Goodbye my sweet Wonky

Poor little Wonky, my valiant little girl who was gaining weight and improving so much, has sadly died tonight.

I came up to the nursery to do her last lot of eye drops and another set of leg exercises and thought that she was curled up asleep. Since her bigger sister was mid-feed I thought I would get on and do Wonky's eyes and exercises first lifted her out, only to find her unresponsive & gone. There was absolutely nothing I could do, it was too late. I believe her mum may have accidentally smothered her.

She has in her short life received a lot of love, from her mum, from me, and from the wider world of the online Sphynx community, breeders and owners alike all over the world. She touched many more hearts than just mine and taught me a lot.

I learned first about her determination to survive an emergency cesarean birth when the odds were not stacked in her favour and I learned about the occurrence of Twisted Leg Syndrome and how little is known or told by vets when kittens are born like this. I learned how to begin to treat it and how much support was there for us in doing so.

I genuinely believed that in a few weeks time she would be walking and running around normally, getting up to kitten mischief....so perfect that if one did not know of her start in life, then they would never ever suspect it. Fate has dealt us a rotten hand tonight taking her away before we could ever get to witness it.

I love you little Wonky. Bye sweet girl 💔🐾🐾💔

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.