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.

Visitors

I like small children, but I couldn't eat a whole one...

Ugh! It's been a dull, hot, heavy, oppressive day today. I wish it would just storm and get it over with.

We had some small guests round earlier, boys of six and four and their almost one year old sister. Baby G was particularly taken with Indigo, crawling after her enthusiastically. Indigo wasn't so keen. She didn't seem to be able to reconcile her need to poke her nose into EVERYthing to her obvious wish to retreat to a dark cormer somewhere (of which she had plenty available). So she'd approach the baby to look at her, then back off in alarm when G laughed and moved towards her. Eventually she sat in a cardboard box on the dining table, ears and eyes poked over the top, snoopervising.

Theo socialised for about half an hour, before retiring to the bedroom, where the other two were, to snooze for the rest of the visit!

I still haven't decided what to do kitten wise this year. The teenager is all for more kittens, as soon as possible, naturally!

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...



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!



Hello!

We are here and ok, home again, some technology issues have meant I havent been able to post :) New post soon, I hope. Chat soon!

Missing Them

Well the kitchen is being done, and several small snags mean that I haven't been able to bring the cats home yet. Indigo and Theo are enjoying an extended stay in the cattery, whilst Ava and Sofia are at my mother's.

And I want to bring them all home again! But you know, all the drilling and noise and mess... they'd hate it, and it's much better for them to be having a holiday elsewhere. But I'll still be happier when they are home again!

Apparently Inds and Theo are fine. They have a very comfy pen with an inside bit with comfy beds and another inside bit but with more fresh air and a bench, lots of toys etc. They are allowed to stalk up the corridoors every day which they do with great delight and a small amount of hissing at the other cats in their pens on Indigo's part (who give as good as they get I am sure) and Theo just stalks around swishing his floofy tail.

At my mother's, Sofia has surprised me by scarcely coming out from under the bed! I've had to move all the litter, food and water upstairs because she's not come out. Ava, on the other hand, my nervous, scaredy Ava, is right at home. Funny cats.

Shouldn't be too much longer. But that's why there are no posts... there are no cats here to post ABOUT.