Bank holiday. It’s been bonkers

Though to look at these boys now sleeping soundly in a heap piled up their warmth against my forearm as I type, you wouldn’t think that only moments before they were at play. 

I was unwell during the night and was up and down so the boys were very disturbed and didn’t know that it wasn’t playtime. By 5:30am as I was almost ready to sleep, I looked over and heard the boys tucking into their first meal of the day. Bless Prune, she is still allowing her sons to suckle at will. She will get up and walk away when she has had enough but this litter I’ve not (yet) seen her laying like the Egyptian Sphinx white her tummy down to stop them gaining access. She is in heat too, the first since having them and so is a little unsettled herself. I’m so proud of this girl and her gentle ways. 

I was allowed a small amount of sleep before the chaps demanded MEAT and so their wish was my command and off to the kitchen we did trot. I am so amused as those tiny legs run like the clappers so excited are they for food, eager to be first there. They further make me laugh when feeding them in different ways…if I give two bowls between the four they are at first head down to the nearest bowl that there’s room for their heads in. So eager that 3 heads are in one bowl while the one who didn’t fit moves along and has a whole bowl! I move one body along. As I stand guard (lest the adults think it’s a feast they are invited to) I watch as the food piles shrink. But so do the kittens and I then see various changes of who is at which bowl… the grass is not always greener, and having moved over , he now has no space at his original bowl! If I put 4 bowls and place 1 kitten at each, heads go down, but once again, after they’ve chomped enough to satisfy the immediate need to feed, they want to check what the other has and start sharing or shifting about. The important bit is that they all eat their fill, one by one wandering off to the litter trays, before, running amok in amongst the toys. 

There is a clear favourite toy. A cardboard box that I taped closed and cut two doorways into. They like to ambush one another either with one springing out from inside or perhaps from the vantage point on the roof as one brother emerges. They also like to chase a ball. I have laminate flooring so the ball runs easily and makes a great sound. They enjoy tweety bird, a caged bird powered by a battery to jiggle and tweet! Mum has been bringing them mice. I adore this instinct she has to wean her children from her milk by providing mice. How does she recognise that a toy mouse represents what would in the natural world be perfect food for her kittens? I’ve watched moggie mums bring mice for their offspring and sit with it trapped while they learned how to deal with it, so what Prune does is totally natural, but as she has never seen a mouse or hunted her own food, the fact that insi ct drives her to feed them mice, even if they are toy ones, is incredible. I love watching a kitten then toy with the mouse it’s been given. 

Having had playtime, they retire… now they’re mobile and have explored they soon abandoned the beds in the lounge having discovered the heat mats on my bed where the adults choose to go. Snuggling under a blanket on their own, sometimes sleeping in a pair or in a pile of all 4. A little grooming maybe and they soon nod off. 

Sometimes during their slumber Prune might wake them. She’ll maternally decide (for some reason) that it’s time she groomed them. She’ll set about her task, but now less thoroughly than she did when they were small, usually concerned with just one or maybe two of them m. They immediately roll over offering their “bits’ and she will still toilet them. Then having woken one or two she will wander off and groom herself. However, now she has roused a kitten(s) still dozy but maybe awake enough to think of a belly the most roused will want to nurse. Making his way to mum and choosing his position he immediately begins his ecstatic purring which, if she roused two with her rasping tongue, will signal him to join his brother at the milk bar. If we are lucky, they’ll soon doze off again - maybe for a bit. But probably they’ll go off to play…

When they wake one by one in the mornings they’ll start to play. First it might be a nip of an ear or tail either that of a brother or one of the adults. It’s a case of any attention is good attention. They get better reactions from a brother of course and soon they fight, run up and down my bed leaping, wrestling and biting (sometimes my toes!) or if it’s later in the day then they come find where I am or go off to engage in play with the toys or if I even look like I’m walking toward the kitchen will run like crazy to tell me they’re really, awfully hungry.  

They’ve a big week ahead now that they’re 7 weeks old. Their first vet visit is on Thursday when they will be exactly 8 weeks. So, Wednesday will be a bath day, their skin, ears and claws cleaned & trimmed. 

Thursday they’ll be health checked, then vaccinated and have their chips implanted. The puncture wound made takes a few days to heal and this is why I have them implanted at the 8 weeks rather than the 12 week appointment as I want them totally healed before they go to their new families thus reducing any possible chance for infection. It’s unlikely I know, but I need to be absolutely certain. 

They may be a bit out of sorts for a day or two after the vaccinations but soon perk up. Just as well as the first viewings are happening on Friday and Saturday. It’s thrilling to be introducing them to new families who come ready to pour their love upon them and for me seeing which kitten steals whose heart. 

Humphrey, the black kitten was a “pre-order” as a dear friend who is also a breeder of good standing and whom I trust. She wanted a black boy of direct lineage to her original Sphynx called Charlie. Charlie was the stud used with Noodle but he is now retired and advancing in years. Prune is his daughter. So this grandson is reserved, but who will be chosen next? 

I know, I know, I’ve been lax…

 Prune is hiding but the owners of these these two little bottoms are purring away having located her!

 

Catching some rats! 

Headless mum - hiding fail! 

 I’ve neglected my duties in updating the blog. I’m sorry about that.

All is well, the chaps are growing and access all areas… well, the bits they can reach or scramble up onto anyway. 

Their appetites are phenomenal and the enthusiasm they show is so sweet. Humphrey (Black kitten has been named) is always first in the queue. If he’s hungry and he thinks I’m headed that way he races as fas as he can to be in front . If I’m busy in the kitchen it’s one of the blue chaps who may turn up and meow as loud as he can telling me that he is destitute & can he please get some food if I have some spare. As of yesterday I open two pouches at every feed of which they have 4 or 5 plus they are suckling mum still whilst the cacophony of loud purring goes on. It’s a joyous sound I miss terribly when they’re gone. Now that they know where mum hangs out (a heat mat on my bed under a blanket) she has no escape! 

AA a As expected, as soon as they were physically able to they have abandoned their previous sleeping facilities and joined the clan.

Today, Prune has had a little outing as we went to visit Luca Ferasin, an awesome accredited veterinary cardiologist as she was overdue for her annual scan having had it delayed due to Covid, then pregnancy (pregnant cats should not  be scanned Her scan was slightly delayed due to the timing of her pregnancy so, now that the lads can manage ok without her for a few hours I took her along to be scanned. I sat in the car in the sunshine as Covid means pet owners cannot attend while Prune was examined. It takes around 40-50 minutes As expected her scan was absolutely perfect with no defects or irregularities. I’m so delighted, she’s a stunning healthy girl. 

Poor thing though she’d been starved from 9pm the night before, and no water from 9am. These measures taken in case they need to give sedation. Roughly 2-3% of cats require sedation however Prune has never been one of them and behaved impeccably. This morning before she realised we were heading out, she was looking at me an expression of pleading in her eyes since the boys were demanding her milk while I was denying her sustenance to produce it. We made up for it when we got home! All is well. 

A choir of kittens

Do please watch this with your sound on for the ultimate listening experience!

Now free to roam at will the kittens have quickly sussed out where the adults go to, and can scrabble upward to reach them. Getting down might be another matter if I’ve not remembered to nonchalantly (errrr… strategically) lay a throw to act as a scrabble net, but like all kittens, once in a situation they adopt an attitude of do or d…. Yell. Yes, that’s the word, yell! They’re pretty bullet proof and will scrabble fall the first few times and quickly develop yhe musculature to transition with fluidity and grace. 

The speed of progress right now is crazy, amongst their ordinance survey skills is the linking of the hitherto unknown area us hoomans call Kitchen with the stuff of dreams that is food. Having now decided they REALLY like that meat stuff and that it comes from the land of kitchen, when offered milk it appears of little concern. Such stark contrast to the desperation of the catchers mitt grabbing of the teat a few days ago! They’re learning that me calling “kittens, kittens, heralds food, but they’ll still try their luck by following me hopefully even if I’ve only gone to the kitchen to make tea or put something into the bin. I turn round to see a chain of kittens following, each with their tail raised with the jaunty little kinked tip of interest. Do you speak cat? The tail is used to convey a lot of emotions and so it’s worthwhile learning tail gestures as well as to read or tel your kitten or cat “I love you” . 

Prune is liking the fact that they’re interested in meat and, just as she did with her last litter, she is now dedicatibg herself to providing them with prey or encouraging hunting opportunities by bringing them toy mice. Noodle bless her never gave up the bringing of mice after the last kittens left and so still regularly rings the dinner bell announcing a successful hunt . She has noticeably upped the anti. So I’m just waiting now for Floozy to learn this skill too and begin teaching her class m!  At the mo she’s become distracted again  being back into heat in a very short cycle, Hopefully with autumn coming they’ll tail off for her now.

Shattered Peace!

Miss Sassy Pants! 

I’ve started you off with a dose of cuteness on purpose! This is today’s portrait of my youngest grandchild, aged 10 whole days.

For a couple of days now, in the late afternoon I’ve been opening up the side of the pen to give the kittens a taste of freedom and begin mapping their domain. This time allows me to give their area a spruce up while they, having had their meal and the adults allowed back into the room, can all play together. With melting heart I  watch the group matriarch Noodle as she gets in touch with her inner kitten. She crouches low, her fight front paw raised, her bottom wiggles, quivering as she gets ready to pounce. It’s a pose I used to see often when she was just a kitten learning to hunt her prey.  Her prey now? Oh, a kitten of course! As she dashes forwards her playmate turns side on, his tail straight up, his back arched and his head angled so that his eyes appear as large as he can make them, all in an effort to appear larger and more terrifying (as if!) It’s cute to watch as with each new game, the kittens are discovering that they can do more & more, they’ve learned to use their sharp claws to climb, to inch their way down and, to jump. After play, they’ve headed for their heat mat and sleep at which point I close up the pen again.

As I prepared for bed earlier (at around 1am) I was reading an online newspaper when I became aware that Prune was doing her sing-song voice, the one reserved only for speaking to her kittens. YES KITTENS! Entering my bedroom and, quickly making it onto my bed were the two adventurers. Having  climbed up, and exploring a while they very soon fell fast asleep. One chose my tummy to curl up on (well it is big, warm & soft!) but this adorably rendered me captive, while the other chose the heat mats where Noodle, Prune & Floozy catch their ZZZZ’s . No one though could scoooch under the blankets since a kitten now slept soundly on them. It seems that they too are opposed to waking a sleeping kitten. What are we to do, we are rendered utterly helpless by these tiny bed pinchers! 

Apologies for the flesh on show here

I just hope that these boys can get down and reach their litter tray when they wake needing a tinkle!

Tomorrow, morning the pen will be dismantled & put away. The kittens have most definitely decided that its served it’s purpose & that it’s time for the adult girls (including me!) to share their sacred spaces. 

Little Diggers

Post their late afternoon feed it’s always a lot of fun. It’s the time of day when after they’ve eaten I give their pen a final cleanup before they settle down. There I was shaking out their bedding (again) & sweeping the floor (again) while at the same time watching them all messing about in the smaller shallow litter trays. I could see them wanting to really get in and dig. It was also evident that 2 small trays were now insufficient when nature calls them all at once since they’re also growing at a rate of knots! Time then to bring in the big guns - in the form of deeper litter trays which, though providing a better dig, might also result in less litter scatter! (who am I trying to kid?) 

Having new trays caused such excitement with all four lads soon having the time of their lives. I know of course that the adult cats will also decide these trays look good for them to use too (because all Sphynx suffer dreadful FOMO) but that’s ok, as moving on to these is a great next step in their process.  I have a plan to open the pen this week and so I defo need them to identify these larger trays as being their en-suite facilities and then I will gradually move them across the room to where the resident cats litter tray area is. 

I rather suspect that, if they follow form, when they can climb and jump confidently they’ll probably choose to use the top entry trays rather than continue with the open or side entry ones they have just been introduced to. The roof is currently not fitted onto the one that has the door flap as I want to get them using it as an open tray and then slowly get them acclimatised to being enclosed, then trusting they can walk through the flap door. I offer all the litter tray options purposefully giving them the choice certainly and I do make note their preferences but, really it’s because I want to make everything seamless & easy when they go to their new homes thus their new families can choose the style of litter tray they prefer for their kitten/cat and can be reassured that their new kitten will know how to use it. On collection day I also provide new families with a bag of soiled cat litter from their litter trays (scooped of course!) which they can sprinkle in their litter tray at home thus helping kitty to identify by the familiar aroma where in their new home they need to “go”. 

Kittens are learning to identify the call of nature and to take action given that mum & Aunties no longer “do the deed” for them. They also make a mental map very quickly too so once they’re free roaming they’ll be able to gauge how far they need to run from wherever they happen to be in the home when nature calls and be able to navigate their way to the appropriate spot! 

Toys!!!

Im so looking forward to them being “free” as I have some fun toys set aside for them to enjoy. I’ll defo be making a cute video or two of their new experiences! The toys that are getting most love now are balls ⚽️ And a DM shoe lace that Has a series of large knots tied along its length and at the ends.  This was a toy idea I was introduced to by the new mum of one of the girls in Prunes previous litter. Ley (the new mum) had had a previous Sphynx whose most prized possession was her “string”. This Sphynx had sadly passed on but her string was kept fondly and used by her other Sphynx, a real gentle fella called Ash. When Elvira met her new cat family she was determined right away, in fact, it’s probably true to say that Elvi probably never questioned that she would be the centre of attention from the get go, anyway, she took ownership of this string and 2 years on still carries it with her (though perhaps she’s had a fresh new one since then?) My point in relaying this is that it’s a fun toy to learn to chase and grab, and cheap to buy. Kitten toys need not be expensive or store bought. Another fun idea is to make a pyramid of empty toilet rolls tubes. Stack 7 at the bottom, 5 on top of that, then 3, 2 and 1. You can glue or tape them to make it all hold together. Now you can put cat treats and mouse toys inside for your kittens to seek and fish out. This helps them with dexterity and focussed attention. You can also use empty loo roll tube cut shorter to make a set of different depth chimneys. Fix the chimneys to a flat surface by down about 1cm around the circumference then opening out these “flaps” which you can then glue to a flat surface. Or you can make round holes in an empty cereal box to slide the chimneys into which should hold them. Now you can drop in treats or small toy mice for your kitten to fish out. A little effort maybe but it’s a cheap toy that involves no plastics! Later you can make the tasks harder and the treats more difficult to get. Get creative! Or why not see what You Tube has to offer in terms of ideas! 

Right, it’s time for some bedtime milk for the lads so I’ll say goodnight and leave you with some video taken this evening during the clean up and play time to keep you amused!  Goodnight 🐾🐾❤️🐾🐾

Time is flying!

Doh! Found a post I’d started but for some reason abandoned part way through so it’s a few days since I’ve posted an update. Apologies to all those keeping tabs on us. I promise that I have not just been putting my feet up! 

My brand new granddaughter hit one week old & it is an absolute treasure & delight to get to hold her. I was even allowed to place a kiss upon her incredibubble head of hair! I deliver 2 hot meals to my little famalam who live just a mile and a half away each week in lieu of the one meal and day of childcare I used to enjoy pre-Covid. Since then a lot has happened including a triply broken ankle for me which after surgery meant 10 weeks immobile while they took care of me & to some extent, the cats. My son would appear twice a day with a flask and a packed lunch and then a flask and dinner. I was pretty helpless at first but I did find a way within a few days to use my Zimmer (yes I said Zimmer!) to hop to a rollator Walker with a seat which allowed me to punt myself backward to where the litter trays were, and thus seated was able to take care of (my cats) business. If I could do nothing else, at least I could keep that task! Luckily with the girls using their auto feeders they didn’t require meals on my new wheels too! After convalescence, my being able to cook for them once again & with my daughter in law now working from home & coping with toddler care while I was in self isolation allowed me to feel a little bit useful again & involved again & the best way I can to thank them for their kind care. Anyway, I have delivered 2 meals and enjoyed a little grandma-ing. I feel blessed. 

 
Anyway, back to the matter in hand, 4 handsome kittens who have been smashing it at weaning. After a few days of individual “training” (messy!) they started to get a little convinced that chowing down on meat and lapping milk from a dish was doable (I can’t lie, I do miss snuggly hand feeding) . It’s very amusing hearing the sneezing that goes on before they get to grips with how far from the surface of the milk they need to be and when is too low! Those training feeds took a long time but by day 4 they were ready to try a meal together. You must have heard and seen that on a video I posted a couple of days ago. Well since then I’ve been reducing the amount of milk mixed with the meat so that by Saturday morning it’s no longer served as a soup they suction up and is now more something they need to bite up and chew with a milk chaser should they want it. They’re still nursing from mum which is a scene that makes me smile since inevitably it ends up in a sleeping duvet of kittens over a comfy bed made of mumma! 

 One thing they weren’t keen on was their first taste of Panacur wormer (always given at 5 & 8 weeks, then again before collection at 12 weeks) . They detest it and I still can’t understand why they don’t make it a tablet which is so much easier to give, or at least just try to make it taste nice for them. 

One evening this week we had a breakout from the Pen(itentiary) . One date devil had leapt from the roof of the wooden house (shed!) dropping over the top. I moved the house into the centre of the pen but watched because now the escape route was mapped out, scaling cot bumpers and the fence has been attempted over and over again. For now, there’s no energy left after one or two efforts and not enough strength to get over yet but it won’t be long. I’m almost ready to give them freedom anyway since they are acing the litter trays too! 

We had a bit of a video clip session today in order that I could get some reasonable still frames to use to create photos of them. Honestly, taking photos is a hit and miss affair even with extra hands here to dangle toys to keep their focus and perfect pout. 99 times out of 100 in photos they’ll move just as I click resulting in a blurred mess. I felt I got some reasonable images and have already used them to showcase the boys in advertisements so that, come 8 weeks when an in person viewing can be arranged, we can meet someone from the new families who would like to reserve & give each one a lifetime of love & care. 

I’ve included some of those stills here hoping you’ll enjoy them - have a happy Sunday 🐾🐾❤️🐾🐾. 

ROGUES GALLERY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Wean & all that’s in between!

 

LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF FEEDING GANNETS!

We began the weaning process a few days ago & I’ve been spending time very hands on with each of the boys individually as they take the next big steps from suckling to using their tongues & mouths differently. While they do this, they are also gaining new texture, taste & aromas which being unfamiliar, at first they’re not that sure about. The tummy feel of having fed on meat will be different too & their little digestive systems are now ready primed with the necessary enzymes to process more solid matter.

I begin each lesson after closing mum & her team out of the room, as this happens, the kittens become eager to greet me & are now getting themselves up onto the roof of their new “shed” and meowing for all they’re worth. At least they’re keen!

I will take the kitten who seems most keen, plucking him from his roof top and bringing him to stand on a puppy training pad placed on the floor. On this I’ve placed a shallow dish in which is the warmed mushed a soup of milk and pouched kitten meat. I now get this mush on my fingers and bring it to their muzzle so that they can sniff & hopefully are intrigued to taste. I will open the mouth and put some meat in allowing them to work out how to deal with this new food. I repeat this several times, and often by holding up the dish to their chest height can get them suckling the food from the dish. Each day, as they learn more I can either lower the dish bit by bit and their head will follow, or I’ll get them to come lower and lower using my fingers from which they are licking the meat/milk concoction. I have been following the lessons with as much milk as each wants from the teat. Today, with lessons advancing particularly well for two of them I’ve moved them on by bringing all four kittens to the dish together hoping the two slower chaps will follow the example set by their siblings. As you’ll have seen from the video above, 3 boys were lapping away with gusto while the other had to be brought back. I stopped filming so that I could have both hands to help him. 

One of the boys, is still VERY reluctant to give up the teat. I soooo wish I could film our struggle so that others could see. I’m offering the full syringe & teat, but now he thinks that it’s a rare opportunity having convinced himself milk like this is in short supply. His tummy craves the warm fluid fill so he grabs at the teat forcefully, both hands with claws outstretched, opened wide it looks like an oversized (for him) catchers mitt. Teat in mouth held in his teeth, there is now a tug of war because his pulling so hard has pulled the teat off of the syringe. He deciphers my efforts to reattach it as withdrawal and becomes frenzied that his milk is being denied to him.  I try hard to keep the teat on and to start delivering the milk he craves, but it’s not fast enough and he is now crazed.  I can’t convince him that his interpretation is unfounded. He grapples more, by now he is up on just his hind legs, claws and hands as large as he can make them over the teat. Milk spilled from the syringe coats his chest and meat coats his face!  Eventually, with maybe ½ a syringe of milk left I can give him what he is after and as finally it’s delivered, his hands drop he goes stiff in excitement as he sucks down milk as if it will never appear again. At the end, you guessed it, the teat needs to be eased out from his mouth! Bless him. 

Sneak!

I just sneaked in to see this beautiful sleeping family pile up 

 

I can’t decide what I love most about this (other than the fact mum is curled with her lads. I love the little spooning son, & the one who is using his brothers as a kind of living duvet. I also enjoy the comparative size of mums curly tail next to her sons and the sight of all those gorgeous wrinkles! 

I take it all back!

I went too at the end of my last blog to do a feed, expecting to give milk. I saw a little lad crouched into the correct pose in the litter tray and watched as he left his little puddle. I decided this was a clear sign they can handle something new. 

I opened a pouch of food (Nature’s Menu Kitten) and popped some in a dish, topped that off with some warmed kitten milk and mashed it together (good job there’s no aroma technology available). I filled 4 syringes as usual and, shutting out my helpers, taking each kitten individually offered them the “solid” food on my finger. Meanwhile I’m hearing more digging and can see crouching meaning that they recognise the grit as a natural toilet for them. Each kitten in turn was given this soupy smelly mush & the syringe of milk. And each kitten got into and used the tray. Having made a mess on the laminate floor and over each kitten who walked in it and spilled it as they learned to chew (much teeth grinding my Pud, I then welcomed in the clean up squad who set to work. Im not questioning their priorities where kitten care is concerned only reporting that they chose to wash up first, then see to the kittens, while I saw to the floor before anyone else did! 

So, the weaning has begun! 

*** Stop Press *** Stop Press *** Stop Press ***

On doing my final feed I shut doors to prevent there being too many cooks as I warmed enough milk for 4+ syringes & then warmed another offering of the meat, I walked through to see a little blue lad in the crouch/crunch position which when they’re so little is so unbalanced & was delighted to see a lovely whirl of Pooh coated in cat litter grit. Hail, the first Pooh, in the right place with no lessons or prompting. Ok, so he stepped into it while attempting to do the burying dig, and had got it all on the underside of his tail too, but I am so stupidly delighted & proud of this little fella!

Each kitten had a bit more meat, which they’ll very quickly come to love once they’ve got a taste for it followed by either a complete syringe full (at least most) of milk. I then let in my eager clean up squad & we got to work. Lastly, I’ve made the litter a little deeper which Floozy took as an official invitation for her to pee! Honestly these girls of mine suffer major FOMO - hahaha, maybe that would be a good future name since it describes the breed’s character to a tee!

Note, that I chose not to include a photo of the evidence

It’s been somewhat dish- appointing

Yes, defo this could be a reference to the weather this summer of 2021 for sure, but I’m actually referring to the stunning lack of progress I’ve made in interesting these babies in lapping from a dish!

I reckon they just really like the cuddles and close contact involved in teat feeding. I certainly like the purrs, but for them the fact that it’s fast, easy & fills them up quickly is preferable to the unfamiliarity of needing to lap which is difficult to master & takes too long. Today in fact one little chap was so determined to continue suckling as I used the teat with milk being dripped flow it to guide him down toward the milk in the dish that he got hold of the teat and refused to let go. I allowed him to sickly until the 30ml was gone, but he wanted more and kept sucking and biting so hard that he pulled it off of the syringe tip completely. I then had to gently ease it out of his mouth because despite no milk he was still unwilling to let it go! I don’t know if this is his way of underlining it as his preference… tomorrow I’m going to offer some meat for the first time. 

Whether it’s meat or milk, a mixture of each or even milk soaked dry food, whatever is given to kittens as weaning gets underway it’s a messy the first week or so… they will have no respect for the walls of a dish and will happily wade through the deep puddle of milk or muddy squelch of their soupy feeds walking it onto every surface they can before mum or an Aunt swoops in only too eager to do the clean up of messy mouths, and mucky paws and will go on to wash the dishes too. My clean up crew will be pretty thorough! However, they’ll then shun the toileting work they’ve been so keen to undertake so what help I gain I also lose! 

We’ve had some fun as they enjoy the extra room that’s afforded them in their new play space. My dear Grandson (3) came yesterday morning while his day old baby sister went to hospital to be hip scored. He helpfully filled almost every bit of floor in the pen with a cat toy. Afterwards, for the rest of the morning I had to call him  “medium Pud” (as opposed to small Pud, the black kitten). Medium Pud meowed a lot & was quite the cheekiest kitten I’ve ever reared! The actual kittens meanwhile have been exploring, and seen engaging in ever more play together. I hear various sounds as they learn to get about then the odd pig-squeal of indigence will ring out when the sharp teeth of an overzealous brother are too eagerly used. I love watching as they take turns in being the aggressor or victim who will conveniently roll onto his back only moments later to writhe and kick his back legs as he’s held in a head lock and his head, ears or neck are nipped! As personalities develop rapidly now, soon there will be a shift as certain kittens start to refuse to take on the victim role. I’ve seen 2 blue kittens coming to the fore as early leaders, while one of more hesitant to push boundaries. Pud, easily the largest kitten seems to be chilled out, not easily led into mischief! 

When not practicing at hunting or the kill, these tiny predators have shown a good deal of interest in digging in the shallow gritty litter of their first litter tray. I’m always amazed at how these things don’t need to be taught them & they pretty much start to “do the deed” there instinctively. 

Their new smaller shelter, which yesterday became known as the Kitten’s “shed” (Holden described it thus due to it being wooden I guess) has a flat top which has become a vantage point from which the on duty Aunty or mum can watch without being directly involved. Floozy though does still spend time inside the shed snuggled up with the kittens in mums absence. That said,  she is distracted from her kitten care work this weekend due to being in estrus, bless her heart. 

An exhausted mum takes a nap! 

I get spotted as I appear overhead… interrupting some bundled play. It must be feeding time! 

New Digs & New Arrival

Hot on the heals of Prune giving birth, in the early hours of this morning our family was blessed with a new addition. Adelaine Belle Westwood was born at 4:40am weighing 7lb 12oz and has an impressive shock of dark hair. She is my second granddaughter, my 3rd grandchild and I believe completes the set. I have Tia who will be 16 later this month, Holden aged 3 and now Adelaine.

 

Meanwhile, it’s a busy week for the lads who had their first effort at taking their milk from a dish yesterday.  One blue kitten picked it up reasonably well right away raising my hopes while the others were decidedly unimpressed. It’s a juggle fending off the adult cats who would like to show them how to drink it while at the same time holding the dish aloft at kitten height while also tilting it to make it easier for them and with the fourth hand, guiding the kitten gently toward it. Because last night became the one in which I was called away I needed to revert back to the syringe & teat to be sure that they had had their milk quota and in good time as I dashed away overnight leaving mum in charge. I did check in a couple of times with my web cam. 

Having dashed back this morning to feed them and scoop the poop (adults) I got back to the dish this afternoon. No one was interested with a “no ta, I don’t think much of that” it was an exodus leaving me to clean up the milky puddles. 

This evening, the chaps have had a house move upgrading into their new apartment complex in which they have a shallow dish of water (to watch & learn as I’m sure the adults will decide the kittens water is far superior to than their own). Hopefully they’ll want to investigate the dish and practice lapping so the transition from suckling can happen organically. I’ve also placed inside a shallow litter tray and light gravelling of litter. Aunty Noo has already shown them how to dig in it but given its small/shallow  and I’ve only put a small amount of litter I’m hoping that for now there’ll be no practical demos in there. 

The move went comically actually as I had gone round as far as I could with the cot bumpers I now have (one outstanding still to arrive), but there was a long gap due to them having also one cot bumper which was still in the “nest” crate. I quickly put the boys into the pen along with blankets they’ve been using (so that it smelled familiar). I’d hoped the new and unfamiliar place, which my dear grandson had filled with toys this morning. The adult cats alerted to change were keen to be part of the process jumping in and out of the pen so I’d hoped they’d stay put while I dashed back into my bedroom to untie and grab the cot bumper however, by the time I’d returned, 2 naughty kittens (pretending to be looking for lost mittens?) were out in the room! Now they’re secure - or as much as they can be given that one seems keen to climb and scale the bumper as it’s it’s an assault course climbing wall assembled specifically for their physical development! They’ve yet to discover too they can burrow under. That can be our secret for now though right? 

 

 

The crate is now collapsed down, (ready for next year?) & I can open my wardrobe again so after 4 weeks I can get a different outfit or two! They have a new cosy nest…(I’ve used the top layer of a 4 apartment cat condo) but what, or who is inside? 

Changes!

Hi there everyone. It’s 4 weeks ago today these little lads arrived in the world and they’re continuing to thrive. 

For the last few days Mum has been calling to her offspring while sitting watching down from the corner of my bed. She will also stand and call from the roof of the nest. This beautiful sing-song voice warbling gentle encouragement.   

Answering g her, two of the brothers will now leave the nest all by themselves happy to go explore a bit. So far they’ve remained in my bedroom no interest shown yet in setting foot over the threshold of the planet of carpet to the land of cold hard laminate. They have investigated the dark spaces under the pine chests of drawers - much to the aggravation of Floozy who really would like to follow but is too big. She patiently (enviously) sits & watches, making a big fuss of welcome when they emerge! (This enthusiastic welcome is “do you need the toilet?”  👅 😂) 

I so love seeing these miniature cats running along with their tails raised in joy as they trot across the floor to discover their world. 

On the other hand there is Puds (the affectionate moniker I’ve given to the little black kitten) and his other little blue brother, who have so far not wanted to set off on their own adventures. I’m very happy as always to let them all set their own pace. Mum will continue to sing her encouragement songs 🎵 

Oh but they’re all so cute. I’m getting lots of purrs of excitement & welcome when I sit with them to provide milk or even when I’m just there for cuddles! 

I’ve just been watching this delightful little scene unfold & wanted to share it with you. Apologies for the picture quality. I’d zoomed in a lot so it’s looking a bit grainy. Do watch as mums eyes shine as she opens and closes them as she tries to steal a nap! I became aware as I filmed that one of the blue lads had come from behind her, and was laying over the top of her in an attempt to grab a quickly feed from his unusual vantage position… watch what happens…

The boys have been testing out their skills! One task they seem keen on it trying to climb up the fabric padding insulating their nest. In this video they were doing the climbing as I began to film but they lost interest. I soon noticed “Pud” the little black lad had one of his sharp claws caught. Note to self  to clip the sharp points off tomorrow (they do get caught in the towel I place them on to feed as well so it’s over due having not been done since 1 day after their birth!)

Their little teeth are being tested - on each other and the teats as I feed them. They’re changing how they suckle so a dish is going to need to be introduced very soon now. That’s progress, but I’ll miss my little one on one feedings. They’ll still get milk from me for some weeks yet and will continue to suckle mum as long as she will allow them to. I haven’t seen her push them off or yell as they nip her as yet and she still visits regularly to offer them nursing. It’s always a little comical and ungainly when she decides to get up when they’re suckling and they tumble over, but when she next comes back they’ll soon go to nuzzle in to feed again and she’ll settle down needing to be in some weird positions to accommodate them. 

Still waiting for the extra cot bumpers to arrive for the pen. The first ones were a completely different design than I’d expected so I’ve had to re-buy more! Oops! 

Brothers Romp

 I was sitting knitting & watching TV when I noticed the kittens making a noise that was not the yelling they do when calling me to deliver food. I saw them at play so reached for my camera to record it. I zoomed 2.5 so that I could record without distracting them in any way… this is day 24 & they’re learning how to be hunter/predators - they’re so cute its adorable!