Still Six
LeAnn posted this blog on Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
I am happy to report that the six kittens all seem to be doing well and that they are growing.
I, of course, am looking forward to them starting to eat some on their own, and using the litter box will be a big deal, too. They will be five weeks old on Wednesday.
One of the little tabby toms is quite the charmer. He crawls up the front of my shirt, gives me head bumps on the chin, and when I look down at him, rubs his nose against my nose. Then he curls up under my chin and purrs for all he is worth. He loves it when I cup my hand under him and hold him up by my face. He lays on his back and closes his eyes. I have to watch him, though, because he has started to make use of his front claws, and sometimes he swats at my face. Sometimes, too, though, he just puts his paws on my face and doesn’t dig in his tiny claws.
They are all starting to play quite a lot, too. After they have had their first round of formula and have gotten potties out of the way, they run around the living room to play with each other. At that point, I go out in the kitchen to do something, and from time to time I hear a squeal that means someone has bit down too hard on someone else.
Late last week, we moved them into one of the big dog kennel cages that we have in the basement. We brought the kennel up to the living room for them and keep it covered with a quilt when they are sleeping. I have noticed that Henry, Katerina and Dora, who turned three this fall, take turns laying on top of the kennel to keep an eye on the kittens while they are playing.
Last week, it dawned on me that the kittens might not be feeling too well. They did not feel like eating and they were cranky all of the time. One of the bigger black girl kittens spent all of her time huddled up against the bucket of warm water that I keep nearby with washcloths in it so I can clean the kittens’ bottoms. The poor little things had just experienced a change in diet, environment and routine. They also did not have their cat momma to take care of them anymore. I wasn’t surprised that they might be getting sick.
I got some amoxicillan from the vet clinic, and after a couple of days on “the pink stuff” their appetites improved and their energy returned. They don’t like the medicine and keep making awful faces when I give it to them, but they’re doing better and that’s the main thing.
Each feeding takes me between and hour and a half and two hours by the time they get all their play out of them and are ready to settle down. Sometimes, depending on how things work out, I feed them four times a day.
When I get a little extra time, I will post some more pictures of them.
As I like to say — so far, so good.
LeAnn R. Ralph
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