The Due Date

Is this big enough to have my babies in???

Last year I used this formula to work out roughly when Indigo was due: first observed (heard) mating + 9 weeks + 2 days. (or mating + 65 days, if you like). It was pretty successful, Inds delivered on her due date. So its bound to be completely out this year, of course *grin*

Anyway, this year the first heard mating was on Wednesday September the 28th, which makes her due date Friday December the 2nd.

Of course that's just a guide and it could be any time several days either side of that. Whatever, as long as mama and babies are safe and healthy. Other than that, I'm only hoping I don't have the flu this time!

Just A Quickie

*snigger* *ahem*

I recieved a text this morning. it read:

'Rampant mating all over the place'

'Nuff said, frankly!

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!

So, When's She Due?

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

There's many different ways of predicting a due date for cats. The one I'm using states that 65 days after the first observed mating is the day.

Now I don't know when Indigo first mated. However she and her beau were both spotted washing themselves, typical post mating behaviour, on the morning of Tuesday 5th October. So I'm taking that as the first mating day. It won't be much before that, as Indigo stayed hiding in her bed for the first little while and wasn't left with the stud.

So using that as a starting point, the kittens are due on Thursday 9th December. Hurrah!

Of course that's pure guesswork. The answer is that feline pregnancy, just like in humans, can vary depending on the cat, from 60 days to 69 of them... and that the kittens, like babies, will come when they are ready to. But it's nice to have a date to look forward to, and to be able to clear the calendar in readiness.

Progress

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

Theo came home yesterday evening after obligingly providing a good urine sample. It's got to go off to the lab, so I'm guessing it will be a while before any results come in. It's really rather clever, they have litter made of plastic balls, which don't absorb the wee, so it can be drained off to provide a sample. This can be done at home, but that's not very practical in a four cat household, so Theo spent the day at the vet.

Anyway, that's quite enough about cat widdle! The photo is of Theo on the day he came home to live with us. Wasn't he a cute little thing? Look at that little back foot! Theo was used to being in a home with lots of kittens and adult cats, and he came here to two adolescent females that were Not At All Amused at having a little brother all of a sudden... and he was a bit lonely at first, hence the dolphin to cuddle, and the fluffy bed to make it seem like he was still in a kitten pile.

I say my cats weren't amused... they weren't, but it wasn't as bad as all that, within a week they were all snuggling together happily. As introductions go it was pretty easy, Birmans are placid, easy going cats as a rule. Indigo on the other hand had to spend a good couple of weeks in the bathroom before being released into the rest of the house as she hissed up a storm at the sight of another cat. Prospective Tonk owners take note- Tonkinese are spirited animals, even as three month old kittens!

Speaking of Indigo, there's nothing exciting to report. She's not been observed mating, however, when the stud owner checked her yesterday, she and the stud were both washing themselves. This is typical post mating feline behaviour, so it could mean something had just happened. On the other hand, cats wash themselves a LOT anyway... it could mean nothing at all.

On the plus side though, it seems she's quite happy in her pen and with the stud for company, she's definitely not hiding in her bed and feeling miserable. Which relieves my mind no end.