Well, thanks...

Theo, Theo, Theo. I let you out into the big wide world and how do you repay me? Ruddy fleas, that's how!!!

You're welcome...

 

I was at the vets today with Theo and Indigo, getting their yearly boosters, and they gave me the bad news. Flea dirt in the fluff! Goodness, says I, but Indigo is allergic to flea bites and usually comes up in great big lumps, and then stopped short as I felt a great big lump right on the top of her head that I SWEAR wasn't there this morning. How very embarrassing.

Fortunately I always keep flea treatment supplies, so was able to treat them the moment I got home. Used the last of it though, so went online to order more. Goodness, but it is expensive! I usually Frontline, because it's so widely available, but going to try generic fipramil (the stuff in Frontline), and am seriously considering buying in bulk. I bulk buy food and litter, after all. You can get 6 Frontlines for about £20 (including p+p) if you look, that's around £3.50 a go, but in shops I've seen it sell for twice that. I have, however, just seen a bulk buy case of 60 for just over £2 a go, which would last my lot a year assuming I keep a kitten from this year's litter. I don't know what the shelf life is though, so have ordered a smaller box for now, not much good getting a year's supply if they only keep for four months.

You know when someone talks about head lice, and suddenly your head is itchy? I'm like that with fleas. I know full well people can't get cat fleas, but I am itching all over at the mere thought!! Oh well, Boil wash the bedding, spray the cat trees, go through the whole shebang, guess I'm going to have to get used to it now I have an outside cat!

On a better and absolutely less itchy note, Indigo has more or less stayed the same weight since her last visit, which hasn't been for some time. Hurrah! She hasn't lost any, so is still too heavy, but at least there's none on. And she's absolutely in the pink of health, so I can go ahead and mate her with no worries at all.

Breeding

You know, I think I've worked out why I'm so reluctant to decide about when to breed Indigo.

First time round, of course she had that allergy issue. Eventually it was traced to a food allergy, I changed her food, things were OK again, but not until she'd had lots of fuss and bother having a head scrape (to rule out ringworm) and extra flea treatments that she didn't need, and I'm sure having a head full of spots wasn't pleasant for her. She had to wear that collar for ages to stop her scratching one patch in particular. She still runs a mile when she sees the collar. She also had morning sickness.

Then last time, well she seemed to be ill from start to finish! First off she had an eye issue, then morning sickness so bad I ended up rushing her to the vet, and from then on it seemed a long run of digestive issues, ear issues, suspected urinary issues... you name it, she had it. She was skinny and lethargic and I was worried. The vet suspected a low level virus that had lowered her immune system that she just couldn't pick up from whilst raising seven kittens- as soon as they had moved on she became her old self (and indeed is now 2lbs plus overweight...)

And I understand that ok, the allergy issues are sorted now, so that won't re-occur, and the morning sickness, while worrying, really is transient. It bothers her for less than a week. And the virus? Well that was just sheer bad luck, and there's no reason to believe that will happen again. But still.

I've seen other breeders comment that after every litter they swear they will never do it again, and that's what I'm feeling now. It just feels so... odd... wrong, possibly... to put one's darling cat through all the stresses of pregnancy when so much can, and does, go wrong. Fortunately, for prospective owners at least, the lure of kittens is too great. There will be more Indikon kittens, of course there will be, just as there are in other catteries. But right now I'm feeling like dragging my heels a bit.

Good morning!

Indigo disagrees... Monday mornings are never 'good'...

So, I haven't been here for a while! No excuses really, but you know how life sometimes just seems to catch up with you? Well mine caught up with me hard, and I feel like I've been chasing my tail for the past couple of weeks.

The teenager is in the process of transferring from a special school to a mainstream one, so I've been involved in lots of Transition work too, driving the lad around from school to school- its been an exciting time. I'm pleased to say it's all gone very well but all the pickups and dropoffs have been time, as well as petrol- consuming.

The kitchen obviously disrupted things a lot, and I've been trying to finish a big art project and get an essay written and in. The artwork got delivered Wednesday, and the essay yesterday, nothing like leaving things to the last minute eh? We had a minor flea outbreak and I had to treat the house- (Indigo comes up in scabby lumps when she's being bitten as she's allergic to flea saliva- the cats were all up to date on their flea treatments but they can live for a long time in cracks and crevices, well unless one kills them *evil cackle* Indorex is brilliant stuff. Are you itching yet? Ugh, hate fleas!!!) Oh, and on Friday the teenager managed to break his toe!

Anyway, what with all these things, I've rather neglected the blog, but it's the school holidays now and I have less to do, hurrah!

This week, all the cats are due their yearly jabs. Two on Thursday, two tomorrow. I will not be anyone's favourite human for a while I suspect. Still, it's got to be done.

Hope your Monday is a good one!



Indie's Eyes...

Ever get that feeling of deja vu?

Early pregnancy (touch wood) does not seem to be a good time for Indigo. She feels sick and tired, much like in a human pregnancy. Last year she had an ongoing and at the time unresolved allergy issue. You may be sure I have been anxiously feeling her head many times a day for any lumps, bumps or anything unusual, but so far (again, touch wood) nothing.

However, I was cuddling her the other day, she was purring at me and looking at me through partially slitted eyes and... well one didn't look quite right to me. I wasn't sure, so I pounced on her later and had a proper look and sure enough, her inner eyelids weren't retracted fully. Later on it was fine, later still not retracting again and so on. Also her eye looked watery. I rang the vet, but being Sunday I wasn't able to get an appointment till today. Not too worrying, as she's fine in herself, alert and playful.

Cats have a second, inner, eyelid to help protect their eyes- it swooshes over them to remove dirt a bit like a windscreen wiper. It helps to keep the eyes moist. It's normal enough to catch a glimpse of this lid when a cat is sleepy, but it should fully retract when a cat is alert and awake. When it doesn't, it can be a sign of illness.

Anyway, Indigo's diagnosis is, paraphrased, 'Possibly A Bit Under The Weather, Not Otherwise Specified'!!!! In other words, she just has sore eyes, the vet doesn't know why and I'm left thinking 'we've been here before...'

Actually I'm being overly dramatic. Inds has sore eyes, but it isn't like last year at all, I'm just rolling my eyes at a cat of mine having another mystery illness. They never go in for anything clear cut, my mogs! She has drops to use, as a precaution, so she will hate me for a few days I am sure, but there's no pus, no crustiness or sign of anything infectious, just a little soreness.

No photos, because I don't want to irritate her eyes further by flashing cameras about the place, I don't know if it would bother them, but why take the chance? Otherwise she's alert and happy, not seeming unwell- although see my next paragraph- and the vet isn't worried. It should go on its own within a couple of weeks, and I don't need to go back unless it develops into something else. Which she doesn't think it will. As an aside- I love my vets!  *I* know I worry overmuch about my pets, *THEY* know it too but never make comments or make me feel silly for doing things like- well bringing in a cat with a mildly sore eye. Heh!

No sign of pregnancy yet, but I didn't expect it. The vet had a feel, but all she could feel was a large and well formed poop! However, Indigo has lost a small amount of weight, and been a little nauseated and tired, which is exactly the same as last time. She's also been extra cuddly, which again is like she was before. So I'm willing to state that I think she IS expecting. Hurrah!

Ugh, ugh and UGH!

Ah... Indigo's allergy? She has FLEAS! Or rather, she has an allergy to flea saliva, which amounts to the same thing really. My baby is being nibbled.

Ok, and she has a food allergy too, as I'd thought. Two allergies. The food allergy is still there, and as far as I know sorted, because we changed the food and it cleared up. This most recent head soreness is nothing to do with the food allergy. I know this because when it showed up first, Indigo had a thorough examination plus skin scrapes at the vet's... it's all documented here on the site. No fleas then.

We've never had fleas, before. Cats get them from other cats, and from lying around in long grass and things like that, none of which my cats do, and even Theo on his daily walks doesn't have much chance to pick up anything, it's all concrete, round here. I suppose it's possible though. I mean there are other neighbourhood cats, and I suppose it only takes one, or two, I suppose, or one female about to lay eggs if that's how they do it, to be honest I've never looked at the reproductive cycle of a flea!

However, I suspect it's not Theo who's the culprit here. I go to my allotment and potter away, spending long periods of time kneeling on the ground in the grass and in the dirt and wiping my hands down my trousers. Of course I've made the acquaintance of the neighbourhood moggies as well. And then I come home to Indigo meowling for my attention, so what do I do? I immediately tell her what a beautiful puss she is... and scratch her on the head.

Face. Palm.

Yes, I suspect I have given my poor puss fleas! And been lax about flea defence, too! Being an indoor household, the cats have been getting flea treatments once every two or even three months, and only then as a precaution (In fact the last time they got them was the last time the kittens were treated) Not any more, they aren't. Monthly, on the dot, whether they like it or not, from now on! And the house will be sprayed, too. I will just arrange for half my wages to be paid directly to Frontline. The other half already gets mainlined to the vet's coffers.

Ah well. I suppose when one has cats, one will have to deal with fleas at some point or other. The other results of the tests were a very mild allergen response to several other things- dust, mould, etc, but clinically insignificant. And the tests for pollen etc didn't yield any response. So, without wishing to tempt fate in any way whatsoever, a good Frontline regime should sort Indie's head issues. Fingers crossed anyway.

I took that call earlier today. It's like hearing someone's child has headlice... straight away you begin to itch. Humans can't have cat fleas, but they can bite humans, so I suppose I'll know aaaaaaaaallllll about it if I don't get on top of the issue shortly. Ugh, ugh and ugh, as I said. Has it stopped me kissing and cuddling my Indie today though? Not on your nelly. She's still my angel... even if she is an old fleabag as well.

More Mess

So I'm in the middle of a Really Good Clean-Out And Declutter at the moment, in the hopes that IF Indigo turns out to be allergic to dust I'll already be halfway towards knocking the problem on the head. I've never been bothered by a bit of dust as it happens, as my kittens' new families will know having seen my house themselves... and with four cats things to get a bit hairy at times. I'm not naturally a super- houseproud kind of person, is what I'm saying. So there's definitely room for improvement and I'm confident that IF the issue is dust (or rather, it's dust mites, not the dust itself isn't it?) then it's something we can deal with.

If this doesn't help, I'm thinking of some bigger changes.  An air filter for the living room maybe, or getting rid of the sofa and replacing it with something  less dust collecting. Probably something inexpensive, as having cats there's little point in spending huge amounts! But that's not a priority right away.

Of course you know how it is with big clean-ups... it gets worse before it gets better. I'm currently trying to tackle our monster book collection and aiming to cut it down by at least a third in the hopes of keeping the top shelf of the bookcases, where Indigo walks, dust free... which they absolutely are NOT right now! Which is why my living room right now is covered with books. Why is it so hard to get rid of books? Old favourites, childhood classics, all night long 'couldn't put it down' books... Ah well, Indigo is my princess, she's worth it :)

Not that she's at all appreciative. She's been yowling at me crossly all day for daring to disrupt the house so much!

Of course the tests will come back now and show it's not dust that's the issue... *grin*

Something In The House

Is what is bothering Indigo. So dust, mould, something of the kind...

Pollen, grass etc isn't affecting her, nor were the other things tested for... all that came back negative. So it's nothing I seem to be bringing in to the house, it's something that's here already.

I've given the go ahead to more tests which will hopefully narrow it down further- hopefully they can use the same blood sample.

I wonder if her habit of crawling right into the sofa cavity is affecting her? Of course I stuffed the cavity when she was heavily pregnant, didn't I, and then unstuffed it once the babies were on the move because I was concerned they would crawl in anyway and become stuck, and that fits with the dates her head got better and then got worse again... could that be it?

Itchy

When every single vet in the practice has seen your cat for the same issue at some point over the past 6 months, you know it's been going on for far too long. Fair enough it's not a huge practice, but there's 5 or 6 vets that work there at various times!!!

Anyway, so I took Indigo back in yesterday. She's had a blood sample taken to be tested, a highly expensive test that will possibly narrow down the allergen a little  (so is it dust related, is it pollen related, etc...) which will lead to further, more specific, and no doubt more expensive tests to try and narrow it down still further. She also had an antibiotic and an antihistamine, so is a bit battered and bruised at the moment.

I'm hoping the insurance will cover it (must get onto them) but if it doesn't I'll find the money because being constantly itchy must be horrid for her.

Monty The Bookworm!

Well, I can think of more comfortable places to snuggle, but apparently right on top of a basket of books is the place for Monty...

(how I stop kissing that little face, I don't know... or any of them really!)

Just got back from the vet after taking Indigo in (yes, again) this time because of the acne that appears to be taking over her chin! And of course for a checkup re her head. No medication, but the vet suggested loosening the 'crust' on her chin with a flea comb before cleaning her chin with the Hibiscrub, rather than trying to clean the crust with the scrub, so the Hibi gets to the underlying inflammation rather than just being smeared on the top. Makes sense, so I'm going to try that. I'll have to wrap her, as she'll never submit to that willingly, poor Indigo!

But the change to her head is incredible... the vet was very, very happy with how well that's clearing up. Hurrah!

Pretty Indie

Mama cat, looking beautiful once more. Her head continues to clear, her fur is regrowing. I'm not using the aloe any more, her head is out of its collar, the antibiotics are a thing of the past. So it does look as though it was a food allergy.

Ah well... it only took me FOUR months to figure it out *facepalm*

Acne!

Photo by S.A.

This was Indigo's head on Sunday. What an improvement! Nice eye-bogey too *grin*

Unfortunately, whilst her head has been getting better, her acne is getting worse. Yes, cats can get spotty chins! I know WHY she's getting spotty... her hormones are kicking in, she's already had a mini- heat cycle, and she's gearing up for another I suspect, by the ultra- affectionate way she's been today! Once the kittens are off to their new homes and she goes back on Ovarid, (the Pill for cats) the acne will settle down, but at the moment I'm just shaking my head at something ELSE to mar her good looks.

I'm cleaning her chin every day with Hibiscrub, which she hates, of course. I took the collar off today too, so she could give herself a proper wash (having that on isn't helping, she can't clean herself properly, especially not round her face) Which she did, but then she started scratching her head a little too vigorously for my liking so on it went again.

Poor Indigo! And to make matters worse, the antibiotics she's on are giving her slightly gloopy, and most offensive smelling poops. We've been using an awful lot of air freshener recently!

But at least her head is getting better. One problem at a time eh?!

Yay!

(Photo by S.A)

As I said in my blog yesterday, I was expecting some visitors Sunday afternoon. I didn't want to say anything more yesterday... we seem to have had our fair share of bad luck of late, no sense in tempting fate to send any more!

S and I have been emailing for a week or so, and I had a really good feeling about her. I told her all about Indigo's skin complaint and she was sympathetic, still keen to visit, but content to wait until Indigo was feeling better... well like I said, I just 'knew' she was a good cat-loving person that I'd be happy to send one of my kittens to.

When they arrived, the kittens were snoozing in a pile on the sofa. Before too long, Kensey was up and bouncing and jumping and showing off his lovely playful nature. AnnElise decided to take a more chilled out approach, rolling on her back for tummy rubs (see picture, above!) and generally being very charming. Pretty much their personalities in a nutshell, really!

Now I hope S won't mind me sharing, but she recently lost a dearly loved cat, Z, to kidney failure, and had decided the time had come to look for another cat. Not to replace Z, of course, no cat could ever do that, but there was a kitten- shaped space there, needing to be filled. The time was right to get another cat. Or two... as S and her partner decided they would like to make BOTH AnnElise and Kensey their cats!

It's all worked out in just the best way, hasn't it? S had to make a longish journey here, and so could only come to visit on weekends... well, I've had a LOT of interest in the kittens this week and could have had visits most nights if it hadn't been for Indigo's allergy. The kittens might not have still been available under normal circumstances, or might have gone seperately... I can't help but feel it was somehow meant to be.

I am thrilled, of course. Not only for AnnElise and Kensey going off to a new life together, but because that means ALL of my kittens now have good, loving homes lined up for them for when they are old enough in a few weeks time. Which is all a breeder could ask for really, isn't it? I feel satisfied... very satisfied indeed :)

Family Portraits... And An Update

A couple of family pictures from recently :)

The last one... poor Mama! they all piled around her for a feed and she was left sitting there, kittens attached and slurping away, unable to move! I need to take a more recent group picture, but more and more they are not all piling up together for naps, but settling down with maybe just one other kitten. They are growing up!

This morning when I went to do the eye routine, all the pirates were clear. Not the merest hint of soreness, goo, or anything of the kind. However, Hope's right eye was looking a bit suspect. Ah well, more of the routine eh?

Indigo's head is a work in progress. It's actually looking quite alarming at the moment... bright pink and bald! But the bald patches are where the scabs were, and the pinkness is because the crusts are coming off, with new, healthy skin growing underneath. The fur will grow back (I assume, it did when she was pregnant although it never got this bad then...) and she will look beautiful again- hurrah! But even more telling for me is that she brought her pipe cleaner to me for a game of fetch earlier... she hasn't done that for the best part of a week. So I know she's feeling a LOT better :)

I've been deciding on what food to put the kittens on. I've been looking at several factors. These include

Is it a 'complete' food?

Does the food have a single or multiple protein sources?

Does it contain artificial flavours, colours and preservatives?

Is it grain-free?

Is it organic?

Does it contain 'meat by-products/ derivatives'

The price, per 100g, for comparison

None of the foods I looked at ticked every box, of course. I was specifically looking for a food with no artificial colours and preservatives, and of course a 'complete' food is a must. Price was worth knowing but not a major deciding factor. And I wanted a dry and a wet food.

In the end, I decided on James Wellbeloved Turkey and rice kitten kibble. This contains a single protein, is artificial colour, flavour and preservative free and contains no wheat and has the benefit of being easily available which is good to know- makes no difference to me as I buy all my cat supplies online and in bulk, but much more convenient for my kittens new families! And when the kittens have gone, assuming the food suits Indigo, we can graduate to Turkey and rice adult food.

Wet food was a bit more difficult. I couldn't find a single protein source kitten-specific food, so I chose Grau kitten food which has turkey, like the kibble, and beef as it's protein sources. It too is artificial colour, flavour and preservative free and has rice, not wheat, so I think it will be a good match, and then Indigo can go on to Grau adult food which IS single protein- turkey, to match the James Wellbeloved. It certainly isn't the cheapest kitten food available, but it seems to be the best match.

Of course Grau is a rather more obscure brand... but the kittens will bring samples of this home with them in their kitten packs, and should easily switch over to the wet food of your choice. They have all been eating Whiskas, for example, with no issue, it isn't the kittens who have the allergy after all... it's Mama! So whichever wet food you choose should be fine for them.

I'm very happy to have now made a decision lol... now off to order some :)

Thoughtful

Sweet Kenneth, half asleep. I love his serious little face!

I'm feeling fairly thoughtful myself. I took Indigo to the vet last night. The lady I saw today was much more clued up about allergies and the like, and she agrees with me that it looks like a food allergy. (finally! A diagnosis!) To what she couldn't say, but she agreed that eliminating dyes and artificial preservatives would be a good start. She also recommended buying food with just one source of protein, rather than multiple sources like most cat foods.

So Indigo needs new food. Because it's come on so badly, she also recommended I change it now, rather than wait till the kittens have moved on, so contrary to what I said before, we've changed food after all. There wasn't an awful lot of choice in the food despite the vet being in a large pet store, but I eventually found a complete kitten wet food and a complete kitten kibble, both chicken, for them to have temporarily. This will give me time to decide on what food i want them to go on with, and make an order from an online specialist. Zooplus, probably!

Which means, incidentally, that I have a whole, unopened, 4kg bag of Royal Canin Babycat (rrp about £30!) and half a big packet of Royal Canin kitten, probably about the same amount. I can't use them but I'm not throwing them out, as it's good stuff so I'm off to the Cats' Protection sometime in the next few days to see if they can use it... bet they can!

As for where this allergy came from? Well, it seems to have been precipitated by her pregnancy... so be warned, any random reader, if you are thinking of breeding your cat... just... don't! Seriously, just don't, unless you are VERY serious about it. Don't do it 'just once', for fun, please. I know my kittens' families won't, so I'm not talking to them now but I mean anyone else who has happened on this blog and is reading... don't put your girl through it and risk her health. Bottom line is, if I hadn't mated Indie, she may not have developed this allergy, and I feel very guilty about that. On the other hand, if it was dormant then it might have started any time, if she was ill, for example.But she'll need special food from now on for life.

I did ask if allergies were hereditary, and the vet said not. Cue a huge sigh of relief all round I think! I also googled last night to make sure (yeah, I know!) and to be honest there's not a lot of info on it... but from reading it seems that whilst there may be a small hereditary component for some airborne allergies- pollen, etc- food allergies are not known to be heritable. It's just MY cat who is dramatic, it seems!

So, a few changes for us here. I've switched the dry food, I've got a few sachets of wet food I will feed the kittens over the next couple of days (keeping Indigo away!) and then I'll switch that over too. I'm to carry on with the aloe inside and out, and the vet was most impressed with the comfycollar! Indigo's also got a course of nursing-safe antibiotic, so hopefully with all those things together, we should see an improvement before too long.

I did comment to someone yesterday that I thought it had improved a little already, unfortunately Indigo slipped out of her collar and scratched herself raw again... silly girl!

On a more positive front, she's got a rather round belly now, a far cry from the appetite issues and general skinnyness of Christmastime, and other than the allergy issue, seems to be blooming. She's going to get a shock when the kittens are gone, and she no longer gets three plated meals a day plus biscuits... my cats are mostly kibble fed with just the one wet food meal per day as a treat. Guess she'd better enjoy it while she can!

Registration

FINALLY got round to sending off the registration form today, after agonising over the colours this past week. I've been looking at Kenneth and wondering if he's caramel too, but decided he looked far more like Monty than Kensey. Ditto AnnElise, but she's down as a blue, too. Of course, colours can be changed, everyone who breeds Tonks, especially mixed caramel/ non caramel litters will be well aware that kittens can take a long time to determine, and many a breeder has taken their apparently blue or lilac kitten to a show only to meet with fierce discussion from judges and other breeders as to whether it really is a Caramel! But I've done my best, anyway!

Only just in time, too. Processing can take up to 4 weeks, and I have them here with me still for.... oooh, about four and a half! Nothing like leaving it to the last minute eh, but like I say I was agonising over the colour... I really wanted to get it 'right'. I had to do the form twice, as I made an error on the first and there's no room for correction on the form, plus it's confusing and that's how mistakes are made. I suppose i'm lucky I only had to do it twice!

Anyway, off went the form, the mating certificate from stud Harry's breeders (proving I mated Indigo with another registered Tonkinese and not a random tomcat from up the road!) and the fee, and I shall look forward to getting six 'pink slips' through in the mail... My first Tonkinese, all registered and official. I feel very proud.

On a less pleasant note, this is my poor Indigo's head. The lesions extend into her ears, and over both outer ears, and as you can see are red, raw and sore. Those of you who have seen her recently will appreciate just how quickly this has flared up. She's had a collar on for 24 hours now, and I THINK they haven't worsened any in that time, (because she can't scratch them, probably) and I'm hoping the collar plus the soothing gel will break the itch-scratch-bleed- scab- itch cycle and let them start to heal. Plus we have the vet on Tuesday. I'm hoping now she's only nursing sporadically there will be more options for her. And I'm busily researching preservative and dye free food for the big switcheroo once the kittens have moved on.

 Kenneth's new family were due to visit him tomorrow, but they very kindly contacted me after yesterday's blog entry to ask if I'd rather they postpone. Considering I expect they are dying to see Kenneth again, it was very kind and I did appreciate it- thank you very much S and D!

I had someone coming over tomorrow to look at AnnElise and Kensey, but I've let them know what's going on as well... they may well wish to cancel too. We'll see how it goes. Of course the worry (apart from my concern for Indigo which is, of course, the most important thing!) is that this might dissuade people from taking a kitten from me- understandably, of course, but fairly hard lines for me as the kittens are fine!

There are two other people currently interested as well, (one in the pair, one in AnnElise) and I've let them know about Indigo's head, and offered to help find them another Tonk litter if they wanted as well... I figured that was the right thing to do, but really, of course, I'd like to stomp my feet like a little child and shout IT'S NOT FAIR! After two weeks of not a lot, suddenly I get a rush of genuine interest in the kittens... and this happens!!!!!

Ah well, that's breeding for you, things go wrong and you just have to deal with them. *grin* I feel a bit better after my virtual stomp, anyway!

Quick post

Just a quick post to say Indigo's head is now dreadful. I've put her back in the comfy collar in the hope it will stop her scratching her (now raw and painful) head, and I'll hopefully be able to get her to the vet Monday or Tuesday. There must be something we can try, even if it's just another course of a nursing-safe antibiotic.

I'm applying the aloe vera gel liberally when she will let me, and I've bought some aloe vera extract so she's getting some internally too (mixed with Nutri-plus gel) but it looks so sore. Poor, poor Indigo.

Indigo's Head

Yes, her allergy has well and truly reared its head again. She's now spotty over both her temples, and one ear is scabby... poor, poor Indigo! She looks awful, and I feel so bad for her. And of course, everything that was true about treatment she could have when she was pregnant (ie not a lot!) is still true now, because she is nursing, and anything she could be treated with- an antihistamine injection would be the first choice- would be passed on in the milk. *sigh*

So I'm going to try two things...

1) A topical aloe vera gel. This was recommended to me by another breeder and I did intend to get some, really I did, but I went online to find it and ended up ordering something else and then clicking on another link and... oh you know how it is. Anyway, I forgot to get the gel. And then it seemed to clear up. Worth a try, and I've actually ordered some this time! Hopefully it will arrive today. Indigo will hate it, of course!

2) This is a more long term thing, but I'm going to take the cats- en masse- off the Royal Canin and Whiskas that they eat now, and put them on to a more 'natural' food- no artificial preservatives and so on. Still looking into which one, exactly. I'm changing them all over because I also have Theo, with the ongoing occasional stomach issue... perhaps it will help him, too? And Theo eats everyone's food! So it's all or nothing, really.

Now, new families, worry not. The kittens are all quite happy and healthy on Royal Canin, Whiskas wet food and the occasional boiled chicken dinner, and I won't be interfering with their diet. These changes will be made once the kittens have left. Royal Canin is a very very good food, repeatedly said to be 'the best', which is why my cats get it, of course... and most cats who eat this do so with no issue at all.

Chances are, Theo and Indigo will still have the same issues on the new food... we will see. In any case, when the kittens are gone, we'll be treating the allergy much more agressively than we can at present... unless it magically clears up before then. But the diet is worth a try I feel, because whatever is bothering Indigo is no joke. It's bugging her, and I don't like to think of her feeling uncomfortable.

Of course I will record every last etcetera on here. Don't say I don't spoil you, now...

6 Weeks!

And a trying day for the kittens. Not only did they have to have a thorough check at the vets, but on returning home I gave them a dose of wormer and clipped their claws. They were Not At All Impressed, and hated me for... oooh about 5 minutes.

The check today was a routine one. We had a double appointment so the vet could take her time. Basically, she felt them all over, checking there were no obvious deformities of the limbs, ribcage, tail etc, and feeling gently the internal organs to make sure nothing was enlarged or tender. She had a look in th mouth to see that all we well in there. Then she listened to the kittens hearts and chest (for murmurs etc) and then weighed them- weights to come.

All the kittens had a clean bill of health. When Kenneth came along for his turn, the vet spent extra time listening to his chest, but it was all clear. His blip at- 3 weeks, was it?- was just one of those things. So all in all, nice healthy babies, really good weight gain and looking rather excellent if I do say so myself :)

Indigo also got a checkup, and we talked about potential treatment for her allergy but not yet. I'm to continue just keeping them clean with the Hibiscrub and keep an eye on them. The first thing the vet would try normally, of course, is an antihistamine injection... but we can't do that while she's nursing.

Wendell

Birth 103g

1 week 217g

2 weeks 294g

3 weeks 362g

4 weeks 463g

5 weeks 593g

6 weeks 763g

Kensey

Birth 91g

1 week  196g

2 weeks 255g

3 weeks 346g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 604g

6 weeks 777g

Kenneth

Birth 94g

1 week 192g

2 weeks 274g

3 weeks 382g

4 weeks 480g

5 weeks 589g

6 weeks 757g

Monty

Birth 90g

1 week  198g

2 weeks 290g

3 weeks 390g

4 weeks 524g

5 weeks 600g

6 weeks 792g

AnnElise

Birth 92g

1 week 188g

2 weeks 262g

3 weeks 338g

4 weeks 437g

5 weeks 539g

6 weeks 716g

Hope

Birth 83g

1 week 182g

2 weeks 257g

3 weeks 340g

4 weeks 458g

5 weeks 562g

6 weeks 712g

All Change

Originally posted on my private blog- posted to http://indikon-tonkinese.blogspot.com/ on 06/01/11

The kittens can all get out of their nest now, so I've taken the plastic tub away. Mainly because they would get out by hauling themselves over the side and landing in a heap on the other side, usually headfirst (yes, there was padding but even so!) and then of course they couldn't get back in unless Mama hauled them in. Which she doesn't do with much elegance or decorum, I might add! I've kept the box though, I'd rather they sleep in there -where I can get at them- than under the sofa, which I might add is no longer stuffed with old sheets and fluffy toys. They got removed the other day, as I was afraid a kitten might crawl in and get stuck.

I've kept the box out though. Since Wendell tucked in so well yesterday, I've been putting Indigo's food on plates, forgetting that the reason Indigo ALWAYS eats from a bowl is that she's a very untidy eater! So I put that in the box instead, plus kittens, so they can have a good sniff at it, which is all most of them are up to at the moment. They are strictly speaking very young, but giving the food a good sniff won't hurt, will it? And then I just have to wipe the box.

Ah yes. And the litter trays. I thought it was about time to start there. Now mama cat usually teaches the kittens by example, but Indigo will only ever use one litter tray, the high sided  high backed one on my desk, so I doubt she'll be of much assistance. And also Indigo, bless her, is rather... sensitive about her toileting habits, which is a nice way of saying she's a bit of a pest about toileting elsewhere if her toilet is dirty (or she thinks it is!) or she doesn't have a specific litter, or she's upset about something. Anyway, I'd rather have rather more robust kittens in the toilet department, so I'm interfering!

Anyway, after weighing this morning, each kitten was stood in the tray and its bottom repeatedly wiped with a wet, warm cotton ball- which is what you can see in the tray. Which was the nearest I was going to get to mimicking Mama's tongue! Some of them weed, and the cotton ball was left in the tray so it smells 'right' to the kittens. And I intend to do the same every morning after weighing until they get the idea. Hopefully they will, without too much trauma.

And one more thing. ARGHHH! Indigo has a spot on her ear. Don't know if it's her allergy rearing its head again or it's just a random spot... I suppose if she develops more I'll know, but really, SO frustrating.

Indikon

Originally posted on my private blog- posted to http://indikon-tonkinese.blogspot.com/ on 06/01/11

Indigo, kittyloafing.

Exciting news for me! My prefix has been approved, and I am officially INDIKON. Which is Indigo, in Greek. I'm advised the paperwork will be sent sometime in the new year as the post is too busy now, which is fair enough, but I can use the prefix as of now. Hurrah!

It's also not the name at the top of this blog, that was rejected pretty early on as too similar to another prefix name. I thought it would be, but worth a try eh? This is why this is a private blog to date- even if the name of choice is eventually approved, one can't 'use' it until it is, for obvious reasons, of course. So sometime in the New Year, I will start a new, public blog and transfer all these posts over.

Indigo looks stunning at the moment, she really does. She's taking motherhood very seriously and for the first week or so only left the babies to eat and use the litter tray. She's venturing out now, we had our first post birth sit on my lap cuddle the other day, and here she is on the sofa, relaxing, but keeping a sharp eye on the nest all the same.

She didn't tolerate Theo in the same room for a few days (Theo sat in the kitchen and howled poor boy!) but has now even let him into the nest briefly for a quick sniff of the babies.

AND... I'm reluctant to type this in case it all goes pear shaped, but Indigo's 'allergy'? She's not had any new spots since the kittens were born. Before then, actually. None at all. So I'm starting to think it was hormonal and not an allergy after all. I poked fate a little by mentioning this to another breeder on the phone, and she hasn't developed any more, so I'm feeling positive enough to type it here.

On the weight gain front, all the kittens made better gain yesterday. Kensey made 12g, which again isn't outstanding but it's much much better than he has been doing. I'm in two minds whether or not to supplement him today. Perhaps I'll give him one feed.

I had a brainwave the other day and thought I'd start giving Indigo Nutri-plus gel again- I started giving her this during pregnancy, but she doesn't like it so it was a struggle, and of course the allergy/ hormonal thingy kicked in and I was having to interfere with her so much to pill her and wash her head and so on, the nutrigel was dropped. But I thought maybe she'd accept it better now and it stimulates the appetite so she'd eat more and hopefully then so could the kittens. Perhaps I could hide it in her food. Do you think I could FIND the dratted stuff though? Of course not. It's not with the kittening supplies, not in the cat medicine box... darn it!

So I went online last night and ordered some more of the stuff. Then I remembered Coral (Fecheldee) telling me about nutri-drops... and they can be given to kittens. Which might help to support them a little, not that they are 'struggling' as such, but you know. So I ordered some of that, and then I remembered reading about Kaogel being good for upset tummies and I thought oh well, if Theo has another funny spell, that might help and so on and so on, well anyway, I managed to spend quite a lot. Oops! If you are reading this thinking does this woman spend every day fussing and worrying about her cats then... you'd be pretty spot on, actually. :) I'm sure all the meds will come in handy at some point.

Well, I'm off out in a bit... Christmas eve and all that. Merry Christmas!