Lost mittens? Not these kittens!

 There were 4 in the bed & mummy said Roll Over! 

What a wonderful few days we’ve had as the kittens appetites grow along with them. At each meal time I’m now giving at least 100g of food slot evenly between them already and they’re so excited about feeding times that I’m warmly greeted with their beautiful little eager faces turned up toward me they track my every move I make until those bowls are placed before them. At first each kitten would remain at his or her dish, but now one or two have been a little competitive. It’s a case of the grass is always greener, as one will push in, taking ownership of the next food dish along, and if pushing in with their head is not working, I’ve even seen a gentle teeth nuzzle too - not a bite, no yelp heard, just an attempt to be persuasive as they try to see what their neighbour has that they don’t. You always see the different personalities come to the fore around food, one kitten is a much slower eater than her siblings  and so I keep a close eye that her food remains hers & that she has more if she wants it. Around her, her siblings are much more gung-ho eating as if this was their last opportunity to eat! I am topping up their fast emptying dishes until they are done. And I continue to watch as sometimes they walk elsewhere, then change their minds & return for another mouthful or two. I’ve noticed one appears greedier than the others & interestingly it’s the lad who took so long to come around to the idea of solids - or this food - now there is no stopping him! 

Once food is eaten, the litter tray might be visited, a short half hearted play, then a nice long nap to digest the food. They then wake for more play & litter tray use, by which time it is feeding time once more, around every 3 ½ to 4 hours morning until night & each kitten receives as much food as they wish to eat. 

They’re living the cardboard box I have given them to play with… it’s closed but with a doorway cut in, the opening pulled up to create a barrier wall. Their first play fort. Once they are out of the pen, the box fort will grow, more boxes stacked on top of each other with various doors providing lots of opportunities for pouncing on a sibling from a hidden doorway or as they pass below. Such fun is to be had from cardboard boxes, however, a word to the wise: keep a close eye on any plastic parcel tape you may use in the creation of your mega structure  as they will eventually start to rip and can then swallow bits of it which could cause harm in their tiny digestive tracts. 

I’m going to be giving them a first bath in the next day or two as their bedding is getting very mucky very fast now that mum is not needing to do so much with them since they’ve been using the litter tray. Having snipped their pointed claws this week and seen the gunk on their claw beds, it’s most definitely time !

Continuing & marked changes

The kittens are now really excited to see my coming with their food & are all managing a decent amount at each feed time. And the good news is that as of last night Mr Stubborn decided that he liked the food the others have after all which is helpful. 

As predicted the rocket fuel of solids creates huge change with more growth & more energy so there’s now much more awake & play time happening . It’s so lovely to see, especially so when they don’t even know I’m there! 

Litter tray usage is no problem to them & each has been self grooming after eating (if mum will let them!).

I’ve also installed a water fountain which the adults have been drinking from showing them what to do. Of course they have investigated as the sight & sound of the water is too irresistible. Paws in water & shaking of wet paws is funny! However Mum & Aunty Noo have been testing the water in there so they’ll copy that when they’re ready. Once free they’ll have access to bowls of water too so will know how to drink from both running as well as still water making it easier to adapt when they go off to their new families. 

Going forward, their routine will be regular feeding with the amount of food they require increasing daily. As they grow, they’ll soon work out how & be strong enough to get themselves out of the pen enclosure - at which point I will take it down just leaving their den up at least while they continue to want to use it. What I find happening is that once they’re free they want to follow mum & Aunty Noodle  & quickly learn how to scramble up onto and down from my bed thus sleeping in a big kitten & cat puddle which leaves me to fit in around them somehow. At this point the den most likely will be abandoned. 

Bringing kittens up underfoot like this is not how every breeder chooses to go about things I know. Most have “kitten rooms” where they’re born & once weaned the mother is removed. The kittens now grow up confined in this room which is of course the room is filled with lot of fun things to do, but the door is closed & they’re not living as part of a household & that feels wrong to me, when they are going to be pets who will live as part of a household. Of course it might be the choice of their future families to keep their kitten/cat out of their bedroom & indeed their beds (the Sphynx will definitely want to sleep in with you!) and thats very much a personal choice. As long as the kitten/cat has somewhere warm enough to sleep if they’re separated from you over night. My choice has always been that my cats are my family & I especially love the closeness these cats need . I have provided them with heat mats on top of my bed which means that they don’t want to climb inside with me. Because this feeling of family with my cats extends to their kittens too, for me, bringing them up in the manner I do feels right. Mind you,  I do have to get used to being walked over regularly during the night or even becoming an early morning play area! Bless them! 

A landmark day!

 

Hoorah! And Hip Hip Hooray! Today all four kittens ate solid food unaided! Already in just 5½ days they know that when I appear food is imminent & they’re coming out of the den in order to greet me! What a change! Not only that but the litter trays also saw action today too (in fact the first was overnight!) ; I’m so impressed that these incredible creatures never need to be taught, instinct telling them that this gritty substrate is for them to poop /wee into & mostly they will instinctually bury it too (though I watched one today who was missing this action - I’m sure it will follow very soon though. 

What a result though!!! I’m thrilled as even Mr Stubbornpants ate with an appetite that was astounding especially considering his up until now point blank refusal to even look like he enjoys eating. It turns out he does, so what changed? I’ll tell you - I simply offered him a different food! Who would have thought that he would refuse his BARF food! And that’s certainly a first for a well cat (and he is most definitely not unwell!) 

Just look at him go! 

 

The food he is tucking into is a veterinary recovery food - let’s call it a “triple strength rocket fuel” packed as it is with tons of added nutrients & with an especially strong aroma which, being a recovery food is designed to entice a lacking appetite toward eating. I didn’t even dish it into a dish so sure I was that he would turn his nose up at even this! How wrong I was! Golly, I’d delighted to be wrong & so, so glad I had this sitting ready in case of illness in a cat or kitten in the supplies cupboard & that I thought to try it out! 

My aim then as we go forwards is to give him this on its own for a day or maybe 2 then begin to transition him to accept the other food by mixing a small quantity of the other food with this, then to gradually over the next few days continue to adding more of one while reducing the other. With luck he will once he has the hang of reliably eating solids he will more readily accept (& like!) the food he should be having. 

Hands more free today then, I’m so happy to have finally got some new food themed photos to share with you. This is how they look when it’s  “grub’s up” time!