Preparations & meetings

Time is marching on so fast. While it might appear from the “samey” photos that not a lot changes, I can see the advancement these little critters are making. With that in mind I’ve been getting my head ready for big changes because very soon there’s gonna be a need for food that is more substantial (though Prune’s milk is still tops!). 

In fact, I’m so adoring of Prune for the awesome job she is doing in milk production particularly after her start where she seemed so agitated by their early inability to acquire milk. Thankfully once I’d taken the weight off her by supplying formula milk to them from the evening of their arrival & kept that going a few days, she found her stride  & has been been keeping those round tummies well filled ever since. And I could not be more pleased - its the first time over her now three litters that I have been able to stop giving any formula to any kitten at all. 

Of course I keep a close eye on them & her, ready to help out if she needs it. For now though I’m delighted that she’s absolutely smashing it. Yay Pru!!

Beginning to explore, to be awake, craning necks - alert to my passing by at which point they yell to ask for attention, the kittens are beginning to engage in curious play. Physically they’re progressing & will  get their1st teeth through soon. Oh boy they are sharp little needle-like daggers of pain when they test them out. Poor Prune, I know they’ll be rather brutal on her mummy parts! When this happens most definitely she’ll want to begin weaning. Odd though it might sound, she and Noodle at this point begin to bring toy mice to the den meowing loudly that diner is ready. In fact one of their mice has been dropped off by Noodle a week or so ago. She too is a prepper! 

Prep is key now since the rollercoaster ride of change coming once solids are introduced is unstoppable. They may not get to eat toy mice - though every year I love the instinctual daily effort, particularly as my girls have never seen a mouse in their lives yet somehow know that a toy resembling one is the natural food that their babies require. It’s the effort that counts and it’s preferable to them bringing a tin opener into the bedroom I guess! 

The first big delivery of solid food is due to arrive here tomorrow -  ready to go when the time comes. When it does massive change occurs - for us all! Yikes! 

It’s sad to begin to leave milk behind but will be emotionally easier for me this year since I’ve not developed the usual bottle feeding this time round. Weaning is very much the first major step toward the rest of their lives as individuals! I’ll talk about this another day, for now I’m gonna get every last drop of cute from these teeny-tiny teacup sized Sphynx cats!  

Meanwhile, there was another really big event here on Saturday afternoon. This was when I met (by video call) a very lovely lady, Sarah,  the mum of a family into which one of the lucky kitten crew are destined to go. I love meeting our new families beginning to form these incredible new relationships  & their growing excitement as they prepare for a Sphynx- particularly when it’s a first one! Best of all was getting to show Sarah the kittens live in real time!  I’m pleased to say they all behaved themselves, not minding too much my interrupting their slumber for a quick “show n tell”.  Unfortunately during the call we experienced a few connection issues/freezings but all in all it was a rather wonderful first get together. I so enjoy this spreading of kitten love. We are now hoping to have another video call in a couple of weekend’s time. After which we will be on a roller coaster hurtling head first toward those 8 week in person viewings. Yep, as I said, 

Have a great week! exciting times are ahead!

Things that go Squeak in the night

Not great quality at all, I love these two short films showing the shenanigans that go on during the night when normal people (as in not me!) go to sleep. 

In one film I haven’t moved from my own bed as I film on zoom as poor patient mum Prune is assaulted by her wriggling little hungry caterpillars 🐛! 

In the other, the better of two lousy bits of film footage made when I’d been woken up by a certain skritch skritching sound of kittens claws on cardboard “door way blocker”I’d installed for safety. I have a little climber in there keen on testing out his limbs as well as a little girl rather eager to engage in early play! ❤❤

 

Quite a handful!

We are at day 16 & things are beginning to get exciting because now seeing & hearing, with strength and the ability to begin to walk the kittens are beginning to be attentive, eagerly mewing & looking at me as I sit near to attend to them. Previous litters of kittens quickly learned to recognised & associate my appearance with food; their excitement was understandably exuberant. I didn’t however expect the same level of interest from these at this stage (given they don’t want or need my food offerings just yet) . What their eager interest and craning necks does show though is how curious they are about the world outside of their snug little den. They are not yet ready to venture out but have space within it to move around & explore which I’ve seen them doing as they gain strength & coordination of their limbs. 

They’ve just been weighed & they’ve just received their first worming dose - surprise! They didn’t like it!. As I placed them back in they were eagerly licked all over by mum who was making sure they are ok & that she wasn’t missing out on something that is nice - surprise - she wasn’t! Prune hates worming time - despite manufacturers telling us they are “pleasantly” flavoured to appeal to pets for easy worming. Pah! Not true! She is like inspector Clouseau, no amount of hiding any form of treatment gets past her! 

Weights today

The girls: Black 240g - Blue 241g

The boys: 292g & 256g

Worming:

Despite being indoor cats, my girls are wormed regularly. Their tablet treatment is given every 3 months.  Being indoor only that they do not get worms via the normal routes other cats would, plus being Sphynx do not get fleas (see info below) . Additionally I have no other pets who might bring worms or fleas into the environment. All that being said, the clear veterinary advice (yes, even for indoor kept animals) is always to treat for worms & *fleas as standard.

* Sphynx cats do not require flea treatment

During pregnancy & lactation Prune cannot have her usual tablet & so I change the worming medication accordingly so as to protect the pregnancy & feeding kittens. Although the cats are treated, it is also vital to give the kittens worming treatment too, even ones as young as these.

Panacur is one brand that I use and is well tolerated (though the taste hated!) & another is offered by Beaphar who at least make efforts to make it taste “pleasant”. Both brands offer the treatment as a paste/cream or as a syrup both of which are suitable for giving to kittens at this life stage. Hoping to go with “pleasant” I have begun with the Beaphar paste/cream & this is dosed in a schedule as shown here: 

Kittens and puppies: Treat at 2 weeks of age and retreat every two weeks until they are 12 weeks old, thereafter they can be treated at three monthly intervals.

Nursing queens and bitches: Treat at the same time and as frequently as their kittens and puppies until weaning.

https://www.beaphar.com/en-gb/product/beaphar-worming-cream

To understand why worm treating such young kittens is so important & how they can be infected while being in the den & maternally fed, the PDSA website provides the following information about worms in cats & kittens:

Worms live in the intestines, steal food and cause damage to the gut lining. Although worms rarely cause serious problems in adult cats, they can cause very serious illness (such as dehydration, anaemia, gut blockages and even death) in kittens.

Kittens catch worms from their mother’s milk and adult cats catch them from fleas and hunting (rats, mice and birds etc). 

There are two main types of worm that affect cats and kittens in the UK:  

1. Roundworm - look like spaghetti and grow up to 15cm long.
2. Tapeworm - grow up to 50cm long and look like flat ribbons made up of lots of little segments. If your cat has tapeworms, you might see little worm segments (the size of a grain of rice) crawling around their bottom

(https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/pet-health-hub/conditions/worms-in-cats) 

Because the microscopic worm larvae/eggs can even live outside of the gut it is possible for them to be carried in to the home/cattery on footwear & though I do change my shoes as I come inside you can appreciate how simple it would be to accidentally bring worms into the environment which could then infect an indoor cat. Another route in for work larvae/eggs might be via contaminated food. 

Work treating my cats, & treating these beautiful kittens will ensure that they are protected from the harm that worms can cause & will ensure that all of the nourishment provided by the food they eat will feed them & not a clew of unwelcome worms who happen to be residing in their intestines.