Day 5 in the Nest

3 hungry ladies

What a pair super cuties these new girls are! Mind you, while they look like butter wouldn't melt, they are being very demanding of their mum. Despite being so small, one of them is somehow is able to emit the loudest screams which she does with frequency as she gets frustrated at being unable to find a teat fast enough. I have decided therefore her temporary name will be Diva.

On Friday we visited the vet for Noodle to have a wound check. She continues on a short course of antibiotic cover but is healing nicely despite her daughters feeling that they can try to feed from the wound. The evidence is clear of that as they have muzzled that have become blackened with dried blood! 

While at the surgery the nurses came in one by one eager to see how mum and babies were doing Those that hadn't been on duty on Wednesday when they were born also came in to see our new little family.

Since both kittens had fully open eyes within 36 hours of their birth, Diva's were half open at birth and fully open within 24 hours and Wonky's were open by Thursday evening I have been given an ophthalmic lubricant to use on each of them applied 3-4 times daily to ensure that their eyes do not become dry or get damaged.

Noodle is doing a great job of supplying them with plenty of nutritious milk and both grow a little each day with small weight gains just as you would expect. I am always bowled over at the strength and stamina of these tiny beings as their instincts drive them constantly to survive.

Yesterday afternoon ( Sunday ) I noted that Noodle felt able and allowed herself to leave them in the nest snuggled up together sleeping while she enjoyed  a little "me time".  I am sure that did her some good as she ambled on her exercise wheel, thankfully not running at full pelt yet after her surgery. She also enjoyed a little re-bonding with Prune.

Wonky's physio sessions continue with much improvement noted. I feel very hopeful, having spoken to many people who have had kittens born with TLS, that she will completely get over this.

A video to melt your heart...

Here are our new babies, both female tandem feeding at 1am this morning after being born by cesarean section. The anaesthetic is wearing off and food is beginning sought by these hungry eager to feed mouths. 

Noodle has another battle wound that she is trying to keep clear of those Freddie Cruger claws that these kittens are born with, while those noses will guide them to any fleshy bump which is frequently one that is to be found in her row of stitching.

The kitten who, due to her Twisted Legs, has gained the name Wonky is managing well, and, despite her lesser size, is not at all shy when dealing with food. Those limbs are weight bearing all of her 86 gram body weight, and we have already begun the first physio sessions by flexing and stretching her contracted limbs. 

Her larger sister was born with her already eyes half open and so far seems seams less eager to feed or move around but weighed in at 118g this morning's weigh in at 10am after I had finally a better night of rest.

Quite a day....

Noodle is now home, in some pain as you would expect having had her abdomen opened and a spay but is purring and as attention seeking as ever, wanting full congratulations for her starring role as a new mum!

She did indeed have three kittens, however sadly, one, a male was born asleep. He had not been gone many days, but the chord had failed and there had been no blood coming from the placenta.

The two remaining kittens are both females.. one is bigger than the other with the smaller one described to me by my vet as having deformities and yet the one most eager to breath and feed despite the effects of an anaesthetic at their birth.

I worried what I would see or even if she would have given up but eventually a called and told me I could come along to pick up mum and two kittens. In came my vet, with what she then described as the wonky kitten, a word that has stuck in my mind and the moniker the kitten has been saddled with! The deformity is it seems not a deformity at all but something called Twisted Legs, caused by contracted tendons preventing a normal posture.

This is caused by not having enough room in the womb and can affect one, two or all four limbs and to different extents. The Legs/arms confined cannot flex and stretch during development causing this deformed appearance. The good news is it is possible with intensive massage and physio several times a day for weeks to come this kitten with her Twisted back Legs could become absolutely normal with full function and posture. Kittens who don't get early therapy can have surgery, in fact surgery may be an option even for those who do receive therapy. The positive message here is that this condition can be dealt with!

This is not Wonky's only issue... again, not as awful as I had expected.... I was told that her heart could be seen beating inside her chest because the bones of her sternum don't meet. It's true there is a small gap, and I don't know how this will look as she grows, but perhaps as with her legs, this is also something that will resolve or improve in some way? If not, for a cat kept indoors always, and with a normal appearance, as long as she is otherwise strong and healthy, she deserves a chance, and this is what I have decided she deserves having fought so hard to come through today.

So dear little Wonky is feeding well and totally unaided, and delightedly so to is her bigger, lazier sister. Oddly she is born with her eyes already half open, which is something that gave me momentary pause when when bending down to see her earlier on. I wonder what moniker she will gain to be known by for a few weeks?

I'm in for some hard work and long nights for a while, but this is the life I chose when deciding to breed. Of course, now spayed Noodle's breeding days are now prematurely finished, but, she has fulfilled her role and what she is on this earth to do, to procreate. For her, not so much will change.... she will no longer be ravaged by hormones causing her to seek a mate, and will continue to live the pampurred, much loved and admired life she always has since becoming my naked baby.

Maybe one of these delightful newly born girls will become a new member of your family in a few weeks? If you have questions or want an update please do contact me by email Using the link below or if you prefer, by using our contact form in the menu on the right.

Email is at : NakedSphynxCatHants@icloud.com