Mine!

 

 Ava and Sofia are pretty sure they need some of what I'm eating...

Morning! Oof, it's hot. Well, it's sticky anyway. I'm sure the cats are holding me personally responsible for this, given the glares I've been getting as they melt into puddles on the floor, the bed, the sofa and pretty much anywhere else they can find. It hasn't sweetened anyone's temper either, and Sofia and Indigo have had a few run ins over the past few days.

I've been going through old posts and labelling them properly, over the last few days. When blogger changed its design (grr) it became less easy to do this, or rather, it isn't hard, but the label setting is hidden and you have to click on it, which I rarely remember to do. It's not hard but it is a good deal less instinctive, I suppose I am saying. Anyway there was about 18 months worth of labelling to do.

Which of course took me right through the whole reintegration shenanigans, thinking Indigo couldn't possibly stay here, as things stood, and Ava getting thin as a rake with all the stress. Many times I was ready to give up... but nearly a year on, we've reached, touch wood, a more or less peaceful existence. And Ava, I think, is a normal weight. She hasn't been weighed for a while, but she looks normal for her- skinny rather than anorexic.

So a few cat fights isn't likely to bother me. Indigo is off the Ovarid now though, and we're waiting for it to leave her system so she can go into heat. That always provokes a few fireworks (and pees... or worse... grr) so we'll have to see how the shaky truce bears up.

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.

Battling The Bulge

I went for a bridesmaid's dress fitting today. I've put on four or five pounds since the last one and... well anyway. The dress will have to be let out somewhat. The dressmaker announced to the bride and other maids that I'd eaten too many mince pies over Christmas... oh it was embarassing. Fortunately the bride, my friend J, loves me for me and not the narrowness- or otherwise- of my hips!!!

She said what now????

Indigo is also struggling to keep her weight down. Ok, I am, I don't think she cares one way or the other hehe.

In order to get Ava's weight up I've had to make sure there is food available for her at all times. She isn't a big eater and will graze rather than make a big meal. Unfortunately this means there's food around for Indigo all day as well. Indigo goes into the lounge overnight with half a sachet of wet food- which she gobbles straight away- and a dish of water, she has no other food until 9 or 10 hours later and absolutely no treats. She gets plenty of stimulation and is an active cat but even with all that reducing her seems an unattainable goal.

*sigh*... I know the feeling. Sofia now, she seems to have settled into a slightly plump middle age. 18 months or so ago she was really quite chubby, so perhaps there's hope for Indigo? Me, I think I am beyond redemption. Bring on the pies...

Say Cheese

The blood tests have gone off, but I do have some good news. Despite not having eaten anything for 12 hours (for the blood test), Ava is still showing a weight gain on last time and is now nearly 6.9 lbs... almost at the bottom of the 'normal' range for a cat her size. Whoop! Really pleased, all that sneaking her extra cheese and cat treats is paying off. Yes I KNOW that isn't exactly healthy for a cat, but frankly I don't care- I don't think obesity is a big concern for her right at the moment!

Anyway two lots of blood are packaged nicely up and by tonight will be winging their way to two seperate labs, one locally to look at her white blood calls, and one in Glasgow, I believe (!) to rule out the big cat 'nasties'- FeLV, FIV and coronavirus.(FIP) Results back in a week, I hope.

Bony Cat

Is still looking bony. Vets next week, and I can't wait to get this next test done and maybe get some answers...

She's looking like an abject little scrap isn't she? But you have to believe me when I say she is still her sweet, cuddly self. She doesn't seem ill. She obviously is though, must be, she looks like a skeleton  :'( It's apparent she isn't eating much now, her poops are small and she doesn't get excited and rush to the food bowls at wet food time. She'll eat out of my hand though (yes, I am a sucker) and I've been trying to slot high cal treats into her when the others aren't looking

I wonder if she'll eat kitten food? She never has before... She's never been one for the boiled chicken either but perhaps she will now? If I sprinkle it with cheese she might, she loves cheese and yes, I KNOW that's people food and not cat food, but look at her!!!!

She won't eat alone either. Sigh. I can see all my other cats are going to get super obese...

Ava The Brave

 

Ava enters the room with caution- will a whirling dervish appear out of nowhere and see her off?

 

 

 

Ava decides all is well, and comes into the living room! Hurrah! Scuse the sock on the floor...

 

 

She's getting very brave. The pictures do show off how skinny she's getting though, and I know I keep saying it but she's quite fluffy as well, so even skinnier than she looks. :( I'll be glad to get that second test done.

Ava was back at the vet today, and, surprisingly, she had made a small gain. Hurrah! She also had a full bowel, so it's difficult to tell whether that was the cause!

The fullness of her bowel was a good thing, it shows there's not a lot wrong with her digestion, she's eating and it is clearly being processed as it should. So much to the good. It also meant that the vet couldn't feel her kidneys, and what with that and the fact that she's really feeling very bony now, I agreed to a full blood array of the kind Indigo had when she had her collapsing fit last year. And a urine test. I'm waiting on the results now, but I'm not really expecting any kind of anomaly... Ava's only symptom is skinniness, she's not appearing to be ill in any other way.

Fingers crossed.

Uh oh

 

This is not the companionable scene it looks...

 

*glare*

*hiss*

*spit*

and other unmentionable language...

 

Indigo makes herself as big and as intimidating as possible by hunching herself up and yowling

 

This is a typical scene, Indigo is always the aggressor. But she doesn't get it all her own way. In the above scene, Sofia lay there and growled, glared, spat etc, in response to Indigo's most unladylike language, but she wasn't about to budge. Indeed it was Indigo in the end who had to back down, slinking off to the bed to wash herself in an attempt to preserve her dignity.

 

Sofia rarely backs down... she just holds her ground and growls.

 

I have to say my sympathies are entirely with Sofia, and I'm glad she's holding her own. There were some nasty fights yesterday though, and I'm going to need to clip claws, well Indigo's claws anyway. Today seems calmer, although of course I couldn't leave any of them alone together. Indigo and Ava even had a tentative butt-sniffing session earlier, which was remarkably friendly considering, but then Indigo spoiled the mood.

 

Speaking of Ava, she's lost a further 200g, despite me attempting to feed her up :( Vets next week, she's getting a bit bony now despite seeming fit and well. 200g in a month is a lot to lose for a cat who was thin to begin with...

A Weighty Issue

Continuing on the weight theme today. I took the other two to the vet just now. Ava has lost some weight, unfortunately. This time last year she was 7.3lbs. Now she's 6.6lbs. Thing is, she looks like quite a pudgy puss doesn't she? It's all floof. She could do with being another pound or so heavier in actual fact.

Ava is a middle sized cat, she ought to weigh about 7-9 lbs. (more for a male) So she's less than would be considered normal, but she's been as little as five, and for a cat her size that is very little indeed- her same sized sister is nearly twice that. And we know about Indigo. At 5lbs, she was literally skin and bone, and I was very very worried about her. That was a long time ago, but even so...

It's not time to worry yet. But I do have to keep a special eye on her, and take her back in six weeks or so.

Sofia is still overweight, but stable, at 9.7 pounds she's overweight but not to the point Indigo has managed it, and more importantly she was almost exactly the same as she was this time last year, she isn't fluctuating at all. I can live with that. Yes she's overweight, but not by a lot, and given she shares her food supply with her skinnymalinky sister I'd be reluctant to rock the boat in case Ava stopped eating.

Why are all my cats so awkward??? Theo is my only normal sized cat. He eats when he is hungry, doesn't when he is not, and maintains a stable, healthy weight. *rolls eyes*

Oh well, I suppose in the wild, Ava would have died young as a result of her bout of rodent ulcers when she was younger, and Indigo and Sofia would be thin enough through repeated litters. It's an unnatural life this indoor one, for all its good aspects.

Oh Indigo!

Indigo refuses to acknowledge this slur on her character...

Ahem! Well Indigo and Theo have been to the vet and been jabbed, and are both sleeping off their ordeal indignantly. I am the recipient of frequent dirty looks from both of them. Oh well!

Indigo has a few nasty surprises coming. When she was weighed... oh crikey... well I knew she'd put on weight. What I didn't know was quite how much. She was just over 8lbs at last weigh in- a normal weight. This time? Nearly 11 of them...

Oops... people keep asking me if she's expecting, and she looks like she is too, with it all around her middle. Can't be healthy can it.

So it's diet time for Madam, her crunchies will be carefully monitored, wet food is off the menu and as for treats, they are strictly forbidden. No more Temptations for you, Miss Indigo- not until you've lost some of that middle!

Tonight will be interesting- she gets a treat before bed, basically my way of getting her to stay in the living room so I can shut the door and let the girls out. I am expecting tears before bedtime, (mine, probably) and Indigo can howl VERY loudly when she chooses to...



Far Too Old

Definitely far too old for all this nonsense... but Mama cats will keep letting them! Poor Indigo looks ridiculous, hidden under that sea of kitten!

Weights today and nothing else as I'm really busy, may not get an entry in tomorrow either but Sunday I will finish the weight comparison and do a proper entry I promise.



Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g
5 weeks 420g
6 weeks 586g
8 weeks 880g
9 weeks 1050g
10.5 weeks 1310g
12 weeks 1460g
FriedrichBirth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g
5 weeks 449g
6 weeks 630g
8 weeks 950g
9 weeks 1180g
10.5 weeks 1380g
12 weeks 1500g

KurtBirth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g
5 weeks 570g
6 weeks 740g
8 weeks 1020g
9 weeks 1220g
10.5 weeks 1460g
12 weeks 1550g

LouisaBirth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g
5 weeks 394g
6 weeks 530g
8 weeks 820g
9 weeks 960g
10.5 weeks 1160g
12 weeks 1260g

BrigittaBirth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g
5 weeks 497g
6 weeks 641g
8 weeks 890g
9 weeks 1070g
10.5 weeks 1300g
12 weeks 1400g

MartaBirth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g
5 weeks 468g
6 weeks 603g
8 weeks 840g
9 weeks 970g
10.5 weeks 1130g
12 weeks 1270g

GretlBirth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g
5 weeks 402g
6 weeks 516g
8 weeks 780g
9 weeks 950g
10.5 weeks 1140g
12 weeks 1260g


Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks


REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks


REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks


REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

5 weeks


REM litter 539g-604g. Average 581g
Von Trapp litter 394g-570g. Average 457g.

6 weeks


REM litter 712g- 792g, Average 752g
Von Trapp litter  516g-740g, Average 606g

9 weeks

REM litter 1070-1340g. Average 1238g

Von Trapp litter 950-1220g. Average 1057g

10.5 weeks

REM litter 1130-1530g. Average 1368g

Von Trapp litter 1130g-1460g. Average 1268g if Liesl's weight is correct.

9 weeks old

...yesterday, but it was vaccination, vet check and weighing day today. There's so many of them, the vet has to block in a big chunk of appointments in order to get everything done!

Of course it's the coldest day of the winter so far isn't it? LOL we bundled up, or rather, I bundled up, and the kittens got a heating pad in each of their carriers and a blanket over the top to keep the heat in, and off we all went.They were all very good, despite being scared, and of course the needle wasn't very nice. But they all coped admirably.

Louisa still looks like a girl (lol)

Everybody's hearts all sound nice and healthy, lungs are all good, eyes are gunk free, teeth are lovely and so on and so forth, a lovely healthy bunch, in fact.

Freddie's leg, says the vet, 'gets straighter every time I see him'- bodies really are wonderful things aren't they? According to the vet, he's still actively healing as he grows, as when he was smaller the leg was much more at an angle than it is now. I'll have to try and get a photo and show you. It's all wonderful news and I'm so proud of him.

I'm expecting sleepy kittens for much of today, the jab really takes it out of them I've found, and they will have a nice bland chicken dinner later so as not to over tax their stomachs, not that I've known that to happen, but you never know. They will be back to normal tomorrow. Just as well, as Brigitta's, and Marta and Liesl's families are hoping to visit, snow permitting of course! We don't have any here yet...

Liesl
Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g
5 weeks 420g
6 weeks 586g
8 weeks 880g
9 weeks 1050g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g
5 weeks 449g
6 weeks 630g
8 weeks 950g
9 weeks 1180g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g
5 weeks 570g
6 weeks 740g
8 weeks 1020g
9 weeks 1220g

Louisa

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g
5 weeks 394g
6 weeks 530g
8 weeks 820g
9 weeks 960g

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g
5 weeks 497g
6 weeks 641g
8 weeks 890g
9 weeks 1070g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g
5 weeks 468g
6 weeks 603g
8 weeks 840g
9 weeks 970g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g
5 weeks 402g
6 weeks 516g
8 weeks 780g
9 weeks 950g


Comparison:

Birth

 

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

 

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks

REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

5 weeks

REM litter 539g-604g. Average 581g
Von Trapp litter 394g-570g. Average 457g.

6 weeks

REM litter 712g- 792g, Average 752g
Von Trapp litter  516g-740g, Average 606g

9 weeks

 

REM litter 1070-1340g. Average 1238g

Von Trapp litter 950-1220g. Average 1057g

8 Weeks Old

Chaos! In the past 24 hours the heating has broken down, the washing machine has broken down, and, today, Indigo is unwell- vomiting. Indigo is never sick. When she then vomited a bright red fluid I whisked her off to the vet pdq. Several injections and a nasty tasting medicine later, she's back home, and I must say, looking distinctly chirpier this evening so something has helped.

She's lost quite a lot of weight- pre pregnancy she was 4.3kg, and she was a little portly if I'm honest. Now she weighs 3.5 kg, which is underweight for her and a significant drop. I know she's had 7 babies to feed, and mama cats DO get thin, but that's a big drop in just a few months. She's also rather dehydrated. If she hadn't improved over the course of today she would have had to go back in and be put on a drip.

Poor Indigo! She had that funny thing where her third eyelid was showing, then she had the dreadful morning sickness, then on/off diarrhoea, then her ear, then more tummy issues, all one after the other.  Once the kittens have gone I'll have to build her up a little and then consider her breeding career- perhaps not breed her again or give her a longer break between litters or something. Or perhaps it's nothing to do with that at all and it's just one of those things... I don't know, but everything will be carefully considered.

Oh- the heating is fixed, by the way. But until it was, the kittens stayed nice and warm with blowy heaters placed inside a cage so they couldn't get TOO close to them, much like a toddler fire guard... worked well. I understand our gas is going to be off next week for the day, so they will keep us all toasty on that day too, especially if the snow in the north heads this way! Stay warm!


Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g
5 weeks 420g
6 weeks 586g
8 weeks 880g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g
5 weeks 449g
6 weeks 630g
8 weeks 950g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g
5 weeks 570g
6 weeks 740g
8 weeks 1020g

Louisa

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g
5 weeks 394g
6 weeks 530g
8 weeks 820g

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g
5 weeks 497g
6 weeks 641g
8 weeks 890g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g
5 weeks 468g
6 weeks 603g
8 weeks 840g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g
5 weeks 402g
6 weeks 516g
8 weeks 780g

Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks

REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

5 weeks

REM litter 539g-604g. Average 581g
Von Trapp litter 394g-570g. Average 457g.

6 weeks

REM litter 712g- 792g, Average 752g
Von Trapp litter  516g-740g, Average 606g

8 weeks

REM litter 962-1149g. Average 1063g
Von Trapp litter 780-883g. Average 883g

They Might Not All Fit

But they give it a jolly good go! What a striking looking bunch they are. Here we have Kurt, Brigitta, Liesl, Gretl and one of the greybies, not sure which from that angle.

I've realised I haven't weighed them this week. Oops! Sorry about that. This week has been manic what with one thing and another, and I just totally forgot. I'll probably wait till next week now, as weighing has become a total farce anyway, and after that I will have them weighed at 9, 10.5 and 12 weeks, at the vet. They have bigger scales, what can I say!!!

6 Weeks Old

(sorry about the colour- it was dark, the photo didn't come out and I had to tweak it. The colours are all wrong but you can at least see the kittens!)

As you can see from the weights this week, we've had a great improvement! Now that they are all well away on the solids they are piling on the grams, with no kitten gaining less than 100g over the course of the week and some gaining over 150g. They have three meals a day now, breakfast, dinner and tea, with kibble available 24 hours for snacks.   This will carry on until they leave, when you can drop it down to two wet food meals a day if you like, as long as biscuits are freely available. My cats get the wet food once a day and are entirely biscuit fed other than that, so it depends on what is going to suit your family.

Two meals are kitten food and one is chicken, but I shall be phasing out the chicken in a few weeks time- it's a great weaning food, but not terribly nutritious long term as it doesn't have the complete range of vitamins and minerals a cat needs. They do love it though!

and... *whispers*... toilet training is going much better! I thought they'd never get it, but they are now pretty reliable with poos and are no longer peeing on the cat tree since I put their food on there (that, incidentally, is quite a good trick- kittens do not want to eat in a lavatory so if they are going somewhere inappropriate, and you can't put a litter tray down there,  put their food dishes there instead) We're not 100%, but it's moving in the right direction, certainly. (Famous last words... this is where I find they've set up a toilet behind the sofa or somewhere...)


Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g
5 weeks 420g
6 weeks 586g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g
5 weeks 449g
6 weeks 630g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g
5 weeks 570g
6 weeks 740g

Louis

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g
5 weeks 394g
6 weeks 530g- Louis has discovered kitten food isn't poison after all...

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g
5 weeks 497g
6 weeks 641g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g
5 weeks 468g
6 weeks 603g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g
5 weeks 402g
6 weeks 516g- Gretl is also now eating. Mama Indie is relieved! I am also relieved.

Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks

REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

5 weeks

REM litter 539g-604g. Average 581g
Von Trapp litter 394g-570g. Average 457g.

6 weeks

REM litter 712g- 792g, Average 752g
Von Trapp litter  516g-740g, Average 606g

5 Weeks Old

Louisa and Liesl say hel.....

.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Five weeks old! Yesterday seemed to pass in a flurry of phone calls, and the first visitor comes tomorrow all being well, so we shall see.

For now, nerdy stats time!

Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g
5 weeks 420g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g
5 weeks 449g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g
5 weeks 570g- Kurt likes his solid food an awful lot!

Louisa

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g
5 weeks 394g- Louisa is refusing to eat solids at all. She prefers Mama!

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g
5 weeks 497g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g
5 weeks 468g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g
5 weeks 402g- And Gretl is too active to do anything as dull as eating...

Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks

REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

5 weeks

REM litter 539g-604g. Average 581g
Von Trapp litter 394g-570g. Average 457g.

4 Weeks Today!

Morning Marta honey!

Weight day today, and as you can see they are much much improved. Kurt discovered FOOD last night and 'put on' 30g overnight as a result, I suspect some of that is simply working its way through his digestion though! But you can see the gains are much much better than last week anyway.

This litter is never going to be as hefty as the last, but their growth seems to be following a similar pattern all the same. So I'm confident all is well- and anyway you just have to look at them to know that is so. And speaking of which, it's playtime, so I'm off to join in the fun :)

And now that they are 4 weeks, I suppose I'd better think about advertising them. *sigh*- I'd like to keep them all!

Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g
4 weeks 325g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g
4 weeks 349g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g
4 weeks 448g

Louisa

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g
4 weeks 334g

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g
4 weeks 374g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g
4 weeks 389g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g
4 weeks 342g

Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

4 weeks

REM litter 437g-524g. Average 466g
Von Trapp litter 325g-448g. Average 365g

3 Weeks Old!

Liesl, or at least I think it's Liesl, looking very smug!

And a third day  of amazing weight gain and the figures for this week don't look as terrible as I had anticipated- not at all. I mean they are far from brilliant, don't get me wrong... but y'know. I'm feeling positive about it all, it seems they have turned a corner.

Liesl

Birth 96g
1 week 172g
2 weeks 226g
3 weeks 250g

Friedrich


Birth 101g
1 week 187g
2 weeks 239g
3 weeks 271g

Kurt

Birth 102g
1 week 205g
2 weeks 280g
3 weeks 341g

Louisa

Birth 82g
1 week 157g
2 weeks 219g
3 weeks 260g

Brigitta

Birth 83g
1 week 179g
2 weeks 248g
3 weeks 301g

Marta

Birth 91g
1 week 178g
2 weeks 249g
3 weeks 311g

Gretl

Birth 81g
1 week 150g
2 weeks 220g
3 weeks 269g



Comparison:

Birth

REM litter 83g-103g. Average 92g

Von Trapp litter 81g-102g. Average 91g

1 week

REM litter 182g-217g Average 195g

Von Trapp litter 150g- 205g. Average 175g

2 weeks

REM litter 257g-294g, Average 272g
Von Trapp litter 220g- 280g, Average 240g

3 weeks

REM litter  338g-390g. Average 359g.
Von Trapp litter 250g- 341g. Average 286g.

Proper Cats

How I tear myself away from the nest when they look this cute I have no idea...  but you can see here from this picture of Kurt how much they now look like proper little cats and how quickly their colour is developing. Kurt's nose, tail and ears are really very dark indeed now, and his paws and face are darkening. Some of the kitties have darkening patches on their backs/ base of their tail as well.

The kittens are also starting to play fight, lick themselves and each other, pounce and otherwise behave in a very cat-like way. When you advance to the nest now, the babies all run forward in anticipation- they are learning that humans are friendly and trustworthy beings. They like to have their ears and chins rubbed, I've had a few purrs, and one even dozed off mid cuddle the other day. (Kurt- I'm getting a sneaking suspicion Kurt is another cuddlebug like Monty- Jonah- was...)

Its such a vital stage in their development, and easy to see how, managed wrongly, it could shape a cat's attitude towards people for life These babies are not quite three weeks, by four weeks a feral kitten is truly feral, a hissing spitting wildcat, although there's always the chance that feral rescues can relearn positive patterns of relating of course. No cat should ever be written off. Still, the window of opportunity here is short, they develop so fast, there's not much room for error.

Weights good again for the second day running... could it be that the past week was just a blip? Indigo has been eating like a horse. Long may it continue!

Sniff

Theo, getting to know the kittens. What an old softie he is.

Just a quickie today.

 Poor Indigo is really struggling to eat anything, I'm supplementing her with calcium and nutri-drops but yesterday she ate half a sachet of kitten food and a small bowl of chicken. Hardly enough to sustain herself, let alone seven hungry kittens. The kittens, predictably, have had truly appalling weight gains and indeed losses as a result, and I have resorted to the bottle. Nature knows best? Yeah, maybe, but I'm having no kitten going hungry on MY watch, sorry Mother N.

So I've been bottling. But will any of my kittens readily TAKE the bottle? Will they b******s!!!!! Do excuse my language, but the sheer frustration of it!

So I've been very, very busy trying to slot milk, squirt by tiny squirt, into seven wriggly, reluctant kittens. But even so, with two of them, I'll be delighted if they end the week the same weight as they started it. The others aren't so bad, but weight gains will be very very poor this week.

The thing is, the kittens... well they are absolutely bursting with vitality! They are all incredibly healthy, active, curious little beings now, and looking like proper cats as opposed to furry sausages. You advance the nest and they approach, squeaking, eager to be sociable. They really are a joy.... I just wish they were putting on weight.

And yes, I know exactly the same thing happened last year (to a lesser degree), and I know its a phase and I know it will pass, but I still don't like it!

Never mind. Inds comes off her antibiotic today, and I am hoping her appetite will come back with a vengeance.