Weaning & litter tray use....

Well, as you can imagine, while I’ve not had time to post, things have been changing daily here at Kitten Towers (😂).

I’ve had to shuffle a few things around and move them into a new territory. The crate I usually use I decided was too small to allow them room to play and grow strong so I got out my soft play pen and placed this in my lounge where it fills the floor. Inside the pen is a food station for them and for mum so they can watch what she does, a sleeping and a playing area and a place for the litter tray.

Weaning is slow slow progress, despite my efforts over the last 6 days, they show zero interest in moving on to lap milk from a dish or to eat anything resembling food. I have however seen one of the black girls using the litter tray and so they are learning to be independent of mum.

I’m not happy with the new set up with them easily scaling the netting panels when they see me coming with their milk rations, nor Pru jumping onto the netting roof so that it all collapses in on them, so I have ordered a new metal play pen which arrives tomorrow. It doesn’t however have a floor like this fabric one does, but I’m sure I can find some way to manage until they are all using the tray.

Meanwhile I will continue to make up the solid food “gruel” and offer it everyday hoping that eventually they will decide it tastes nice!

As you can see in this photo Prune has no respect of a roof at all!

Short Videos for day 19

Not the best examples of my work I know, but, in my defence I was trying to get focussed and interesting shots of them as I moved and panned around, often unable to see what I’m filming. These three short clips are cut from one longer one, removing much of the ‘junk’.

Yesterday evening after last feed and again this morning (day 20) kittens seemed more alert and eager for attention. The blue girl laced on her back for ages seeming to really enjoy being fussed over, stretching her back legs, then her front in bliss.

Each kitten is now able to sit up easily but none, as yet, appear strong enough with their rear legs to walk well. They will however, try to climb the walls of the nest eager to explore and build up their strength and stamina. I will very soon be moving from out of their original nest so that they can come and go a little bit more to increase this further. I have a large pet crate ready, and this will soon have to be their new home - this will do away with risk of falling out of their box and being unable to get back in.

I’m still feeding the blue pair and am amazed at how the little gannets gulp down the milk. Each feed now approx. 15-20mls. One of the black kittens also eagerly accepts formula milk so she gets some each feed too, about 15mls. I’ve ordered more formula as it’s being used so fast!

What’s In a name?

Another summer weekend has rolled around... it began rather wet but thankfully that didn’t last. By lunchtime the sun was out & it was warm.

I’ve noted that the little lad I feed by hand not only has begun to call for me when his belly demands it, but he also looks up and out of the nest box waiting for me to arrive. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t show an interest in mum, or in making attempts to feed as nature intended, simply that he KNOWS that his voice brings him my attention when he is hungry for food.

I’ve also been “topping up” the blue girl though she is yet begin to call for me or look outside of her nest-world for my arrival. She seems content to at least start off or graze feed with mum. That said, she is very happy anytime Im there with warmed food to be plucked up (even out of sleep) and to receive the latex nipple, greedily sucking until there is no more left. They will both take at least 12-15ml per feed and, on one occasion today, cheeky chappie even guzzled almost 23mls in one sitting.

One of the black girls will also happily take a latex teat if it is offered, while the other, flat out refuses. It’s the only way I can as yet tell these two sisters apart!

Actually it’s kind of odd for me to be referring to them by colour and sex rather than a name of some sort after 17 days....but if I’m honest I’m almost feeling afraid to give them their own little monickers - would doing so perhaps serve to allow me to form too great an attachment?.. (Who the hell am I trying to kid? Anyone convinced?No, thought not.).

Noodle’s first litter was just 1 female who was born by c-section... I named her Pot (Pot Noodle). I would call out to her her Pot-Pots, a name which she & Noodle got used to very quickly. But Pot was later renamed twice... at first she was going to be Harley and so in the last 4 weeks after being reserved I began to get her used to this new name by calling Harley-Pots to her as much as possible.  However, at the last moment, upon collection, she underwent another rebranding becoming Gamora (or Mora for short).

Pot-Pot Harley Gamora

Noodle’s second litter brought us 2 new female kittens, also born by c-section. One kitten sadly suffered from Twisted Leg Syndrome and was immediately named Wonky since this word was how my then vet Emily had described her to me on the phone following the birth operation. The other kitten was already spoken for (if there was another girl available in this new litter). She was destined to be Gamora’s sister, Nebula (see Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel Comics) and so I always called her Nebula or Nebby for short.

I guess I feel that naming a kitten is the prerogative of its future family, and, having got Gamora used to 2 names in a short space of time, it’s made me hold back. I could start to call them in a sing song voice “Blue Boy” & “Blue Girl” but how to get the two black girls to know they are individuals..? It’s still getting them used to a name that will not be used.

One friend of mine who breeds some superb British Short Hair kittens simply calls all of her kittens You... so she will say “Hello You”, “You Good Boy/Girl”. Since they are all phrases a new family will say when giving love to their new pet, so I guess this might work...

It’s been a good day.

Noodle & Nebula