Christmas with Kittens

Zelda climbing the Christmas Tree

 There was a rustling of branches and swinging ornaments.  Who should it be, but Zelda, the adventurous kitten climbing the Christmas Tree.  Quickly fetching her from the tangle of lights as she clung to the plastic pine needles, she was no sooner retrieved and brother, Link, was right behind her.   Look... what fun! 
Tarragon, the good kitty, watched them climb, knowing this was forbidden, having been ever so compliant to this point, but the temptation was too great.  Now 3 kittens in the tree.  There was no averting this mischievousness, so as much as I was enjoying my tree and hoping to leave it up until New Years, down it came, 2 days after Christmas. 

Tarragon, our unofficial Christmas package on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve Tarragon was no where to be found.  We searched the house high and low, calling his name.  We had even checked for rustling branches on the Christmas tree several times.  Silence, no bounding kitten. We were in a hurry, now running late for Christmas Eve Service and not wanting to leave him to his own devises while we were gone.  Finally spotted, among the gifts, perhaps making himself one of our gifts, our little boy, sound asleep.  We have not completed the paperwork, but before the New Year we hope to make his adoption official. 

Zelda and Tarragon

Look, something new.  Is it safe?  Can we play with it?  These two are like big brother and little sister.  Tarragon loves to make her squeal, then runs off and she chases him down looking for more rough and tumble play.  We keep a close eye on them with the size difference of more than 3 lbs.  He could do some damage to the little girl, but is so gentle, mostly pinning her down and licking her.

Zelda and Trash Tummy

Little Zelda almost 7 weeks old

Zelda, my plastic bag pooping kitten, made a trip to the Vet.  It was becoming clear that she was more than just a feisty girl, but was experiencing pain.  As anticipated, the x-rays could not confirm a blockage, but it did show lots and lots of gas in her intestines, which can result from a blockage.  An enema was ruled out and considered a non-useful treatment, and from here we will work with natural foods and methods to help her pass the rest of the trash in her system, as well as calm down her sore insides.

Diet for weening or troubled tummies.

All hard kitten food is being taken away and only wet foods will be feed 4 to 5 times a day.  Each feeding will consist of Approximately....a teaspoon of pumpkin, a teaspoon of whole milk live pro-biotic yogurt, a Tablespoon of cooked Cream of Rice and a Tablespoon of Beech-nut Baby Food Chicken.  Plus a few drops of fish oil will be added to one of the meals and the rest of the oil will be shared amongst other cats and kittens that day.  This diet should help calm her stomach and help move out the trash.  I will also give her some massages to ease out the gas.

Eventually I will need to add in some canned kitten food.  We have been through a few brands and will try yet another in one of the feedings to ensure she is getting all her nutrients.  Most cat food has only caused her further irritation and diarrhea.

This same diet combination is also very good for weening kittens.  Against popular belief, whole milk works for kittens and it can be used instead of water with the cereal.  Zelda's situation is different and I'm not using  milk with her at this time.

She's playful and eating, so her condition is not critical, but certainly warrants watching.

Plastic in the Poop

The two new fosters are doing well, putting on weight, eating, pooping, all the important stuff.  It took about 3 days for these feral ones to decide that people are ok.  The little boy is very fond on burying himself in your hair.  The little girl likes to nibble on ears, "ouch".  She is a typical torti, with lots of personality and a bit on the feisty side.

Link

The estimated Birthday for these two is Halloween 2012.  That would have made them 5 weeks when they arrived.  Having observed their behavior, watching their weight, the very sharp teeth that eat hard food with ease but still need canned food, and the 5 inch tail are my main indicators.

Zelda

Having spent the first part of their life outside, with little to eat, our little girl must have found a plastic bag that tasted good during her starvation mode.  The other night there was vomit with pieces of plastic, and the next morning her poop was stuck.  Being the designated "mommy cat" I help her out only to discover I was pulling 3 more inches of plastic bag from her behind.  We will keep a close eye on her to see if x-rays are needed, but the hard lump is now gone from her belly and she is behaving like a normal kitten of almost 6 weeks.

The Challenge of Undernourished Kittens

Have you guessed their age yet?  I have an idea, just checking to see if anyone has been learning from the posts.  These kittens are underweight and certainly are lacking in energy, but there are enough other clues.  I had one guess of 7 weeks....that's too old.  Look again at the ears and the tail length.

We need names

Knowing the age lets me know what they should eat, if they can use a litter box, what activity level to expect and a few other needs.  As undernourished feral kittens there are added challenges.   The litter box is a new concept, so one hit the target and the other used a nearby mat.  I definitely have a load of laundry to do today.   For some reason their system is full of poop, so there was black poop, formed normal poop and a couple of puddles of poop.  

 

Today I will focus on keeping them hydrated and warm.  Any food intake will be considered a success.   They desperately need baths, but for now a wet washcloth will have to do.  I'm concerned about them getting too cold and then sick with so little body mass.   So thin and weak, the little girl's meow is broken.  She tried to play with a foil ball and fell over.  Subcutaneous fluids may be needed.  I'll be discussing that with someone more knowledgeable than myself later today.

15 Weeks and an Adoption

Tarragon helping me with my blog.

Please be my friend.

Tarragon is the last of his litter still with me.  He adjusted pretty quickly to being alone by following me everywhere.  I've grown rather attached to the little fellow and we are testing out if he and my very old cat can co-exist.  There's been some hissing on the part of the old Lady, but nothing too serious.  Tarragon rolls over and tries to get close from a different angle.  This goes on for a bit and then he gives up and leaves her alone.  

His stats at 15 weeks are 4 lbs 12 oz, tail length 11.5 inches, very fluffy and eats from any available food dish.

Colby Jack and Pepper Jackie

Rosemary found her new home.  They have named her Pepper Jackie.  This loving home has another kitten that we fostered back in May of this year.  We had named the other kitten Patrick, but now he is Colby Jack.  The two are quickly becoming friends. 

Just in...can you guess their age?

DMH Torti Girl

DMH Black Boy

Taking in more kittens at Christmas wasn't really the plan, but somehow we will make time and room.  These two were found in someone's back yard, perhaps abandoned by mom or maybe something happened to her.  They are nothing but bone and fur, weighing 14.7 oz.  The torti is a girl.  Her ears are up and have started to thin.  The medium hair black kitten is a boy.  His ears are up but still have some thickness to them.  Both  have sharp teeth, tails 5 inches long, and the blue eye color is almost completely changed to a beautiful gold.


Anyone have a guess for their Birthday?  Wish I could give a prize to the closest estimate.

Kittens at 14 weeks, Grain Free Food

Tarragon, a moment of still.  14 weeks

Getting a photo of the two of them with the blue background is no longer possible, at least not by myself.  Getting any photo is quite the challenge, they are so busy and quick.  I went through the 40 plus photos and many were just a blur of a kitten in motion.  Others, no kitten at all.  By the time the camera clicked, the kitten was gone.

Tarragon, now 4.5 lbs, is a fluff ball of love.  He circles around my legs and until I pick him up.  He gets in his hugs and kisses and then is off to explore.  He's checking out that coffee cup, one sniff, a shake of the head and then peers at me in wonderment.. 

Rosemary, 14 weeks

Rosemary, not quite 4.5 lbs, is for the first time smaller than her brother.  She must work out all her energy and then she is ready to curl up on your chest, pawing and nuzzling.  It looks like she may have found a new home.  I'm waiting for a phone call this morning to confirm the adoption.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness, No Grain, has become my new food of choice.  It doesn't much matter what Rosemary eats, but Tarragon may have a food intolerance.  He was having some diarrhea and also reacting poorly to loud noises.  I will be curious to see how he does at PetSmart this weekend and if the new diet will reduce his stress levels while he is there.

Kittens at Week 12 and 13

One less kitten in the house.  Basil was adopted and her name was changed to Winter. 

12 weeks old, Rosemary and Tarragon

Tarragon and Rosemary have adjusted to their missing sibling and are more playful than ever each day that passes.  The biggest change in their appearance at this age is in the shape of their faces.  They are rounding out, making them even more adorable.

At 12 weeks they weighed 3.5 lbs and at 13 weeks they are almost 3 lbs 14 oz.  The tail length is 10 inches.
Other than brushing the kittens and cleaning their eyes, they need very little help with their grooming.  With two kittens, one grooms the other in tricky places like ears.

Rosemary 13 weeks

Both the kittens want lots of attention first thing in the morning or maybe they like my mug of hot coffee.  Curious about what I am drinking, Tarragon decided if I liked it, he might, too. He took one lick, ran away, shook his head and gave me a look like "how do you drink that vile stuff".  Rosemary didn't learn from her brother and tested it out for herself with a similar reaction.  The next morning, each put their nose in my mug, shook their heads in a way that said "why?", then settled in for some people time, only warming themselves by my mug.

whole white mouse verses shell of a mouse

Tarragon has a new favorite toy.  It was a rabbit fur mouse, but the inner plastic mouse is gone, leaving just the fur covering.   If you look close you can see the gray fur.  He is very possessive of this item, yet plays fetch with it.  For more than 30 minutes he brought me the toy, I threw it, he chased it, then brought it back again. It's a great way to wear out this very active little boy.

Tarragon 13 weeks

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! 

11 Weeks and One Adoption

11 Weeks, Tarragon, Basil and Rosemary

Eleven Weeks Old and lots of energy.   Something comes crashing down, phew, it didn't break, but definitely time to kitten proof  the house to 3 feet UP, the distance that can be leaped from the floor at this point.  As for their size, weight 2 lbs. 14 oz., tail 8 - 9 in., and ears, it is basically the same as 10 weeks.  Much less cooperative with picture taking, but here again so you can examine any changes.

Tarragon

Tarragon is having a tough time with going to Petsmart.  The sounds, the smells, we're not quite sure.  I was thinking he would be the first one adopted, but now, it may take awhile.  He is such a fun kitten with lots of personality and so sweet when he curls up in your lap for a nap.  But there, if you try to hold him, out come the claws as he clings on in terror. 

Waiting at Petsmart for a Forever Home

Basil and Rosemary are taking this adventure in stride, but thankful when their 5 hours are up and they can come back to a familiar environment.  


On Sunday Nov. 11, Basil found her forever home, a very nice family with children and another cat.  She will get lots of attention and love.  It's very comforting to meet the family, but also more emotional for me. 

10 weeks and First Adoption Day

10 weeks old, Basil, Tarragon and Rosemary

At 10 weeks old, all the kittens are big eaters and weigh in at 2 lbs 14 oz.  The tails vary in length from 8-9 inches, with the medium hair boy having the longest tail.  It took more than a dozen attempts to get the 3 kittens together.  They had other ideas of what they wanted to do, chase, climb, etc.

The girls have had their stitches removed after having their Spay surgery.  The vet we use has changed from using the self-dissolving stitches to standard stitches.  It means a second trip back to the vet somewhere between 10-14 days after surgery, but I think it is a better method.  It was not uncommon for my girls to have their incision area reopen to a gaping hole after 7 days.  That meant potential infections, extra healing time and delays in being adoption ready.

All healed and Halloween in our past, today is their first day to Petsmart.  I've been preparing myself for goodbye, not knowing if today will be the last day I will ever see these babies that have been a part of my life for over 8 weeks.  Hard to believe someone threw these beautiful little lives in a trashcan. 

Basil

 Basil is my little sweetheart.  With her easy going personality she will do well in a home with other pets and children.  She loves to play and then fall asleep in your arms.

Rosemary

Rosemary has lots of personality and is very affectionate.  She's one of those kitties that likes to wrap herself around your neck and have her face very close to your face. 

Sound asleep under my chin.

Tarragon is a fluffy lap kitten.  He is the instigator of playtime and games.  Meow, meow, meow as he calls his sisters to come chase him or discover a new toy.  Affectionate, social and just down right beautiful, he'll be a tough one to let go.

Tarrago

9 week old Kittens and Surgery

Rosemary, Tarragon, and Basil at 9 weeks old.

Here we are, 9 weeks old.  Weighing in at about 8.5 lbs and tail length is anywhere from 7 inches to 8.5 inches, these kittens now do all the things a big cat can do and more.  They clean themselves, use the litter box, and can eat dry or wet food.  Unlike your adult cat, you really have to double check for safety issues.  They can now jump and climb everywhere.  They can get on your kitchen table, into the trashcan, and chew through electrical chords.  They will try to eat houseplants, paper, or other small objects in their reach.  If you have ever lived with a 2 year old toddler, this is life for the next few months with a kitten, without the temper tantrums.  This is a good time to invest in a cat tree and interesting toys if you don't already have them. 

Spay stitches 2 days after surgery.

All the kittens have had their surgery.  Basil is showing off her stitches from her Spay.  This is 2 days later.  The doctor did a nice job.  She will get her stitches removed in 10 to 14 days and then she'll be ready for adoption.   Tarragon, who was neutered, is ready for adoption just a few days after surgery.  

Even though Tarragon is ready, it is just a few days before Halloween and too risky.  This holiday brings with it some who practice rituals of animal sacrifices, so we are extra careful and do not do adoptions during this time.  All three kittens will wait until Saturday, Nov. 3.  Anyone who wishes to consider adopting these kittens, or other Friends for Life kittens, can see them at the Petsmart in Mesa at Stapely and Baseline between 10am -3pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Kittens at 8 weeks old. Cats and collar dangers.

8 weeks Old

The kittens have reached the 8 week old mark.  If you have been raising a kitten, but wanting to know when to put the little one up for adoption, this is a good age.  The kittens could eat only dry food, but I still like to give a treat of the canned food at least once per day.  I find it keeps their coat soft and shiny.

They are weighing in at 2 lbs and 2 oz.  Most healthy kittens will be 2 lbs by 8 weeks old.  The tail length is between 7 - 8 inches long.  The ears are big, thin and open to the point that you can see the folds and tucks of the inner ear.

Snuggled in with my daughter and helper.

The kittens received their second set of vaccines, called a 5-in-1.  They were a little sleepy afterwards, but this time everyone ate as usual and by the next morning you would never have known anything had happened.  I do keep them in a smaller space for the night after vaccines, the bathroom, just in case someone ends up getting sick.  Typically the kittens are lethargic and not very hungry for 24 - 36 hours.  Holding or touching near the injection sight can also be sensitive for a day or two.

Surgery for Spay/Neuter is set for next week.  Some Vets are willing to do this procedure when they are 2 lbs.  For male kittens you must check that their testicles have dropped.  Sometimes that takes until 9 weeks.

The ADLA provides a list of a variety of low cost clinics where your pets receive this very important surgery.  The primary reason Shelters are inundated with kittens and puppies is from pet owners not taking on the responsibility of preventing unwanted pregnancies.
 
Because these kittens belong to an Animal Shelter, they also received their microchip.  Any Vet or another shelter that has a scanning device can wave that over their neck area and identify the kitten as belonging to Friends for Life.  Friends for Life can then check their records to determine who last adopted the animal.  There have been many cats' and dogs' lives that have been saved because of this little device.  You can also microchip your pets with your name and contact information.  It is much more reliable than a collar, especially on cats that often pull off and lose their collars.  I also find collars to be dangerous on cats.  They can choke and injure themselves with them.

Patience with a drainage tube and baby onesie after a collar injury.

Back in 2003, Patience came to us through the Shelter.  Her fur was so matted with mud and blood that we didn't realize she was a long haired cat for at least 3 days.  She was found in a field with a terrible wound under her arm and along her neck.  Her one paw had gotten caught in her collar.  She was lost and debilitated, unable to hunt for food or protect herself.   We don't know how long she was like that, but she was very thin by the time she was rescued.  She was put on medications, and had a drainage tube placed in the wound to aid the healing of the infection.  That's an infant onesie she is wearing to keep her from licking or chewing the infected area.  She had a full recovery and found a wonderful home a few months later.

Kittens at 7 Weeks Old. Eyes and Claws

They posed as if they knew it was picture day.   7 weeks old.

The role of mama cat is substantially changing now that the kittens have reached the 7 week mark.  They did need their nails clipped and another bath.  But litter box use is consistent. You will also catch them grooming each other.  They clean each others ears, lick off any remaining food on each others faces and generally help each other in those difficult to reach places.  It's very cute to watch.

They are eating more of the dry kibble and I only feed them some canned food twice a day.  If I have a day that I need to be gone for 8 hours, there's no need to worry about them going hungry.  Although, socialization is very important at this age and they need human interaction throughout the day, so I limit long days away or arrange for someone to come by and play with them when I'm gone.

Look at those ears!  Especially the gray girls. See how they are disproportionately large for their head.  I have reason to believe the black one is gestationally a few days younger than the girls and his will have that appearance later in the week.  They are weighing in at about 1 lb. 13 oz.   Their tails are 7 inches long.

These three love to cuddle.  When you rub them behind the neck just right, they go simply limp in your hands.  As sweet and snugly as they are, it's good to be cautious when they are near your face.  Eyelashes can be a great fascination to little ones.

Iris

Back in 2004 and my more novice years, we had a little tortie who would get really close.  She thought those eyelashes were a great toy, tried to catch them and scratched my cornea from top to bottom across the iris of my eye.  That was a painful experience, with a trip to urgent care, where they put me on oral and eye drop antibiotics along with updating my tetanus shot.  We named that little girl Iris.  When adoption time came, a woman saw her name on the internet page.  She had another tortie, one month older, and her name was Tulip.  Seeing that, she knew this was her kitten....

Iris and Tulip, adopted sisters for life.

6 Week Old Kittens

6 weeks old, Rosemary, Tarragon and Basil

Once more, here is a photo of the same kittens with the same blue background.  I'm hoping it is useful in showing the changes that happen at the various weeks of growth.

These kittens have lost there blue eyes and are acquiring their adult color.  Some kittens keep their blue eyes as long as 8 weeks before changing.  If your kitten keeps its blue eyes past 3 months, there is a possibility that the kitten is also deaf, but Not necessarily deaf.

These kittens are healthy and growing within the range of Average.  They weigh just around 1.5 pounds.  The tail length is 6 inches. The ears are open and thinning and look proportional to the head size.  This will change.

These kittens were chewing and puncturing the nipple on the bottle, so for safety reasons I no longer provide a bottle.  But, they still get a milk replacer in the same dish with their wet food.  They are also snacking on dry kitten food through the day.

They are very curious, active and playful.  It was quite the challenge to get all three of them in one photo and I needed the assistance of a friend to accomplish the task. On the flip side, they also really enjoy snuggling up with people and taking a nap under your chin, in your arms and on your lap.

Completely grooming on their own is still a challenge.  A warm wet washcloth and a soft brush mostly do the trick, but they still needed a full bath.

Sweet Tarragon helping me study.

I've become quite attached to Tarragon, dare I say, he is my favorite.  There will be some tears shed when he goes to his forever home.  I trust the adoption consultants at Friends for Life that have the job of screening potential families and finding the very best homes possible.  I cannot thank them enough for making those difficult decisions.

5 Weeks Old - Vaccines

Basil, Tarragon and Rosemary at 5 Weeks old

At five weeks old, the ears are up, thinned and pink.   Only the medium hair kitten has a little thickness around the edge of his ears.  The tail is 5 inches long.  They weigh in at about 1 lb 5 oz.  Solid food is given 2-3 times a day, still in a mush form.  I have found a mix of cream of rice, canned kitten food and milk replacer works well.  Since these kittens started on a bottle so young, they come to me looking for one in-between meals and sometimes after a meal, and of course I oblige.  Litter box use is improving, but the other day I changed brands of litter and Tarragon wasn't happy about that and decided to use a towel in his proximity, instead.  Still so young, they need help cleaning themselves.  A warm damp washcloth is the perfect replacement for mom cat's rough tongue.  Usually there is some food dried on around the mouth, on top of their head and various other places.  Also, the dust from the litter coats their fur and a quick overall wipe down and a soft brushing keeps them clean and soft.  When that isn't sufficient, then I get some help to clip their nails and give them another full bath.

Testing and Vaccines
 

Considered big enough to see the veins, the kittens went to the clinic and had their blood drawn.  Basil is watching her results, phew, FIV/FeLV is negative.  This feline virus is considered highly contagious to other cats, and usually results in a slow death as the immune system fails them.  But these kittens are healthy and will get their first set of vaccines to protect against this illness as well as a few others that are life threatening.

Rosemary the evening after vaccines.

What a big day, a drive in the car, poked and stuck, this little girl is having a rough night.  She needed a little extra loving.  Her siblings had snuggled up to each other and were fast asleep, but she couldn't get comfortable.  Usually the vaccines will cause the kittens to be tired, have some aches, and also a loss of appetite for 24 to 36 hours.  If it is longer than that, if there is vomiting or other unusual behaviors, they should be seen by a vet right away.

4 weeks old

4 weeks old.  Basil, Tarragon and Rosemary

The kittens are 4 weeks old and active.  They run and climb, wrestle with each other and play with their toys.  Getting a picture of all 3 at the same time is a challenge.  Weighing in at about 1 pound they are ready to try a little solid food once a day, to start, but still giving them a bottle for the other feedings.  Once they are chewing on the bottle, more than sucking, that's my clue that they are finished needing it anymore.  Also, if they are chewing on the nipple, soon it will break off and then they can accidentally swallow the nipple.  Then you wait and watch for it to come out the other end, or take them to the vet....not fun.

Starting on solids.

There are many ways to start the kittens on solids, but most agree that it needs to be a mush of food mixed with the milk replacer.  If they don't take to the food right away, I put a little directly in their mouth.  They usually give a funny face and contemplate this new texture.  Either they will want more, and are ready for solids, or they will reject it and I try again the next day.  It took Basil 3 days to decide she liked solid food.  Now she is fully into it, feet and all.

Kitten gets a Bath

     Basil is 4 weeks old.  She and her siblings are still too young to really keep themselves clean.  Every day they get a quick cleaning with a warm wash cloth, but after a week it is time for a real bath.
     I like to work in a small room free of drafts.  In this video I am in the laundry room using two small clean buckets in the utility sink.  I ran the dryer for 10 minutes and warmed their towels, with the added benefit of warming the room and the drying surface.
     Several hand towels are ready in a pile and close by.  There are a few small wash clothes.  And I have one bath towel.  One bucket has been filled with warm water and a small amount of kitten shampoo.  The other bucket has warm clean water for rinsing off the shampoo.  Wearing a  long sleeved shirt is a must.  I prefer denim.
     Also, before beginning the bath I prepare their drying area.  Usually it is their bed, which has a cover, and  clean warm towels.  If you choose to also use a heating pad, be careful that only part of the drying/sleeping area is being heated and the kitten should be able to easily move away from it.  
     When bathing the kitten, keep the head out of the water.  Check the water temperature that it is Warm, not hot. 
     Basil is very well behaved.  You may have a different experience with lots of meows and climbing that result in small flesh wounds to your hands.

Kittens at 3 weeks old

3 weeks old.  Basil, Rosemary and Tarragon

It's been a full week since these 3 kittens that were rescued from a trashcan came home with me.  It took four baths to finally get rid of the rotten food, bottom of the trashcan smell that hung with them and was coming out of them.
They are eating and growing right on schedule.
At two weeks old, they weighed in at the 10 oz.  range.  Their diet is only a milk supplement through a kitten size bottle.  If they consume One Tablespoon from the bottle, they have done well.  The feeding schedule at that age is every 2-3 hours. It generally takes 1 hour to complete the process of feeding, helping them go to the bathroom, cleaning them and handling them.  They produced at least one load of laundry every day.  It is very much like having a newborn baby in the house.
Now that they are 3 weeks old, they weighed in at the 12 oz range.  Their diet is still only a milk supplement with a bottle and the feeding schedule is every 3-4 hours. They consume about 1.5 Tablespoons per feeding. It generally takes just under 30 minutes to complete the process of feeding, cleaning and handling.   Sometimes they go to the bathroom on their own.  Occasionally they do their business in the small litter box available to them.  When staggering in for the 2 AM feeding I try to look close at what surprises may be awaiting me, but the other night I felt it under my foot before I saw it...yuck.
As you look and compare the pictures from this post and the earlier post, you can see that their ears are more upright, but still small.  Their legs are stronger.  And their eyes are still blue, but an iris is more distinguishable.

Tarragon at 3 weeks old.  Weighs 12.4 oz.

One of the big differences this week is that they are really playing.  They wrestle with each other and they play with small toys.  They really like to be held and reward you with loud purrs.  They have yet to be tested for any feline illnesses, that will be next week.  But there are no signs of any obvious illness, fleas, skin conditions, ear mites or the like.  I would consider them happy healthy kittens at this time.
So sleep deprivation is fully in effect, hope this post makes some sense.  One more week I should be able to have a 5 hour stretch of sleep.  I wonder if I will know what to do with all that energy.

Eat, Sleep and Poop

Basil at 2 weeks old.  She is very happy in her child tent home.

Exhaustion has truly set in, but only another week or so to go and I will get more than 3 hours of sleep at a time.  It brings back the days of having a newborn, and reminds me that I can be finished with that phase of my life.  Thankfully my sleep deprivation will only last a couple of weeks, not months on end.  In the mean time, I sleep as often as I can when the babies are sleeping....sound familiar.  The rest of my focus is on the next feeding and who has pooped.  Yes, this is huge.  A kitten that doesn't poop will get very very sick.  Basil, the one pictured here, is doing great in that department.  But, Tarragon and Rosemary are having some troubles.  Adding pumpkin, a pro-biotic and olive oil to the milk re-placer usually helps.  A warm cloth and gentle tummy massages are also useful.  Hoping for the best, we need a good poop today.  The last one was on Saturday and it is Monday morning.

This is the kittens' home, inside a child tent.  For now each has their own crate for sleeping.  The separation was necessary to stop them from helping each other go to the bathroom. Each crate is lined with lambs wool, and a towel.  There is a heating pad set on low at the back end of the crates.  It is important for the kittens' health and digestion to stay warm.  It is also important that they can move away from the heat, so the front end of the crate has extra air circulation and no heating pad near it.

This little tent has housed many a kittens and is not long for use.  I'm on the look out for another used child tent or 2 man tent.  Small tears are not a problem, but when the zipper goes it will be less useful to me.

12 days old - Rescued from a Trash Can

Somebody threw these little ones in the trash can.  We are not certain how long they were there, in the heat, in the garbage.  When they were rescued they reeked of urine and, well, rotten food.  They have had three baths in the last 24 hours and still they smell.  I think the smell is coming from inside.  To survive, perhaps they were consuming each others urine and feces causing havoc on their digestive system.  They have not yet fully realized they don't need to do this anymore, so for awhile they will be close together, but separated into different cat carriers.  Hoping and praying this stops the nasty habit.
At 12 days old they need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom, so for a few more days, access to a litter box isn't needed.  They took to a bottle right away.  That sure makes feedings go much quicker than with a dropper.  Last night they ate at 11pm, 2am, 5am, 8am and it will continuing around the clock like this for the next week.  Each feeding session takes an hour at this point.  There is eating, cleaning or bath, stimulating, and changing the bedding, along with a little snuggle time.  They wear out quick, and go right back to sleep.  Now, if only I could go right back to sleep.
We are thinking of names.  The black and white one is a boy.  The gray ones are girls. 

What to do with my rescued Kittens. Part 1 - Age of the Kittens

     Finding the little kittens, lost or abandoned, is the easy part.  Your heart goes out to these helpless lives, you bring them home, and now what?
     The first step is to put the kittens in a quiet safe place away from young children and other pets. This is for the safety and stress of all involved. This is an important step even if you are only planning to take care of the kittens for a few hours until you can find someone to help.   I have found that a clean bathroom without cords, trash or cleaning supplies around works best.
     The second step is to determine the approximate age of your kittens.  Once you estimated the age you will know what to feed your kittens and how much care your kittens will need.

Notice in the picture some features of the kittens.(Duchess, Princess, Aries, Orion and Gemini)  These kittens are 14 days and 9 days old. The ears are tiny, they feel thick and may look to be out to the side of their head.  You cannot easily see in the ear canal.  If you were to put your finger in their mouth you would find only a couple of budding teeth or none at all.  The eyes are small and very blue.  The tails measure about 2 or 3 inches long.  These are very young kittens and will need around the clock bottle feedings of a milk supplement every 2-3 hours.  Yes, that's through the night, too.  They also will not be able to eliminate urine or poop on their own.  You will have to help by using a soft damp cloth or a cotton ball and gently rub their behind and genitals before and after each feeding. 

     At three weeks old the feedings can spread out to every 3-4 hours of a milk supplement.  A bottle is best, but sometimes a dropper or learning to lap from a saucer is necessary.  The ears get a little bigger but still feel thick.  Watch your fingers since there will be a number of sharp teeth in those mouths. Use of a litter box begins but sometimes they still need help.  It is not uncommon to find a convenient corner of the room used as a potty. Consider this possibility when deciding where you will keep your kittens.  

     By four to five weeks old they will begin eating solid foods, either softened dry kitten food or canned kitten food along with a milk supplement.   They will need to eat every 4-6 hours.  Use of a litter box will become more consistent.  

     This black kitten (Jones) is 5 weeks old.

You can see that the ears are open and pink.  The edges of the ears have a soft thickness.  The tail is about 4 inches long.  The eyes may be blue or will begin changing to the adult color, usually green or yellow.  There are lots of teeth in that mouth.  Also, the claws may be long and sharp like needles.  A healthy kitten at 5 weeks old will be just over One Pound.

This white kitten (Trixie) is 8 weeks old.  You can see her upright large open ears that are a healthy pink.  Her eye color is no longer blue.  Her tail, if you could see it, is 6 inches long. A healthy kitten at this age will be about 2 lbs.  Unless the kitten is sick, you can sleep at night, making sure there is dry food and water available at all times.  A feeding of canned food once a day will help keep the coat shiny and soft.

Knowing the age of your kittens will let you know how frequently and what they need to eat.  If you take in a kitten under 5 weeks old or that is sick you will need to be ready for a couple of weeks of disrupted sleep. You also need a safe place for them to live.  Other factors to consider are if you will be keeping the kitten or finding it a different home when it is old enough at 8 weeks and healthy.  There are costs to consider for food, litter and vet visits.  Kittens become very active by 5 to 6 weeks old and will need safe places to climb and play.

     Finding a local shelter to help with the rescued kittens is another option.  http://www.azfriends.org/azfriends2/home/Portals/0/services%20brochure%20revised%20apr2012.pdf  This link has a list of no-kill shelters in Arizona to consider.  When you contact a shelter it is very helpful if you can give them an approximate age so they can determine what foster homes are available for the varying levels of care needed.

Thank you for caring about these little wonders and doing what you can to find them a safe and loving home.