chip into the Sphynx kitten at 8 weeks. When we spoke about it after the deed was done (he opted for doing it at 12 weeks!) that he said there is actually little real difference except that the fur coat worn by other kitten breeds/non breeds makes them feel very different in the hands of the practitioner than a no coat kitty dies making them feel more fragile or somehow less robust. I loved the vulnerability and care that deal Phil revealed in himself as a veterinarian that day. He left that practice some while later and sadly, I don’t know where he went, but wherever he is in practice I know the animals in his care receive absolute top quality & heartfelt care. 

Back to the present…. Because the client (me) cannot now go into the room with their pets to see the vet, I spent time with the reception team today opening each lad an individual health record naming each kitten (clears throat) Kitten 1, Kitten 2, Kitten 3 and, yes Kitten 4 . This setting up will simplify things on the day so that their health records can be easily filled out. 

Before the vaccine or implant is given, each kitten receives a full health check, eyes, wards, mouth, heart, lungs, limbs, tummy, weight, temperature etc. The vaccine will only ever be given if the vet is completely happy with the health of the kitten. Similarly the microchip will not be administered if there is any concern noted. I’d always rather wait than rush them, (even the vet!) .

Just as we head into the weekend…. Because they’re all 21 days today I took some rather cute video footage  - which while I k is that I sound like a totally batty crazy cat lady, does show you that those cheeky little monkeys are starting to become bossy little personalities in their own right, demanding g food from the doorway indeed! Enjoy…🐾🐾❤️🐾🐾

Kitty Keep!

Well not a keep but a pen….

So, the 2 packs of tiles turned out to be THE perfect size to cover the floor, however there are none over I can use to close the gaps. These pens are made for dogs and rabbits not Sphynx Kittens so I discovered last litter that they can, if they choose to, walk right on out!

The last litter, I placed 4 kittens in this same pen, on a rug, 1 kitten walking right back out again, the other three respecting its boundaries! When I set up the pen on Sunday I remembered this and that I needed to do something about ensuring this time they will stay put, at least for a couple of weeks before they learn to escape. Those weeks will be so important encompassing such lessons as lapping fluids (water/milk) from a bowl/dish, plus how to eat solids and the all important introduction to a litter tray! 

Oh, no kitten photos… sorry- here then is a cheeky pic I took by aiming my camera through the bars of the crate in the small hours of this morning…. Enjoy… 

Busy weekend!

Well here we are, Sunday evening and another summer weekend has almost passed us by. What have you all been up to?

Well, though I’m mourning the unfortunate return of my long awaited beautiful shocking pink sofa which left on Tuesday to go back to its manufacturers my lounge does at least have lots of space for the kittens to be moved in to this week. 

I have now pulled out the pet pen and set it up, but then I recalled how having bought it last year, the kittens could simply walk through the gaps! Well some did, while others for some reason respected the boundary. How did I forget that???? 

I’m waiting to move them anyway as the EVA flooring is due to arrive on Tuesday. I’ve got the 2 cot bumpers I use in the crate I can put around the pen and if I’m  lucky there’ll be more panels than I need so I can utilise these by putting them side on in any space left unfilled to stop any cunning escapees! Well that’s the plan. It won’t be pretty I don’t suppose but it needs to work not win awards! 

By the time they are strong enough to begin climbing up the fabric cot bumpers like little ninja or scaling the Eva panels, I won’t need to be corralling them anyway.

The good thing about needing to make a barrier is that as a consequence it will provide an insulation/buffer allowing me to have my patio doors open for ventilation (I have all my windows and patio doors screened so that the cats are safely kept inside) while they will be snug. 

I’ve ordered more kitten milk replacer and a box of what will be their first solids. I will be weaning onto Natures Menu Kitten pouches. The recipe is 70% human grade chicken meat which is gently steam cooked inside the pouch with broth. They contains no sugar, grains or additives only the meat, not meat derivatives. It’s balanced and a complete food. This is what the kittens are eating when they go home with their new families 

Obviously being steam cooked it is not truly raw, but it is a very safe first step weaning food which follows BARF principles. I make this food choice very purposefully for my kittens finding it perfect for several reasons

First, it’s highly nutritious and palatable so kittens readily take to it and, being sealed and gently steam cooked, there is no risk of any pathogens which there could easily be in a truly raw frozen weaning paste. I have used frozen weaning paste in the past all without issues but I do feel that there is danger with it that I’m not prepared to take when there is this alternative & I feel particularly sensitive to this right now too given the recent food recalls.

Also, by starting kittens off with this food I feel Im able to give the new families the best autonomy in their choices for their new family member when they take their kittens home because moving from this food is an easy transition whether they choose the full raw regime or choose to go onto a commercial diet. I’ll start weaning these kittens at 4-5 weeks old. Which means mum (& Aunties Noodle & Floozy) will stop toileting them so they’ll be taught about using a litter tray too. That pen is going to see some action! 

Last night, I woke to see Prune sleeping soundly with her babies all lined up ZzzzzzZzzz at her tummy. Curled toward them (so that the kittens were in the middle of a protective donut) was Floozy! They looked so peaceful & she’s been dying to be “mum” so I left them to it. 

In fact, I’ve just peered at them now to see this! 

No that isnt Prune, it’s Floozy and yes the kittens were attempting to suckle her! 

Motherly Love - it’s a fickle thing!

Well here we are at the 3 weeks old mark already. The boys are doing so so well. Have you seen their latest video uploaded to my YouTube - channels Sphynx CatCam and Naked Sphynx Cat Hampshire ? I try to have them here  (it is shown above?) Please message me if you don’t see videos where they should be and I’ll point you towards them. 

The video was taken today when after an evening feed & weigh in I had left the room to wash up and sterilise the teats & syringes. I came back to see Prune busy licking the remnants of any milk from their faces. Motherly love or a craving for their kitten milk? In the video I made it seems that once satisfied that nobody had milk left for her to clean away she lost interest and just left. I carried on filming, as I wanted to show the first signs of play interaction between the brothers. One  on his back was eager to engage in some “rough n tumble” or perhaps he had had so much milk his tummy and was so full that he was like a turtle trying to flip himself back over, but was making out it was play he wanted in order to save face? 

Weights this evening are: Pudding 264g/Blue 267g/Blue 197g/Blue 238g. 

It’s hard to keep them still to get a good reading but they are decent weights though we are slow to get over the 200g mark with the dinkiest lad. I reckon he have cracked it by next weigh in. Milk is being guzzled with gusto and I’m greeted with the sewing machine like kitten purrs now that they know to anticipate full tummies when I open the door.

I had planned a move this weekend for them, but I had a brain wave and have ordered some EVA interlocking squares for insulated flooring since it’s laminate floor in the room i want to relocate them too. They are starting slowly to show that they need a little less sleep and a little more activity so it’s time to set up a more open pen which I’ll do once the floor arrives next week. I’ll create a sheltered area to snuggle in (with a heat mat just as they have now, safely under a with its triple layered cover on - they have that and vet bed at the moment as well as mum when she is there. The more open area will allow them to exercise and indulge in toy play. I know a certain someone who will be overjoyed to have more access to them!!

With that in mind, I may leave the nest intact and place them back there overnight, depending on how mum feels as once in the play pen there is no way to keep Floozy out. It might be that they all decide to snuggle together as a family overnight in the pen or it might be that Prune allows Floozy to babysit and she will snooze away from them as she has been doing more and more this week. 

This taking time away is all part of the process… obliviously, when she is with them they want to suckle and as demand for food is higher  every day she is unable to meet demand plus she gets sore so moves away but she also goes back to check on them often. Overnight she rattles the nest crate door to wake me to let her in, and again to let her out. Often!

I can’t leave it open as the kittens can get out and as they are commando crawling can get under furniture where I’d find it hard to reach them. If it was open I think Floozy would sleep in there and I’m not sure that they are ready for that just yet.

Prune leaving her kittens for periods of time allows them to rest, to stretch, to move around l, deal with time without her involvement. They learn to be a little self sufficient in the company of their siblings and, to begin to play. They do call if they need anything but honestly she checks and nurses often in short bursts so they rarely get over hungry, I’ve not seen an empty belly yet! 

When Prune was an adolescent, Noodle had her last litter. A single kitten survivor. Like Floozy is, she was eager to be involved, and Noodle was happy to allow it. I love that my beautiful girls are all so happy to work together and I don’t have to keep them apart because of jealousy or kitten theft as others have to. Anyway, Pru and this kitten (Nebula) were stuck together like glue for everything from feeding to litter tray use, sleeping and play and I think this is what will happen now. It must be a natural community living behaviour. Lie with elephants where the young watch, emulate & learn while the mother keeps a check that things are ok. 

I’m then expecting Prune to begin bringing them mice -Toy ones! She did it with her last litter & it has to be  instinct at work otherwise how would she know that this toy represents her natural prey & is what her babies need? She does not bring toy fish or birds, only mice. And it doesn’t even matter to her if the mouse is pink with a fluorescent yellow tail, it’s still recognised as mouse. All three more surprising really since she is 100% house cat, too nervous to be outside even with a harness. She has never seen a mouse or needed to hunt though I’ve gratefully seen her hunt and kill 8 legged visitors (which I LOVE her for)! What’s the trigger for this behaviour to begin? I think teeth. She will have felt teeth and surely this is the signal that it’s time her kittens to give up milk and instead eat meat. I’m expecting this in week 4-5 so not too long away now - then there’s los of new lessons for our sweet little cohort of Sphynx kittens to take on. How to eat and how to use the toilet facilities! 

Day 13 - a video treat

Oh these little darlings. It’s not going to be long before they’re tearing about the place and  creating havoc, but for now, butter wouldn’t melt. I’m

The video attached is a sweet moment of listening to how loud they are when suckling and how Pudding (the moniker I’m giving to the black boy for now) is grasping and spreading his arms so wide in joy & ecstasy or maybe hogging everything in his greed!

 

Day 11 “Freedom” day

Well, as the clock hit midnight last night, nightclubs flung open their doors, people welcomed the dawning of freedom discarding their masks & any attempt to social distance….  It is almost as if there’s no such thing as being in the 3rd wave of a global pandemic. What’s your view? Do you feel like freedom day made you feel free or, in fact, has it had the opposite effect making you feel much less confident to go about your normal life?

Closeted safe & sound in our soft, bouncy, cloud-filled world of kittendom we are doing well. Prune is svelte-like again, regaining all of her pre-pregnancy shape not a stretch-mark in sight. Yes, it’s true she has floppy skin on her underside but she is producing lots of milk for her brood. 

As week 2 progresses there are definite changes in her behaviour and indeed in the kittens. I’ve noted that now that they can go longer between feeds she makes that happen by spending more time away from them, though she stays very close & checks on them regularly. 

When she is with them, the kittens will immediately wake and mew for feeding & she is happy to oblige and will remain with them allowing them all to fill well. They’ll eventually doze off en-famile, but with their tummies still rounded as each will reawaken to begin suckling again she tired of this & gets up and comes away. The kittens full bellies allow them plenty of time to “sleep it off”. I’ve continued to support her food supply & have concentrated the milk offered to the lower weight individuals first. Though their tummies are milk rounded, evidently they get second sitting or are just much less demanding than their larger brothers. This litter has no scabs on their heads as I’ve seen happen in previous litters. This occurs when the scrabble to feed is boisterous and access to the nipple is eagerly jostled for with those sharp claws constantly scrabbling for purchase in the blind search for their survival. Kittens are cute & sweet but when it comes down to it, this really is survival of the fittest and in nature the most tenacious are the ones who thrive. It’s a good job I’m there with my Royal Canin Kitten Milk Replacer & syringe feeders! 

Now sighted, but still in their dimmed nest, kittens have noted that there is a door through which mum appears & disappears & where that arm reaches in to scoop them out. When getting hungry, rather than lay where they are yelling “I’m hungry” or snuffling blindly in ever decreasing circles in their search, now they come to the doorway, pushing themselves up tall using their front legs and call out to be fed. 

It’s great development. Their limbs are being used and as they do, those limbs get strong. Soon they’ll be pulling themselves up to standing wobbling about to get balance before taking their first tentative steps & from then on abandoning the commando-like drag/shuffle they do now. It’s effective mind you. They’re surprisingly mobile from day 0!

I so wish I had more hands and could video while I fed so that I could record & share with you the cuteness of watching their ears wiggle back and forth as they feed. I’d like to be able to focus and shoot a wonderful portraiture shot to their beautiful tiny faces. I’m sorry I can’t. But, I bave re-weighed the little chunky monkeys now that I can in order to give you an idea of the pace of change. In 11 days they are at least triple the physical size they were at birth.

 

The weight is over!

 Hi Saturday evening people! 

Yes, the wait is over! You can’t have failed to feel the heat today! Don’t dare blink though, word is that it’s only gonna be like this for a week! Yes a week.

My advice get your factor 50 on and get out there to enjoy some sunshine in whatever way you like best! There’s not room here for “it’s too hotters” Soak up that vitamin D. Bet you had, or at least thought about having, that Brest British BBQ, right? Yeah right - I’m here to bring you a treat, in the shape of a possy of porkers. 

Yes, I’ve got another set of scales. Package eagerly opened (batteries included)  I weighed a few household staples to first assess their reliability…. Then….four little 9 day old piggies got (re) weighed. 

Day 7 - the loooong weight!

It was a week ago that these 4 little (getting fat) sausages arrived. It been a lovely week & (touch wood) it’s been & will remain free of fear or anxiety over any individual. I’ve been watching them & mum like a hawk, ready to step in at the first hint of difficulty. So much so that I had been unable to switch off & sleep , managing on micro-naps for about 4 days, listening for the slightest change in tone that might be a distress call. Not counting my chittens (of kittchens?) yet because it’s still early days but the fact that there is flesh going on bones & clear signs of decent feeding established is awesome.

What would be good was to feel that weights were accurate which on the birth days I suddenly discovered may not be all that reliable. By day 2 I was decided that my current digital scale was at fault. So, I purchased a new set of pet scale from a company I trust for the quality of its heat mats (PetNap). As this set bore their name /branding I felt that I could rely on it being money well spent and that having spent it I could reliably weight the kittens to see weight gain (which at this stage should be about >20g a day). 

They arrived and I put batteries in. I set them up on the floor (flat and level) alongside my previous scales and I switched on, set to g (gram) as these are both able to work in 1g increments. I set to zero then put my drink bottle in the centre. Then I removed the bottle and pressed “tare” to re-set to 0 and weighed again. Differing amount. Now I know that’s possible and to expect 1-2 g difference up or down, but not 10g and more. I did it again, and got another different weight. Then I weighed using the original scale and the weight increased by over 100g. Hmmmm. My relief at a new and reliable scale now is evaporating fast.

I then fed and weighed every kitten (the first I re-did 7 times, the 2nd I redid twice, but having flatlined my hopes, the last 2 just once all using the new scale.

I then sent all of the images to a trusted fellow breeder. Now, let me say the numbers shown that the scales were reporting were showing weights that one would see for small sized newborns, and as Prune had had chunky sized newborns and who were now 7 days older these weights also were definitely wholly unreliable.

All of which means that the images I’d planned to upload to this diary this evening showing each of the kittens proudly revealing their weighty prowess are not going to be available. I’m sorry. 

The scales are being returned and, guess what, I’ve ordered a third set, which claim to have 4 precise sensors. It should be here tomorrow at some stage. 

Hopefully, these substituted images will make up for it and show you enough to compare the size difference in one week when you look back at the one taken last week on Friday when the family were moved into this cosy nest.

I cut off mums leg and one pretty rump here (I took these in the pitch dark so it was a guess) …. 

So having woken one of the kittens with my messing about in he dark, I had another go… I do love seeing that wide paw raised over the head of one kitten as he guzzles yet more of his mums wonderfully nutritious milk while laid alongside alongside his bro-squad ! 

Day 6. Video fest

I’ve made 4 short video clips this evening as I wanted to try to show each kitten a bit more fully &, importantly, in better light. Now I’ve just got to get them all uploaded & placed  here! Here’s the first.. a blue boy….. 

Each kitten was filmed at the end of a feed/toileting session. They were full to the brim & about to begin to get veeeerrryyy sleepy. I’d imagine they probably felt a bit like we do on a Christmas Day after sinking a huge Turkey dinner, then sitting with a tin of Quality Street (other chocolates are available!). That feeling when you are beginning to ask yourself whether or not you should have demolished those last 5 sweets! … we’ve all be there right?  Here’s blue boy 2……

The new kitten scales will be here tomorrow, I’ll do a few trials against the set I did their birth weights with when they’re here…. . I’m sure they won’t be too far off as the birth weights were about what I’d expect them to have been. 

As you’ll see from the clips, all babies have now lost their little dried up stump of umbilical cord. Additionally they all have their eyes open, with just one lad whose eyelid is not quite fully unsealed.  By morning they’ll be fully open & they’ll soon begin to be able to take in their surroundings. 

Their ears are able to be fully upright  but still mostly their at half mask. And remarkably small, which is nowhere how they’ll be in a few days as they begin to “grow into” the characteristics of their breed - then they’ll each be  sporting ears like like antennas ! Here’s video clip # 3…..

I’m keeping up with supplemental feeding, giving (no more than) 4 supplementation feeds throughout each 24 hour day. I constantly keep a close eye on them in case I need to do more but this far I’m delighted that nursing from “mum’s milk bar” is going on often so well & that their bellies are never ever allowed to become concave. 

Of course, they’ll manage greater quantities of meal size over the passing weeks, then we will be moved onto the introduction of solids! For now though milk is all they need to provide all necessary fluids & nutrients

Is anyone seeing anything in a kitten in the clips that draws them towards a certain one? Let me know! 

Here’s the last clip to help you decide plus a lone still image added as I mention the umbilical cord in the clip but then forget to show it. Doh!

Umbilical cord stump which had dropped away.

Day 5 - Eyes Opening!

Naked Sphynx Cat Hampshire is a TICA registered Cattery in, Hampshire UK. I warmly welcome enquiries via email & through this website about my cats & kittens. You can use the contact form on site or  email direct by addressing your email to NakedSphynxCatHampshire@icloud.com.

If you’ve come here via Facebook, welcome your my website. This diary is updated at least every few days while kittens are with us, sometimes even daily, when there’s lots going on! For me, the diary element serves as s lovely history, a reminder of all kittens & their progress for the time they are with me. It doubles it’s duty by allowing the wonderful people who register interest in securing a NSCH kitten giving them insight into the earliest days of their kittens life & a way to take part vicariously though the power of the internet. And of course it’s here for the benefit of anyone who just loves the Sphynx breed. Whatever has brought you here, it’s lovely to have you & I hope you’ll stick around. 

So today began early. The first feed I helped with was at around 3:15am. I padded to the kitchen to warm milk and fetch sterilised teats & syringes, returning with the supplies and readying a cotton wool ball with water to use to toilet the kittens (it’s used in an action that is akin to the mothers tongue, thus stimulating the kittens to wee/poop. 

Settling on the floor, I reach in and gently pick up the first body that I reach and start to give the teat. Then comes the moment when the kitten realises milk is here and begins to eagerly suck. But wait, what’s that? I am slightly taken aback in the dim light of my day-break bedroom to see the round dark marble-like orb of an eyeball “looking” at me! 

Of course this eye opening is entirely natural & expected it’s just always a bit startling to see this change happen. Weirdly, it’s almost as if I’ve been caught in the act doing something I should not! 

This evening, one kitten has their eyes still completely closed but the others are at various stages of openness, maybe with one eye open, the other half open, or they’re both at half mast! More character will be seen in these adorable little faces as they flesh out, as the eyes open & their vision sharpens & they look to start taking on the world (or the world within their nest box anyway!) 

Their ear canals are all still very tightly sealed closed but the ear, tiny as it currently is, is not tucked tight to the head any longer. It’s begun it’s epic change though you wouldn’t know it yet what a vast change that’s going to be! For now it appears slightly unfurled and is is shown quite well in the image used above.  As the kitten seeks to abate hunger, the muscles of the mouth and face are working very hard at suckling. With each suck & swallow the muscles tense & relax causing the ears wiggle back and forth. I do so wish I had an extra set of hands to be able to video this & share it as it really is the cutest thing. 

It’s now evenings  Ive just finished another feed - as has Prune who worked in tandem with me. Dream team! Her kittens are now comatose, ball-bellied with milk, snuggled close into mum who is also taking the quiet time to catch an early evening nap. 

I’m not surprised. Her job of being their source of milk requires a lot of energy reserves as with no respect to propriety, her kittens wake regularly feeding constantly  throughout day & night. 

Prune’s body is being called upon to continue to perform magic. It has already produced these kittens in just 63-65 days from sperm meeting & egg to birth. And immediately it is then asked to procure milk in ever increasing quantities. 

She is with the kittens almost constantly. I hear her giving little sing-song trills communicate with them & voice her contentment. She purrs often too, a vibration they’ll recognise and which makes them feel calm.

When she does take a short break, satisfied they are settled & she can leave the nest to care for herself she is ravenous. She must eat, drink & make herself comfortable and ready to go back if they stir. 

Milk production,  like kitten development requires that the Queen acquire ample high quality nutrition that nutritious & calorie dense. With her appetite satiated she now needs extra fluids for that milk, so she must have plenty of fresh water. 

There’s no doubt the female cat gives a lot of herself to ensure that her progeny thrives. I am unfailingly in awe of her. If one kitten begins whimpering while she is eating or drinking she might in the first hours or days immediately cut off her meal & return. As she gains confidence in them being able to survive her short absence she will listen carefully but continue to eat/drink however, if the cry is in a pitch that suggests it is in danger or pain she would return immediately to tend to them. I remember actually when she had her last litter, also her first, I recall her eating while her kittens were calling to her. This wouldn’t have been too early on but maybe a couple of weeks in. She was eating, hearing them but annoyed at their interruption. In response to this at the same time as eating she was grumbling in her chest throat. It was obvious inannoyance & frustration that they were not behaving nicely while she had a short, long overdue sustenance break. They’re not so different experiences to our human ones when our kids just won’t quit while we just. have. a m. cup.  of. coffee. (while it’s hot)! 

Moving on, I’ve no kitten weight to note down for you again today. I have ordered (another) new set of scales which will arrive by end of play on Thursday. I’m not worried about the kittens weights at all. I can see clearly their beach ball tummies, & here their contented frequent feeding. I can see too that their flesh is filling out, meat is going on to their bones. If the constant feeding was coupled with disquiet that would signify a hunger/feeding issue. If they had then became weaker I’d be panicked but I can see that they are doing really well. 

They’re being toileted by both mum & me & even in addition by Floozy who will take her opportunity to get hands on with the babies when I’m hand feeding. She’ll  get in close & lick anything on any part she can reach.  To be fair, I am pleased she is being so caring since she has never experienced kittens before. And I’m equally delighted that Pru is happy to let her (to a certain degree). What I’m not sure about though is if the kittens appreciate being washed/toileted right then since its is a distraction from the focus (guzzling food). 

Bless Floozy though, she is so curious & so eager to join in. She is learning I suppose & actually, I rather admire her “can-do” attitude. Very commendable! 

Day 4 - I’ve let you down…..

Before I get started & forget, here are the links that will take you directly to my Facebook Page and also my You Tube Channels where you’ll find video clips from the past & present for you to enjoy……

NAKED SPHYNX CAT HAMPSHIRE on FACEBOOK 

SPHYNX CAT CAM on YOUTUBE

NAKED SPHYNX CAT HAMPSHIRE on YOUTUBE 

Yesterday, I promised you kitten weight updates, but just as I was at the births, I’m unhappy about the reliability & accuracy of my.scales. 

At their births on Thursday, I kept achieving different weights for them which made me very mistrustful and suspicious of the truth of it. 

Today, I set up the scales on the floor, a hard, level and flat surface but as I placed the first kitten on to weigh there was a really unexpected result, I didn’t think it was right at all so lifted him, re-tared to set back to zero and soon after read off other different result! They are not drastically different but the results are untrustworthy and that bothers me. Clearly, though not old this digital scale is not reliable & so I’m looking to replace them (again!) ASAP. 

Feeding is going really well, I fed them 5ml at several feeds, again stopping them drinking more than this quota but, at the feed at 6pm I decided to let them eat their fill. They managed around 32ml between them and were milk-drunk however, some 90 minutes later, I became aware that the suckling busily again! Their tummies are gently rounded when suckling from mum so clearly she’s producing milk for them. 

They’re  looking like little sausages in a freshly opened package in these photos here don’t you think?

Day 3, a restful Sunday

What lovely boys these are. Here they are in footage taken during the Euro 2020 final coverage on TV.

As I supplement feed them I’m able to get a few moments close up with them & marvel that, though very tiny, they have such different faces. I’ll no doubt get to recognise them one from the other as we get better aquatinted & their little individual personalities make themselves known. 

All 4 are very accepting of the Miracle Nipple and I’ve continued today, as yesterday by feeding each kitten. I am giving each one 5ml of Royal Canin kitten milk replacer at each feed opportunity. The feeding guide says in the first week each feed should be 1-4ml & given 7 x daily (which works out to every 3 hours & 40 minutes), but I’m not their soul food source & the kittens are feeding from mum on and off throughout the day & night.  When allowing them a fill of 5ml each time, and they definitely would take more, I’m being careful to stop so to leave them wanting more. As I put them back with their mothers they’ll continue to make demands on her milk supply before nodding off milk-drunk. They then settle like contented little kittens with their round ball-like full tummies. 

I’ll weigh them tomorrow & will keep an eye on their bellies to make sure that they are always getting a good fill of mother’s milk & be ready to step up the quota I give as & when they need it. 

Prune is much more settled now that I’m keeping her closed in and, consequently Floozy out. The little monkey is just as relentless and will cunningly try to creep in while I’m taking kittens in & out to feed them Mind you, she’s just started to cotton on that by staying out and “helping” me rather than Prune she can also surreptitiously lick the kittens at the head as I feed and that since my hands are so occupied she might even benefit from an occasional cheeky taste of the milk too. She gets right in the way though ! 

I caught up on lost sleep today (finally) but it’s now 5:51 am & I’m still awake listening to suckling and snuffling with my alarm set for 8am. This is because this week & next I’m going to help by acting as chauffeur to collect & drop my grandson off at his nursery and return his heavily pregnant mum home to get on with the work day. She’s about to do the last 4 days before beginning her maternity leave, something she never got to last time since H came early. 

I reckon this baby will come early too, but for now with COVID numbers rising it’s important to protect them as much as is possible without H missing out on Nursety and childminding, since he has missed so much education & social time throughout lockdowns while his mum worked from home while attempting to mother him! 

I took a couple of videos today as well as uploading the birthing footage to my You Tube Channel.

My current YouTube Channel is  “Sphynx Cat Cam” though I have another with Pregnancy & kitten footage under Naked Sphynx Cat Hampshire too.

The footage I’m taking is still unfortunately not able to be well lit or set up due to the placement of the crate/nest and the coverings over it to keep them snug. It’s also awkward and moves a bit as I try not to let Floozy get in or block the view, but hopefully my efforts do at least allow you early viewers to see & enjoy the tiny little chaps for a few moments! Videos will get much better as they get bigger & stronger & don’t need the amount of protection they currently do. 

It’s now the beginning of day 4 - I’ll be back later with their weights & today’s storytelling! Thank you for spending time with us, don’t forget to contact me if you’d like to ask questions or have interest in these kittens! 

Day 2 Saturday July 10th

 Help, my eyes are throbbing. I’m so tired! 

It’s my 55th birthday today & I spent the night supporting Prune. She wants to keep her babies for herself, & whilst she is being kind to Floozy, Floozy is such a determined little so&so & will not stop trying to be centre stage.

I’m continuing to supplement feed, and the kittens are certainly very happy to receive milk from the Miracle Nipple (the best but ohh-so expensive!). It’s just soooo cute when they are sucking the treat so eagerly and their muscles are moving their still turned down ears back & forth. With some syringes the plunger will glide down by itself moved by the force of the vacuum. 

I’m making 20mls of milk replacer & then, pulling the entire 20mls into a syringe, then divide this evenly between each kitten. 5 ml each already is awesome l, they’re going to grow big & strong with appetites like this. 

In fact, they would happily take more but I’m not filling them right up, gently removing the teat so that they will continue to seek sustenance from their mum thus encouraging her milk flow. 

I’ve managed a couple of short videos today. Not great camera work but given that Im one handed while trying to keep Floozy from muscling in. She is absolutely relentless & determined.

Interestingly Prune grumbled at one of them earlier. I’m thinking likely in response to overzealous feeding or claw scrambling. 

I’m laying here just listening to the dolphin sounding chatter that kittens often make - honestly if you heard it you’d totally get the dolphins sound reference! It seems to be a contended conversation and I wonder if they found this pitch perfect for communicating and I wonder if they conversed this way while in the womb? It’s always before they settle.… 

I last topped them up at about 4:40pm & do I’ll give them a feed a bit later on to give them milk in their tummies so that hopefully I can get a few hours of sleep in. That’s if Prune will stay settled with them tonight rather than wanting to go in and out constantly. 

Day 1 so far so good

Well I’d say that it’s been eventful rather than restful today but the kittens look all contented sleeping soundly & cosy now they’ve been relocated AGAIN. I’ll tell you all about this in just a second, but first to confirm that they are all four most definitely boys! Ok … the nesting box saga… 

The lovely sturdy deep box that I’d readied for them with a half covered closed in roof has been a flipping nightmare! At first Prune was happy to remain with her litter, purring away and blissed out but then later she got the fidgets - which meant if she wanted to change position or even get out & go back in, the kittens started moving & snuffling which meant that Prune now had to try to insert herself around them somehow. I was up & down every time making sure that all kittens were at her tummy, not behind or underneath her. 

Then, Floozy could resist it no more & decided she too must be in the box to lick these new comers. I’m delighted that she is so keen to learn the art of mothering but less happy at the thought that a kitten would get squashed. I had that occur with another cat & kitten & it’s so very sad to find & lose one that way. Next, because I kept yanking Floozy out she would grasp the vet bedding on the bottom and as it lifted with her the kittens would tumble. Also then in her hurry to get back in the box was being toppled over. Poor kittens, it must feel like an earthquake! Evidently, the box idea needed to be shelved and kittens moved. 

I had already set up the smaller of my pet crates as a snug with cot bumpers around the sides for insulation and softness, and a heavy throw on top to keep it warm and draught free, so this was put into action.

First though I needed to insert one of the heat mats with its triple double layer covers, then over this I have placed the vet bed bedding they’ve been on already. There is room for them to move away from the area where the heat at is if they need to but with so many layers the heat will be very gentle. Next, in went the kittens followed by mum! Now there is more room. Floozy is in there now with them licking them away and Prune is happy to let her. Noodle has shown less interest in kittens this time, I wonder if she is maybe giving way to Floozy? She is still delivering mice! (Toy ones!) I still can’t get over this instinct to provide and to know that a mouse is what is needed. Some of these toy mice are pink with yellow tails- but recognised even so! 

Though they seem reasonably content, I’m concerned about them being well fed and established so earlier on I mixed a small amount of formula & gave each kitten about 1ml each. One of the blue boys took to it with ease but the others are less sure. I want them to keep feeding from mum, which at this stage is about every two hours day & night. 

The next job I need to do today I dislike doing but it is necessary as they are born with these long pristine white sharp needlelike claws… very soon they’ll be blackened with dried blood and poor Prune is already unhappy with the pain. I need to try to shorten & blunt them so that she & the litter mates don’t get quite so scratched up. Their instinct in their blindness is to snuffle their nose instinctively seeking & recognising the teat, but the searching and scrabbling is relentless- and why they get so scratched up. This is a big downside for the breed not having fur protection! They are so very tiny, and delicate and very very wriggly, plus they yell like hell which  activates mummy to worry. I really wish she knew I was helping!  

As I write, having licked for a good 30 minutes, Floozy is asleep with Prune & the kittens! Anyway, here’s the new location with Aunty Floozy (constantly) helping out & lastly with wonderful Mum!

Kittens are here! Yippee!

What a night (yes the Euros, well done England) but I’m talking kittens here people!

Prune told me with a series of short mews last night that things were finally going to get going. She has been so restless & the mews so unlike her usual chat that I knew we were on. 

She got up & down all night, then at around 8:20am the “first” kitten arrived, breach. A boy. The placenta took a while, she got up and the kitten was dangling precariously. After resettling her delft the placenta came  & for the first time, I needed to help to cut the cord which I then anointed with iodine & removed the placenta from the birthing box. I congratulated Prune on being so clever even if it had taken ages to get started.  

At 9:54 another breach blue kitten arrived, and I waited eagerly to see the placenta follow… but still several minutes later it hadn’t delivered. She pushed again a couple of times & there came a third breach kitten this tone black… she then stood up, this time with 2 kittens swinging away, then she squatted and perched to the side again to deliver the placentas. 

Things were then quiet and after a couple of hours I thought I’d have a sleep… then from the side of the room I heard a kitten yell out. That was odd since she & her kittens were right next to me & I could clearly see all 3! 

Going over to the furry black coloured radiator bed where I’d seen Prune earlier, and which I marvelled at at the time as while she looked so cosy & settled she never usually goes on it. I left her there not thinking she’d stay long… but she obviously got going kittening before I knew anything about it - as there l, found nestled amongst the folds of soft fabric I discovered a little blue kitten! It’s & it’s umbilical cord was dry & the little stump already shrivelled, a clear indication this was a kitten had been there a little while. I’d had the heating on as soon as the kittening began so it definitely stayed warm even while mum was busy giving birth elsewhere. This secret kitten would have actually been the first then & I think she must have had it when I went to the loo…. every time I have left the room since yesterday she has mewed and a couple of times today she got up from the box to berate me for leaving at such a critical time. 

I think that this kitten probably arrived at about 7am & having followed me to the bathroom, because it was then that I noted a discharge and so had resettled her in the birthing box, thinking no more of it than that her mucous plug had come away! 

Thank goodness that the little critter yelled.  It seemed to be quite ok despite the time it had spent alone. Warm & dry the dear little kitten had obviously been sound asleep then woken up very hungry & lonely 😩 

All 4 siblings, are now settled with mum in a nice deep cosy box lined with vet bed & a blanket.  On first appearance they look to be all boys but I will check that again later on as I must admit, I’m quite bleary eyed right now & I might easily have made a mistake. I’ll confirm on the next update! 

Well done my Dear Prunella Prudence you’ve done a fine job of delivering your litter… now comes the hard work of establishing them all to ensure they grow big & strong. 

Please keep checking back to keep up to date with them. I endeavour to post regularly when there are kittens here, daily in the early days if I can! Don’t forget to message me if you have any questions or interest in Prune’s sweet kittens. 

Bye for now Sphynx lovers, 

Dee & the Naked Sphynx Cat Hampshire Ladies & miniature Gentlemen