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!