Flirt

Why yes, I am utterly adorable....

Why do you ask?

This week, and only this week, my most 'aloof' kitten, Gretl (she's not aloof, she's just too busy- Wendell last year was the same) and my most timid, Brigitta, have both been approaching me for full on cuddling voluntarily. They have and do come for strokes, and they've been picked up and cuddled quite happily but it's different when they suddenly look at you and think I know what I want, climb up, nestle in and start purring up a storm. Liesl started last week and the others have been doing it for weeks.

It's a conscious decision on their part. I think it does etch something permanently in their minds- humans are to be trusted, they are a source of warmth and comfort and love, and that forms something permanent in their brains. Some kittens take longer to do this than others, and it is my belief that if they go through some kind of upheaval or insecurity before reaching this stage, such as moving homes, away from their mother and siblings, they might never reach it.

I'm a strong believer that 8 weeks, the usual time for a non pedigree kitten to come home, is just too early for many, if not most, cats. They are still developing rapidly at this age. By 13 weeks, they are ready to move on, Mum is definitely ready for them to move on, and although I miss them I kind of am too, 11 individuals is a lot of cat for one small flat!

Anyway, there isn't much point to my rambling, only to say that from now on in, I don't expect to be able to sit down without instantly having a lapful or purring kittens. Which is rather nice, really :)

Oh and D- I wrote this entry about 36 hours ago... it isn't in response to your  hopeful offer to take young Fred off my hands early! Just rather fortunate timing, that's all!

Charlie and Lola

What with all the 'new family' stories of late, I forgot to tell you! Gretl and Louis's new owners have picked out names- they are to be Charlie and Lola. The teenager used to be a huge Charlie and Lola fan (as did I- ahem!) so all I can say is- awesome names girls!

Gretl especially is a typical Lola, always adventuring. The other day, because she is a BAD BAD GIRL, she climbed the curtains! I had a towel over the radiator and she shimmied up that and started up the curtains... well you may be sure I removed her AND that towel- can't have her falling off now, although she's such an agile little monkey she probably wouldn't. Curtain climbing isn't something I exactly encourage though!

But still, what a bad girl. But adorable, so adorable.

(and incidentally, it took me about 20 shots to get one that wasn't blurry, because Gretl, like Wendell (Jacob) last year, never stays still!)

Right Then. Colours. Again.

I was going to tell you about Freddie's new home today but that will have to wait as I am having a bit of a colour crisis.

Basically, I am wondering now if my two chocolates are not in fact blues, (and whether therefore Kurt is perhaps a chocolate) I am doing some snooping online... I shall bore you all with my findings over the next couple of days, no doubt!

Let me show you what I mean. Here's Freddie and Louis...

awww!

Freddie's always had a different colour coat to Louis, browner somehow. You can sort of see it here:

But see this foot? And that tail? Surely that's a blue foot and tail, right? That's Freddie's...

And here they are, front on. Fred on the left, Louis on the right. Friedrich IS a little bit browner, but come on, those kittens are the same colour... aren't they? But I swear last week Marta and Freddie were a totally different colour to Louis...

So. Assuming they are blues, then I have to decide whether they are minks or solids. Well, they are both obviously darker with less contrast between the points than Miss Gretl (who has a blue tail, so no chance of her being a sneaky lilac lol) but remember this little guy?

Yup, our Wendell, from the last litter. He ws a blue solid, here he is at approximately the same age as this litter are now, and he's definitely blue solid. Neither Freddie or Louis, or Marta for that matter, are this dark in the body, and they should be if they are solids.

So it's all very difficult!

For my new families, I would like to say this: colouring Tonkinese IS notoriously difficult- even the experienced breeders get it wrong sometimes. Often kittens don't 'settle' into their final colour until they are quite mature, browns turn out to be blues and so on. Yet we have to send off for their pedigree slips at seven-ish weeks old- ie I should do it this weekend, really. Plenty of room for error, then, and hence me having a major wibble now!

I do promise this though: If your tonk does end up looking very different to the colour it was supposed to be, send me some pictures and I will discuss it with other breeders to get their opinion. If they agree that the cat is indeed a different colour to the one registered, and if it bothers you that the wrong colour is recorded on the pedigree slip, I will apply change that pedigree slip at my own expense. Lots of ifs, there!

I Know...

... it's ridiculously early, but either Indigo has a very overactive muscle in her belly or I just saw the first twitchings of a kitten. She was lying on my desk, right in front of me, stretched out. The little thing did the fandango, on and off, and randomly, for about 5 minutes before settling down again. I couldn't feel it, but I could see it.

Yes, I KNOW she's only 6 weeks. She was 7 weeks before I noticed anything last year, and all the websites etc say you can only tell in the last week or so, but I'll eat my hat if that wasn't a kitten.

A very active kitten, too. Oh Lord... we're having another Wendell!!!!!

A Grand Day Out

I had a mail the other day that made me giggle. It was titled as this blog entry is, a title I have unceremoniously pinched,  and it read as follows...

'Hope you're well. Just to let you know the boys had their 'special' vet visit today. I've just been to pick them up, and they're doing great. If it wasn't for the little shaved areas I wouldn't know anything was different- Jonah just wants his cuddles and Jacob is looking for food!!'

ROFL! I am SO calling it a 'special vet visit' from now on!

Anyway, here are the boys, looking stunning as ever.

Photo- and title- CF.

It's Jacob and Jonah!

Photos by C.F.

Awww, don't they look fab? Here's what their Mum had to say:

Jakey and Jonah are doing really well. They've got great appetites and bagfuls of energy (particularly late at night when I want to go to bed!) But they're wonderful, such great company and completely different characters. Jonah loves his hugs and is almost always with me... Jacob's a little tinker - he gets into everything (almost) and if he can't he certainly tries several times. If he succeeds, then Jonah will give it a go too!

Hehe they haven't changed much, have they? Lovely update and photos. I love the sheen they are getting to their coats now, this is one of my favourite things about the Tonkinese breed. It's not so obvious as roly poly kittens, but when they start to mature a bit... WOW.

Thank you C... such beautiful boys!

Kitten Updates

Photo C.F

Jacob and Jonah (Wendell and Monty) have been charming their extended family. They've been full of the joys, climbing, racing and generally enjoying themselves hugely. What a handsome pair they make don't they?

Photo E M

Lisl (Hope) is slowly setting down with big brother Boo. There's been a bit of hostility, but also some grooming and affection as well... so that's all very positive I feel. Apparently Lisl has pinched Boo's favourite behind the sofa warm spot, the minx!

Photo S A

Kensey and Lotti (Kensey and AnnElise) left a while after the others, but have settled down nicely. Their new home is quite large, so they are restricted to quarters at the moment. Lotti is quite happy about this arrangement, but apparently Kensey is most indignant, and makes his feelings quite clear when someone goes through a door and he isn't allowed to! Patience, Kensey, it's just for the moment!

Photo S P

This must be one of my favourite kitten pictures ever! Stunning.

Reminds me that I need to do a blog post on cats and plants though. Tulips (above) might give a kitty a tummy ache if ingested, but some flowers, like lilies are highly toxic to cats. Basically, if you suspect your mog has munched on a lily (any part of), get him to a vet immediately. Don't wait to see if he shows any symptoms of being unwell, because by then it may be too late. Lilies are my favourite flower, but I simply do not have them in the house these days... not worth it.

Hmph- that was depressing! Wasn't I supposed to be updating on the kittens???

Alfie (Kenneth) settled in well, but in the past week there's been a couple of incidents of inappropriate urination. No big deal, he's a baby and it happens, but his family and I are trying to work out how to fix whatever it is that's bothering him. Otherwise he's a happy chappie though, and most adorable :)

Mama's Boy

Just some photos from weeks back that I never got around to sharing with you. On Jonah and Jacob's last day, both boys were 100% themselves. Jonah (Monty) settled in for some long snuggles- you've had that photo- and Jacob (Wendell) spent the morning doing this...

It was hilarious- Jacob trying to take on Mama, and Indigo prancing round like a kitten herself. And pinning Jacob every time. He wasn't daunted though, he kept getting up and trying again :) Funny little playful kitty.

Just Like His Daddy

Pictures of Kensey, taken last week. And click here to see a picture of Daddy, Gr Ch Fecheldee Harry

Resemblance, or what?! Or is it just me?  

Kensey was always the pick of the bunch for type (in my miniscule experience, anyway) and Daddy's a Grand Champion, so I suppose that makes sense. None of my other kittens looked quite so Harry-ish as (I think, personally) Kensey does. Jacob (Wendell), on the other hand, looks just like his Mama.

Kensey (now known as... Kensey!) and his sister, Lotti, (AnnElise) are doing very well, well on the way to making friends with the family dog, and they are having an outside run built for them, the lucky things!

An Unexpected Pleasure

Well, this weekend we will be saying goodbye to Kensey and AnnElise. Regular readers will know they were due home last week, but because of unexpected (but harmless) vaccine reactions they had to stick around for a bit.

But it's been absolutely lovely having them here. Having an entire litter- that was hard work. But just having the two? It's taken me right back to the days when Ava and Sofia were small. Happy memories. All the pleasure of kittens, without the sheer hard work of having a herd of them. It's been almost as if they were mine...

But of course they aren't mine, and these past few days I've been trying to distance myself from the kittens a little bit. They've still had their share of cuddles, and I haven't neglected them in any way of course, but mentally I've been detatching more. It's easy to see why, when breeders don't place a kitten when young,  the kitten often ends up becoming a permanenet resident... one gets attached very very easily.

The teenager is definitely ready for them to move on, however! He was rather fond of Wendell, and I had to remind him several times he wasn't staying. This week though, he wasn't best pleased when the kittens literally ate his homework. Oops!

Updates

Jacob and Jonah (Wendell and Monty) settling in. Photo by C F

Forgot to update on Alfie (Kenneth) yesterday. He's eating fine, and he's fine the other end too, settling down nicely into his new home.

I had another update from Jacob (Wendell) and Jonah's (Monty's) new home as well- they have cast off any shyness and are right at home. Love the photo above, doesn't it look as though Jonah has a big smirk on his face? LOL

So it sounds as though all three boyus have fitted seamlessly into their new lives... brilliant!

Hope's new family are hoping to collect her Monday afternoon, depending on what time their plane gets in. Of course I have no idea what the planes are goig to be like in the next little while, with all the disasters happening in Japan and the Pacific Rim at the moment. If their plane is delayed, they will have to pick up another day because....

... later on Monday, I will be taking Kensey back to the vet to have his lump looked at again. And I will be taking his sister with him because she's only gone and developed a reaction as well. *rolls eyes*

Today Kensey's lump is no bigger, but it doesn't look smaller either. Which is pretty consistent with a vaccine reaction lump. It should go away over time. AnnElise's came up yesterday- her new family noticed it, so I can pinpoint the time it came up almost to the hour... I checked her over that morning (and Hope, who is fine) and no lump, mid afternoon when her family visited we were feeling her back and thinking is it? Or is that just the microchip? and by evening it definitely was a lump. Same as Kensey's, no pain, no 'heat' etc etc.

I've been looking up about vaccine site reactions though... Apparently, this kind of lump is quite common, will typically occur up to 12 days after a vaccine is given -mine were vaccinated  for the last time 11 days ago- and they tend to go away without treatment, without any lasting effect. In fact, much of the available information suggests that whisking Kensey to the vet the same day might have been somewhat of an overreaction (me? surely not!) and that veterinary attention is only really needed if the lump hasn't disappeared several months later. Whoops! What can I say, I like to err on the side of caution where my kittens are concerned!!!

Oh well, you live and learn. I'll look into it more of course, as it doesn't hurt to be informed, and this is a new one on me... I'd heard they might get wobbly tums after the jabs, but not come across lumpy necks! Even though I've been googling, though, I'm pleased to report I have managed NOT to scare myself silly with what-if's and extremely rare and unlikely conditions this time. I'm learning! By the time we have our next litter, I will be as chilled as anything. Yeah, and pigs might indeed fly...

Bye Bye Boys!

Monty being adorable.

Wendell and Monty went this morning, and Kenneth has just gone this evening! So that just leaves Kensey and his sisters. He and AnnElise are with us till Saturday, and I have the pleasure of Hope's company till the middle of next week. It's purely chance it's worked out that way, but it's nice to have the leavings spread out a bit, I think, and less stressful for Indigo. Not that she seemed at all stressed earlier, snuggling into Kenneth's carrier and looking as if SHE was the one leaving today!!!

So we are down to three. The house seems dead quiet, now. It's odd to think that three/four kittens is a normal sized litter...

Wendell Wednesday... for the last time!

Wendell has turned into a grade A snuggler of late! He's still bonkers, though.

Wendell and Monty are leaving us tomorrow morning- the first of the kittens to go. Goodbye sweet boys.

Last Weigh In

Pretty AnnElise

Last weigh-in and last vaccination, yesterday. All these 'last' things... time seems to be going past awfully fast!

All went swimmingly, all are healthy, and even Hope had a good weight gain in the past 10 or so days- her last gain wasn't brilliant but this week's more than makes up for it. Yay Hope!

So there we are... the kittens are vaccinated, wormed, flead, chipped and just killing time now before coming home. I have the pedigree slips back from the GCCF, I have the free insurance slips ready to go, the microchip numbers are off with Petlog and will be with the new families shortly. I just have to assemble the kitten packs/ documentation now.

*sniff*

So anyway. Weights. I have two big kittens, three average ones and one titch... so all in all a pretty even litter!

Wendell

Birth 103g

1 week 217g

2 weeks 294g

3 weeks 362g

4 weeks 463g

5 weeks 593g

6 weeks 763g

7 weeks 907g

8 weeks 1045g

9 weeks 1240g

10.5 weeks 1390g

12 weeks 1630g

Kensey

Birth 91g

1 week  196g

2 weeks 255g

3 weeks 346g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 604g

6 weeks 777g

7 weeks 975g

8 weeks 1149g

9 weeks 1310g

10.5 weeks 1470g

12 weeks 1720g

Kenneth

Birth 94g

1 week 192g

2 weeks 274g

3 weeks 382g

4 weeks 480g

5 weeks 589g

6 weeks 757g

7 weeks 902g

8 weeks 1045g

9 weeks 1230g

10.5 weeks 1340g

12 weeks 1640g

Monty

Birth 90g

1 week  198g

2 weeks 290g

3 weeks 390g

4 weeks 524g

5 weeks 600g

6 weeks 792g

7 weeks 1012g

8 weeks 1157g

9 weeks 1340g

10.5 weeks 1530g

12 weeks 1830g

AnnElise

Birth 92g

1 week 188g

2 weeks 262g

3 weeks 338g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 539g

6 weeks 716g

7 weeks 897g

8 weeks 1017g

9 weeks 1240g

10.5 weeks 1350g

12 weeks 1600g

Hope

Birth 83g

1 week 182g

2 weeks 257g

3 weeks 340g

4 weeks 458g

5 weeks 562g

6 weeks 712g

7 weeks 832g

8 weeks 962g

9 weeks  1070g

10.5 weeks 1130g

12 weeks 1360g :)

Just One More Week

... and I bet the kittens' new families are counting down the days!

In just over a week, all my kittens will be safely home with their new people and going on to the next stage in their development- blossoming under the love and guidance of their families and growing into sociable, affectionate adult cats.
They will soon be showing their lovely natures off in person (or should that be 'in kitten'??) but I thought I'd just give you a teaser. So here's the REM litter's end of term report *grin*

Wendell

Funny-face Wendell is the comedian of the group. He reminds me of his mama the most in looks and is the most playful kitten of the litter. He's a bit bonkers, he never seems to stop leaping and running and pouncing. I've say 'I'm not sure when he sleeps' before, but he's taken to napping on my lap of late, so I can confirm he does, indeed, sleep. Occasionally!

Wendell was the first born, and I'm grateful to him for waking me up by squeaking incredibly loudly, so that I could assist with his next two siblings who were born in rapid succession. Poor Indigo was totally overwhelmed on her own. Thanks, Wendell- you saved the day! :)

Kensey

Kensey is sweet, playful, loving, all the things a kitten should be, but the most striking thing about him is his good looks. He is one HANDSOME boy! He's one of the biggest kittens,  lithe and muscular, and is a pleasure to look at. What is more, he's perfected the art of the pose as well. I can turn the camera on Kensey and know, despite my rather feeble photographic skills, that I'll take a good picture of him. Which is very gratifying, especially when I've been trying to photograph Wendell...

He's a curious cat and REALLY wants to know what's in my bedroom. He's gotten in there a few times as well, much to the disgust of Ava and Sofia!

Kenneth

Kenneth is a quiet little puss. Where his siblings will demand cuddles, Kenneth will sidle up to you confidentially, without fuss, and suddenly you will find a kitten purring contentedly into your lap. He's sweet, a little shy, and just lovely! He's a bit of an explorer at heart I think, despite his quiet nature. I don't think it will take him long before he's king of his new castle.

Kenneth, I feel, has been rather swamped by his litter of five siblings at times. He's so easygoing that he's just gone along with the pack for the most part, he hasn't had the chance to be 'the leader'. It's really going to be interesting and exciting for his family to see him blossom when it's just him (and a buddy, eventually) I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see it happening.
Monty

This boy likes to cuddle! I could just say that, and you'd know pretty much all you needed to about Monty!

... ah ok, I'll say a little more *grin* Monty has inherited from his Mama the trick of upending himself into your arms for cuddles. He will allow himself to be cradled like a baby or sat on your shoulder, on your lap or curled into a foot, but what he likes the best is to snuggle into your neck. And he purrs and he purrs and he purrs... bliss! He's chatty as well and will 'talk' to you. What he is usually saying is 'I need a snuggle!' so a chatting session is usually followed with a neck snuggling session.

AnnElise

I don't often see AnnElise alone... she's always snuggled with a sibling, washing someone's ears, biting someone's tail. She thrives on the company of other cats, so I'm especially pleased she's coming home with a brother.

Like Kenneth, AnnElise is a subtle snuggler. Her favourite trick is to wait till I'm at the computer, then snuggle into the small of my back. This basically immobilises me as I'm afraid of squashing her, so I'll tap away on my keyboard and try not to move whilst she purrs away! She's also quick to offer her tummy for rubs, and has charmed her new people with this very trick. Nice one AnnElise!

Hope

Tiny, but feisty!  The best things come in small packages, they say! At 12 weeks, she's by far the smallest kitten, but nobody seems to have told Hope this...  she was the first to hit all the kitten milestones, despite her diminuitive stature. She's an independent, confident and friendly kitty with a lovely purr and I know she's going to make a great companion.
Hope will remain in my memory for the way she befriended Theo... she really does adore him!  As it has worked out, Hope is going to a home where she'll have another 'big brother' kitty... so it couldn't be better, really.

Insurance

Unrelated picture of mama feeding- she'll still let them, occasionally!

Ok, so I'm going to waffle on about insurance today, and this is a post specifically for my new kitten families. The kittens come with four weeks free insurance with PetPlan. I'll activate this on the Monday or Tuesday before they come home, so that the paperwork should be with you (or at least on the way) by the time you bring home your kitten. This gives you a couple of weeks in which to sort out your own insurance.
My kittens will come home at thirteen weeks, to the best of my knowledge, fit and healthy. They will also have been vet checked five times (six for Wendell and Kenneth!) and had the usual kitten course of vaccinations, flea treatments and worm treatments. It's hard to imagine anything going wrong and yet it happens, cats get sick just like people do and there's no pet NHS to cover the cost.

I'm a big fan of cat insurance, and I would advise you to both to insure your cat and get the best one you can afford, rather than the cheapest going. One must be pragmatic about this... some are pricey- I would love to be able to afford Petplan, for example, but it's a little beyond my means. The one I have isn't as comprehensive, admittedly, and the very cheapest ones are, naturally, quite limited, but my thoughts are that some insurance is better than none at all.

It isn't nice to think about, but some insurances will cover the cost of the cat, if it dies- which leaves you with a sum of money ready to buy another kitten, when you are ready. Some insurances will pay out if your cat goes missing too, with a certain amount for costs incurred whilst looking for the cat. So I can't really recommend a specific insurance as it will vary according to your needs. I have Tesco's 'Extra' cover.

One last thing... I have heard that you can't claim for the first week or so of a new insurance, so don't wait till right at the end of the four free weeks to start the new one or you will have a gap. So unless you are continuing with Petplan, have an overlap of insurances for at least a few days to make sure that you are covered at all times.

Wendell And The Wii

Wendell is my livewire. He has boundless energy, loves to play and explore the world around him. He especially loves the Wii, and when the teenager is playing, often Wendell is up there too, trying to catch the cursor. Too funny!

Wendell is always up or a game, and I don't think we've had a visitor recently that he hasn't immedietly befriended. It's no surprise to me that this sociable little guy was the first one of the litter to be chosen. Livewire or not though, the last few weeks he's turned into a proper cuddly boy as well, enjoying naps on my lap on a daily basis.

Aqua Eyes

(Photo by S.A)

As modelled by Kensey!

Cat coat colour and eye colour is closely linked, genetically. The mink coat, also known as (little t) tonkinese, or intermediate, is the only coat that will produce the stunning aqua coloured eyes Kensey has above. They are unique to the Tonkinese breed and a very few other breeds like the Rexes, that have used both Siamese and Burmese cats in their development. All the minks will have aqua eyes at maturity, some of mine are still quite blue eyed at present which is usual. Kensey's are fairly stunning already though. Yum!

Wendell is a 'solid', so he will ultimately develop greeny-yellow eyes like his Mama. Also very pretty, but not unique to the breed, lots of cats have yellow eyes after all. But very attractive all the same. And speaking of Wendell's eyes, both he and Kenneth are squinty again. Dammit! I suspect I stopped the eye stuff too soon.

Kensey is very good at posing for the camera isn't he? Not like some of them, who don't stay still for more than a second *cough-Wendell* or who think the camera is a fascinating new cat toy *cough-Wendell* or who turn their heads at the last minute, leaving a blur. *cough... ahem... Wendell.* Wendell is my livewire, always on the go!

S and D came over last night to visit Kenneth... who I believe will soon be called Alfie- aww! Kenneth was more interested in finding a quiet place to sleep, and took a moment or two to find (on top of the cardboard recycling box is a new one on me!!) and even then wanted no more than a bit of shut eye! Fortunately Wendell was more than happy to play- Wendell is ALWAYS happy to play- and Monty to snuggle so a good time was had by all.

9 Weeks Yesterday

And the nine week check and first vaccination. I'm pleased to say that all the kittens are very healthy, good weights etc. The check they had was basically the same as they had at six weeks... heart, lungs, eyes, ears and mouth, a gentle feel to see that nothing is enlarged or out of place internally, a check they are anatomically correct on the outside, and temperature. In short a brief but thorough examination. Then the vaccines, which all the kittens took without murmur.

As for the pirates, I didn't wipe their eyes after midday yesterday, so as to have an accurate measurement of what their eyes were producing at the vet. Kenneths eyes were looking slightly irritated but no goop, (hurrah for home remedies!) Wendell's was still looking slightly goopy and so was Kensey's, so I have an ointment to use, which should sort them out. The other three aren't showing any sign of irritation so they don't need any but I will continue gently bathing their eyes anyway. One dose of ointment and they all were looking pretty clear this morning anyway.

They attracted a good deal of attention at the vets, by staff and customers alike :) lots of people having a look at them. I found myself saying 'Actually, they are Tonkinese' quite a lot! They were all pretty sleepy last night  after all the excitement, and at one point I had all five of the minks napping on my lap/ in my arms. Wendell was wide awake though, and biting my foot. There's always one...

I had their weights checked at the vet, so I didn't weigh them yesterday morning and then post, as I usually would have. So here they are, a day later than usual. I'm very pleased they are all well over the 1kg mark now, some of them well over, hurrah!

Wendell

Birth 103g

1 week 217g

2 weeks 294g

3 weeks 362g

4 weeks 463g

5 weeks 593g

6 weeks 763g

7 weeks 907g

8 weeks 1045g

9 weeks 1240g

Kensey

Birth 91g

1 week  196g

2 weeks 255g

3 weeks 346g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 604g

6 weeks 777g

7 weeks 975g

8 weeks 1149g

9 weeks 1310g

Kenneth

Birth 94g

1 week 192g

2 weeks 274g

3 weeks 382g

4 weeks 480g

5 weeks 589g

6 weeks 757g

7 weeks 902g

8 weeks 1045g

9 weeks 1230g

Monty

Birth 90g

1 week  198g

2 weeks 290g

3 weeks 390g

4 weeks 524g

5 weeks 600g

6 weeks 792g

7 weeks 1012g

8 weeks 1157g

9 weeks 1340g

AnnElise

Birth 92g

1 week 188g

2 weeks 262g

3 weeks 338g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 539g

6 weeks 716g

7 weeks 897g

8 weeks 1017g

9 weeks 1240g

Hope

Birth 83g

1 week 182g

2 weeks 257g

3 weeks 340g

4 weeks 458g

5 weeks 562g

6 weeks 712g

7 weeks 832g

8 weeks 962g

9 weeks  1070g

Wendell And Monty, Sitting In A (Cat) Tree

H.I.S.S.I.N.G! At Kensey, apparently! Oh, and Hope was up there too. Guess there was no room left at the top!

The king of the castle

What I do wrong??

Monty thinks it's as good a place as any for a nap!

Look at how dark Monty's points are getting now! There's quite an obvious definition between them and the rest of his coat.

Yesterday, I noticed that Kenneth had a bit of a squinty eye in the photos I posted. Today it was looking squinty too, so I had a jolly good look, and sure enough, it was a bit goopy.  Not uncommon with kittens, and not serious but when one in the litter has it, the others usually do too. Sure enough, Wendell also had an eye that was looking a bit suspect. So the whole litter was subjected to having their eyes bathed with a very mild saline, which as you can imagine, they did not like AT ALL!

Wendell and Kenneth had their suspect eyes bathed a couple more times, and later on I noticed that Kensey had joined the 'pirates', so he had some more eye baths. I'm not surprised, like I say if one has it, it usually goes round the litter, hence the need to treat the whole litter, of course. They will all get a repeat performance today, and of course we are at the vet's later for their first vaccinations, so I'll ask her to have a look. But I'm on familiar territory here, Sofia had a goopy eye last year, and the salt water bathing saw it off nicely within 48 hours.

Whatever next, though. Or perhaps I ought not to ask. Seems we're having a run of bad luck, at the moment!