5 1/2 weeks old!

5 1/2 weeks old!

Sorry no posts for awhile! Everyone is doing great! Weaning is progressing and playing is frisky and hilarious. Toys aren't too interesting for them yet as they prefer to attack one another and their mother. They are good eaters and about 80% accurate with their litter training. Everyone is of good disposition and it is a joy to see their personalities emerge.

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Cool Cat Facts

Cool Cat Facts

*Cats hear 3 times more frequencies than humans.

*The fastest breed of domestic cat, the Egyptian Mau, can run up to 36 miles per hour! Your average housecat can run up to 31 miles per hour.

*One unspayed or unneutered cat, can cause up to 42,000 more cats to be born in its lifetime. This is a worst case scenario number, that if each kitten also went unspayed and so on, but you get the picture. Spay or neuter your cat!!!!

*The patterns on a cat's nose are unique, like a fingerprint.

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3 Weeks Old

3 Weeks Old

Ah, they grow up so quickly don't they? They are already having their first tickle fight. They interact with each other and have even made their way onto the floor! Of course, they can't get back up in the nest when they are down there, but they head down there to try to get close to Willow. They are needing their towel changed about twice a day right now, they are such good little poopers! This means they can start eating regular food soon, but I don't want to rush them. They are just quick learners.

Their weight continues to increase rapidly.
348g - M - large white spot
354g - M
295g - F
301g - M - small white spot
345g - M

I trimmed their nails last week, but it seems like it is time to do it again, especially with them playing so ferociously. They do seem to get hiccups quite often, and I joke that is how they grow so fast. When Willow comes to the box, they meow hello in an incredibly adorable way!

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2 1/2 Weeks Old

2 1/2 Weeks Old

Please pardon the absence of posts for awhile there. I found I was getting a little too hung up on the daily weighing of the kittens and fretting over a few grams here and there and decided to take a more holistic perspective.

The kittens continue to thrive! They can tell when we are talking to them and are showing signs of "proto-play" poking each other and wrestling and what not. They have tiny teeth starting to poke through. These are their baby teeth. They will get their adult teeth between 5 and 7 months old.

Their eyes are still a very dark blue. Todd and I joke it is Fremen blue (like from Dune). They are walking much better, but still prone to stumbling. Their biggest accomplishment of late is pooping all on their own. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but up til now, they only did it when their mom stimulated them. This is an important step on the way to weaning them. I anticipate we might try them on some wet food next week! We've had to change their towels 3 times so far today! When they master a skill, they really master it.

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2 Weeks Old

2 Weeks Old

The kittens are 2 weeks old today! Forgive me for not posting yesterday, but with a vet appointment in the morning and adoptive parents visiting in the evening, I was pooped!

Here's is the Day 13 weigh in:
308g - M [16]
243g - F [2] - was up 17g day before
277g - M - large white spot [13]
284g - M [13]
261g - M [11]

I'm pleased to report that the vet visit went very well. Willow weighs 7 1/2 lbs now which is more than she weighed the last time she went to the vet when she was pregnant! She didn't get weighed when she was super-round, but it's very good that she is so healthy. The kittens are also very healthy and did very well in the car ride and while being oohed and aahed over at the vet. Everyone came out to see the tiny little ones. I was also correct about their genders - we have 4 little dudes and one little princess.

I can see the tips of their tiny baby teeth starting to poke through their gums. When we start weaning will be up to Willow but could start as early as next week and could go on as late as week 7.

Here's today's weigh in:
260g - F [17]
321g - M [13]
288g - M - large white spot [11]
277g - M - tiny white spot [16]
292g - M [8]

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12 Days Old

12 Days Old

Look, Ma! I can stand!

Their senses are all coming on line now. Their eyes are pretty much all the way open and very very dark blue. Still no pupils, but I expect we'll see them sometime next week. I'm pretty sure they can hear now too as their eyes widen and ears wiggle when you talk to them!

292g - M [13]
271g - M [11]
264g - M - big white mark [17]
241g - F [17]
250g - M - small white mark [7]

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11 Days Old

11 Days Old

Everyone continues to squirm and thrive and is doing very well. Their little claws are very sharp though and I look forward to giving them a trim after their first vet visit. I would like Dr. Monica to advise me on any differences between trimming an adult's nails and a baby's nails.

They had an exciting visit today from Seana who brought them presents! Willow spotted the feathered toy straight away and proudly trotted around with her new friend. Seana also brought some kitty treats for the adult kitties and I've never seen them enjoy a treat so much! Ichabod even licked my fingers and Willow cried and begged for more. Thanks, Seana!

260 - Male [12]
279 - Male [16]
247 - Male - large white spot [4] - gained 19g the day before
243 - Male [12]
224 - Female [10]

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10 Days Old

10 Days Old

The big one was up and over the edge of the box today. The squeeling he was doing while trying to make it had both Todd and I running from opposite ends of the house. Willow was sitting next to him looking at me like "What should I do?" We let him sniff around on the blanket before setting him back in the box. He hasn't been near the edge yet again today.

Weights are back up again today so either yesterday was just an off day (it was pretty hot) or perhaps I goofed when I was weighing them. Everyone does have their little eyes open a bit, though the girl kitty looks a little like a pirate because one of her eyes is a lot more open than the other. They are really hard to photograph right now because they are so wigglesome!

263g - Male [+11]
214g - Female [+10]
248g - Male [+8] he tends to be upside down a lot - Todd nicknamed him "backstroke"
231g - Male - small white mark [+10]
243g - Male - large white mark [+19]

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9 Days Old

9 Days Old

Wobbly Legs + Open Eyes = Exploration

The big guy who has his eyes open twice as much as the others is very curious about what is outside the box. They are all quite stumbly and wobbly and spending more time in between eating and sleeping. Everyone is also now umbilical cord free! Yeah! Some have no trace of ever having one, while a few have a bit of a scab left.

Today's weigh in was a bit shocking and has me a eensy-weensy bit concerned. Maybe Willow's milk production slowed or maybe the heat has kept her out of the box more, but the kittens did not gain nearly as much weight today as they have previously. I'm keeping an eye on it and will be sure to mention it when we go to the vet on Thursday!

221g - Male - small white mark [+5]
252g - Male - has eyes open most [+9]
240g - Male [+11]
224g - Male - large white mark [+8]
204g - Female [+4]

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Possible Names for Grey Kittens

Possible Names for Grey Kittens

Name - Meaning
Andromeda - Ancient princess, now constellation
Archimedes - Greek word meaning "contemplating, pondering"
Argenta/Argento - Latin for Silvery One
Artemis/Artemisia - Greek goddess of the moon [Could be male or female name]
Ash/Asher - Ash Tree
Aster/Astra - Star
Berliose - grey kitten in Aristocats
Bluebell - Flower
Celesta/Celesta - From Latin meaning "heavenly" for cat color of the sky
Chalcedony - greyish quartz
Dorian - After Dorian Grey
Earl - After Earl Grey
Ferris - From Latin meaning "iron"
Gandalf - the Gray Wizard
Graham - From old English "from the gray land"
Hester - From the Greek word for star
Horton - From Old English "from the gray estate"
Hyacinth - flower
Juno - Classical goddess of silvery moon
Lady Jane - After Lady Jane Grey
Mercury - Quicksilver
Nova - Latin for "new" a bright star in astronomy
Nimbus - Dark Grey Cloud
Orion - The mighty hunter from mythology, now a constellation
Shubuta - Choctaw for "smoky"
Sterling - Old English meaning "little star"
Vashti - word for star in Persian
Vivian - Lady of the Lake from Arthurian legend

It's up to their parents, but it's fun to think of names for them!

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8 Days Old

8 Days Old

It's official. No more flash photography for awhile. The largest of the kittens has opened his eyes the tiniest bit. The others usually follow his lead the next day. Their claws aren't out all the time anymore and seem to retract a little bit, albeit involuntarily, methinks. 2 of them still stubbornly have their umbilical cord stumps.

Here's the weigh-in:
243g - Male [+12]
229g - Male [+13]
216g - Male - large white spot on throat [+11]
200g - Female [+14]
216g - Male - small white spot on throat [+17]

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One Week Old

One Week Old

Happy One Week Birthday, Kitties! I love the photo on the right because of the one in the back having his little mouth open. They don't snore, but they look like they might in this picture. Yawning, stretching, lurch-like walking, nursing and sleeping is still pretty much all these guys do. I think they are starting to open their eyes, but I'm still not sure how much they can hear. Once they do open their eyes, I'm gonna have to cut out the flash photography because any bright light might hurt their tiny little eyes.

Their skin (their nose and paws) are starting to turn from dark pink to dark gray like mom. Their weight continues to skyrocket, though today someone only gained 9 grams from yesterday. He was up 15 grams the day before, so still overall, well above average.

231g - Male [+16]
186g - Female [+15]
216g - Male [+18]
205g - Male - large white mark at throat [+14]
199g - Male - small white mark at throat [+9]

I'm wondering if any readers want to suggest names? It's still way to early to name them, if we get to name them - their new mommies and daddies may want to - but it's still fun to suggest and dream about what they might be called!

We do have a definite home for one of these babies too! Becker and Amanda are going to give one of these amazing kittens a home! They are great parents already to Dewey the dog and Lucy the cat.

They also have their first vet appointment in the books! Next Thursday I'll be asking Dr. Monica on when she recommends we get everyone fixed! Getting your pet spade/neutered is the best thing you can do for them and our #1 priority in placing them!

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6 Days Old

6 Days Old

It's hard to believe that these guys are going to be a week old tomorrow. This first week has gone by really fast! Today the largest one tried to stand up! He's not really walking, but he's not crawling all the time either. It's more like a lurching. He is the easiest to pick out and has been sniffing at the edge of the box! I'd bet he's the first one up and over! He also started kneading while nursing today!

2 of them still have their umbilical cords and one other one has a small scab where it was. I'm sure it's fine, but I'm keeping an eye on it. Speaking of eyes, they should be open their wee eyes soon! Everything will be blurry for them, but I can't wait to see their blue eyes! All kittens have blue eyes for awhile, and will eventually settle into their adult color later on.

While we were weighing the kittens tonight one of them started to cry and Willow came over from eating and carried him away! It was adorable! It was the first time I've seen her carry anyone. She kinda of tried to pick him up by his head, but then settled for the scruff. My reading says sometimes they don't know how to carry them and even carry them by their legs at first!

Today's Weigh-in:
190g - Male with small white mark at neck and has umbilical cord [+15g]
198g - Male no markings with umbilical cord [+15g]
171g - Female [+14g]
191g - Male with large white mark at neck [+13]
215g - Male [+19]

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5 Days Old

5 Days Old

Their eyelids are beginning to flutter! Their next stage of development is opening their eyes, but that won't happen for a few more days yet. Their ears waggle sometimes though which has got to be about the cutest thing ever!! Their sense of smell is strong though. They are likely able to hiss, though they haven't met any unfamiliar smells yet!

They are nursing vigorously. They don't knead yet, but do splay their paws and will start kneading while nursing soon. The kneading doesn't usually start until the second week because that is when the milk production begins to slow. These guys are growing so fast, I'm not surprised they haven't started up with the kneading.

Most of them still have their umbilical cord stumps. My reading says these should have fallen off by now, but they don't look infected or sore so I'm just gonna hope for the best. Here's today's weigh in:
196g - Male [+13g]
178g - Male - Larger white dot on throat [+17g]
175g - Male - Small white dot on throat [+20g]
157g - Female [+12g]
183g - Male [+21g]

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4 Days Old!

4 Days Old!

I'm sure all newborn kittens are cute, but these little guys (and they are mostly all guys) and unbelievably cute. It's important to remember that they can't see or hear still. They are really strong and active and are crawling ahead of schedule, but they are totally dependent on Mom so the most important thing we can do for them is keep Willow and happy and healthy as possible!

Here's the Daily Weight Report:
155 grams - Male - white mark at throat [20g gain]
145 grams - Female [19g gain]
162 grams - Male [14g gain]
183 grams - Male [23g gain]
161 grams - Male - white mark at throat and on tummy [10g gain]

I'm trying not to worry that there growth has become more uneven. While they do scramble for nipples, they all seem to be getting good nourishment. The Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, which I highly recommend, says that healthy kittens gain 7-10grams a day, so they are all still well within (and exceeding) growth needs.

They also had their first visitors today! Carrie and Dane who rescued Willow from the hotel came by to see how they were doing. It was a huge relief to hear someone else comment on how well they were doing and how strong and adorable they were.

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3 Days Old

3 Days Old

We are gonna need a bigger box. These little guys are growing sooo fast! I anticipate it might taper off here soon, but they are starting to crawl around and I'm proud of how strong they are. They spend just about all of their time sleeping or eating and anything in between is all wiggling. I weighed them again tonight and they've each gained about 20 grams, weighing in at 126-160 grams now.

Mom is doing well, but these guys are sooo squirmy she needs to vacate the box to get some peace and quiet. As they get bigger and more demanding, she will want her own time more and more. Right now, she doesn't go very far and is always alert whenever they make a peep. It's amazing how their instincts kick in so quickly. She's eating more than ever too! I can't blame her though as she has 5 very hungry growing babies to care for and nourish.

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2 Days Old

2 Days Old

Wow! These are clearly super-kitties as they are growing much faster than anticipated. My reading says healthy kittens gain around 10 grams a day. Here's the breakdown of their weights now (with my guess on their gender and their markings, if any):
141 grams - Male
114 grams - Female - Tiny white dot at her throat
125 grams - Male - Larger white dot at throat
125 grams - Male - Small white dot at throat
117 grams - Male - Small white dot at throat

They are crawling, grunting and rolling around. They eat, sleep and wrestle like champs. I'm surprised they have claws already. They are kind of sharp and make a scratching sound when they are against the cardboard of the box. I will trim them when they are closer to 2 weeks old. I expect these guys are going to be quite the energetic handful!

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1 Day Old!

1 Day Old!

Hip-Hip-Hooray! The kittens were born last night, Friday, August 14th, between 8pm and midnight. Things went pretty smoothly though kitten #3 came out backwards and so needed a little help. Around 10:30 or so when #4 arrived, we thought the show was over. An hour later, Todd went to check on her, then came back out and said, "How many kittens did you say there were?" to which I replied, "Four." He crooked his finger at me and told me I had to come in the room. Lo and behold, the magical #5 kitten had arrived. Everyone is doing well and thriving. They are much more wiggly than I thought they were. They are strong and vibrant which I take to be a very good thing. I weighed them today and they were around 95-103 grams. It's really hard to tell them apart! They should gain 10 grams a day.

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Fetal Movements

Fetal Movements

According to Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook - "fetal movements [are] easily detectable during the last two weeks [of pregnancy]." When she lays on her side like in the picture, movements are easily visible! At first, I was concerned about the movement under her skin, but now it is very exciting. I'm a little worried there might be kangaroos in there, but I think it is a good sign they are active and healthy! She also seems to be eating a bit less and a diminished appetite is another sign of impending delivery!

When she starts to lick her tummy and rear a lot we'll know we are in the 48-24 hour window. Other signs will be her pacing and possibly even crying. She does like to hang around us quite a bit and seems extra sleepy like she's resting up for her big event!

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Cuddled!

Cuddled!

Wonderful progress! Tonight she jumped on the couch and laid there awhile, I wanted a cuddle, so I tried to coax her near me, but it didn't work. She left the couch for a minute, but then came back and laid on me while I petted her! It's adorable and very gratifying to have made that connection with her.

She has been roaming around and has been introduced to our other cats. Luna has been the most reluctant and grumpy as we knew she would be. Ichabod, always the gentlemen, has been friendlier, though still not exactly rolling out the red carpet. There haven't been any scuffles, but there has been some hissing. She doesn't seem to be too upset when she gets hissed at, but cocks her head in an adorable way, like "How dare you hiss at me." She shadows them around the house, subtly following behind them, always curious about what they are up to.

I hope the kittens will come soon as her roundness seems to be more and more uncomfortable. She's still eating great though and so far, hasn't shown any signs of giving birth soon.

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Cat Cam is Up!

Cat Cam is Up!

I've been knocked out with a sinus infection for the last week, but Willow has been doing great! She's getting rounder every day. I tried to weigh her on Thursday, but she wouldn't let me. The Cat Cam is now up and running! While things are not likely to be very interesting until the babies come, it's nice to have it up and running.

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Vet Visit: Good News!

Vet Visit: Good News!

Today's vet visit was a tremendous success! Not only is Willow exhibiting signs of being more confident, happy and generally well but now her weight is up to 6 3/4 lbs (a 1/2 lb gain)! Her ears were also given a clear bill of health, though we are to continue cleaning them daily. They gave her a quick x-ray to determine if her kittens were far enough along to have skeletons and therefore could count them easily, but alas, there were definite fetal sacs (at least 3!) but no skeletons. (The image is alas, not from today's visit, but illustrative of what we wanted to see).

While we initially expected 5-6 kittens, getting 3-4 is actually a blessing. Having fewer kittens to push out and nurse will be less of a strain on her young system. Since she is so young and small, I do worry about possible complications from delivery, but am keeping a stiff upper lip, a cool head and the emergency vet's number close at hand!

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Lolita

Lolita

When explaining Willow's situation to a coworker (9-mos old and pregnant), I had to laugh when he replied, "What did you name her, Lolita?"

The sad truth is that kittens can become pregnant as early as 4 mos old! That is why it is soooo important to get your kitten spayed or neutered as soon as possible - generally, around 8 weeks old. There are many options out there for low-cost options to help get your cat taken care of, here's one!

Willow's situation is far from unusual. She does face a slightly more difficult time ahead because of her youth. First litters are never easy and her young self may encounter some physical problems, but we are sure we can handle it and of course, have the phone number/address of a 24 hour vet emergency room on hand at all times!

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Progress!

Progress!

I'm pleased to report that today is the first day she jumped on the bed while I was sitting on it. She also walked up to me when I made the little kissing noise! She let me pet her for almost 10 whole minutes and only walked away to get some more to eat!

These small steps fill my heart with such joy! She's really warming up to us and I feel like she is really doing well here. She still isn't a fan of being picked up nor is she a cuddler yet. It's possible it could be her personality, but I'm hoping it's just hormones or just some lingering trauma from her previous situation.

Please read up on why it is so important to spay and neuter your pets. If you know someone getting a pet, encourage them to spay or neuter them as soon as possible. We can help reduce the pet overpopulation problem and save many lives if we all work together!

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Trust & Affection

Trust & Affection

Pets seem to give their trust and affection more easily than people. But when those animals have been abandoned, mistreated or abused, they are wary and need to special attention to show them that not all humans are as bad as the ones they've met so far. Willow is, sadly, one of these poor creatures.

Though she has been here for a week, she still will not jump up onto the bed (taken off the frame for her) if someone is sitting there. She doesn't mind when Todd or I enter the room and has just started to meow hello to us and will allow us to pet her, but anytime I try to pick her up, she cries in protest. While she does not fear us, she also still does not trust us.

Patience is my ally. By visiting her multiple times a day, sometimes with treats, always with kind words and gentle pets, I hope to eventually become her trusted friend. This website on socializing a feral cat reminds me how well we are already doing and good days are just around the corner.

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Vet Visit!

Vet Visit!

Willow, Carrie and I went to the vet yesterday to see how Willow was doing. Great news! She's gained 3/4 of a pound! When she went in for her initial visit right after being rescued, she weighed only 5 1/2 lbs, tiny by anyone's reckoning. Her ears are improving, though we need to keep applying her ear-drops twice a day. The vet, the fabulous Dr.Monica, was not able to feel the kittens inside as distinctly as last time, but I'm hoping that is just because she was not as rail thin as she was before. The vet might take an x-ray on the next visit to determine how many kittens she may have.

It's so hard not to worry about this tiny little creature with such an ordeal ahead of her. She doesn't act very kittenish, I think most of her energy is being diverted to the nourishment and growth of her kittens. When I brought up this project at the doctor's office at my visit yesterday, the nurse told me a handful of horror stories about growing up on the farm and the dangers a momma cat faces during delivery. I'm reading up on all I can and find the Veterinarian Partner site recommended by Dr. Monica to be very helpful.

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Meet Willow

Meet Willow

Meet Willow. We guess that she is around 9 months old. Supermodel thin, but without the attitude, she is sweet and still a little skittish. One can hardly blame her though when it's hard to tell how long she had been scrounging for herself at the hotel.

She took an immediate liking to the catnip cigar and we found her antics adorable and a good sign. She does NOT enjoy her ear medicine though. The medicine is meant to treat her for ear mites, but I think she thinks I'm just torturing her. We are off to another trip to the vet tomorrow, so I hope to hear she has a clean bill of health.

Cat Fact #1: In Colorado alone, 187,158 companion animals entered shelters in 2007 (from http://www.ddfl.org/wanted.htm).

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The Kitten Project

The Kitten Project

The Kitten Project started on July 1st when Dane and Carrie received information about a young cat stranded at a Denver hotel. Having subsisted on handouts and who-knows-what for several days, she was thin and piteous. Being kind and generous souls, Dane and Carrie decided to bring her home and take her to her first vet visit.

Imagine their surprise (and a smidgen of horror) when they learned this little scrap of fur was pregnant! Barely 9 months old herself, this little lady was about 30-35 days pregnant. Jumping on the chance to love and nurture this kitty, Todd and Tara decided to become foster parents for her until her kittens were weaned and could find homes.

This blog will detail the experiences of humans and cats alike and will be a great learning experience for the authors and, hopefully, the readers! Through this medium we hope to detail the experiences of fostering a pregnant cat, share resources on pet care (most especially the importance of spaying and neutering your pets) and cat adoption. Many pictures will be posted of Queen and kits once they arrive and we look forward to your help naming them and finding them top-notch homes.

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