Guest Hosts

Over the next few weeks, you'll be seeing a lot of new feet. Human feet. The kittens will have visitors, lots and lots of visitors. These are not adoption visits but socialization visits.

A few days ago, my family stopped by to meet the kittens. The kittens were not enthusiastic about meeting new people. They scattered and hid under the treadmill. 

Although the smallest of the bunch, Shortie was the bravest. After an initial scamper away, she quickly returned. While she wasn't too interactive with my sister, her husband, my nephew, and my father, she wasn't afraid, either. She amused herself, playing with toys. 

After a bit, some kittens ventured out but did not stay out for long. Double Stuff found himself out in the open, darting about, trying to find a place to hide. The longer he searched, the more panicked he became. He soon decided he could escape the room, even though the door was shut. He spotted the gap under the door. He made a beeline towards the door, ramming his head under the door, trying to slither out to the other side. But his head is bigger than he expected. And the gap isn't as wide as he gauged. He quickly became stuck. And then the panic REALLY set in. With his head wedged under the door, he began screaming and his panic manifested in hissing. Nadya thought another cat was attacking him from the other side of the door and flew into super protective momma mode. She launched herself at the door, puffed up and hissing herself, trying to attack whatever was on the other side. Double Stuff's hysteria intensified. My sister ran over and tried to pull him out but since he didn't know her, he was terrified even more. I intervened and tried pulling him out but he was firmly wedged under the door. I had to open the door to free his head.

One bright thing that came out of this scary incident - all of the kittens came out of hiding (many were all puffed up) due to the commotion. They were gawkers on the scene.  

So.... because we can't have Double Stuff ramming his head under a door every time a stranger comes into the room, I have arranged people playdates for the kittens. There will be new people coming over a couple of times a week to sit with the kittens, play with the kittens, and just be a person. 

On Monday (6/23), the kittens met the wonderful Peggy, who is also a foster caregiver for Feline Rescue. She came bearing treats. As I walked into the room, all of the kittens ran to greet me. But when they saw Peggy behind me a second later, they all scattered, hiding under the treadmill again. Shortie stayed. She wasn't afraid! She's a tough and brave little girl. 

Nadya was incredibly friendly. She purred and rubbed all over Peggy. She was also quite interested in the treats. Moments later, Stroopy came out of hiding. He was afraid and kept darting for cover but the allure of treats resonated with him. Biscoff was the next to venture out. Both kept fighting their fear, pulling their braveness up by the bootstraps. They'd sit out in the open for a second, shyly duck back behind something, come out a second later, nervously take a few steps forward, until they reached the point where they could be comfortable being visible as long as Peggy didn't make any sudden movements or, heaven forbid, try to touch them. 

Zotz watched from afar. She came out from under the treadmill, walked to the back of it (the furthest point away), and peered out at us. We could only see her eyes and her ears. Zagnut crawled out from under the treadmill a few times but ducked back under after a moment or two. He forgot to tuck his giant paws under so we could see them sticking out. Double Stuff knows his name so when I would call out to him, he'd peek out. 

After about a half hour, Nadya walked over to the treadmill and chattered at the kittens underneath, as if scolding them. They all came out of hiding. Momma told them to come out so they did! But none wanted to approach Peggy. Double Stuff clung to his momma, hugging her and begging for licks of comfort. 

I got out a wand toy. That did the trick. Biscoff wanted to show his new best friend all of his graceful moves. Zagnut just wanted to steal the toy. Even Fudgie, who hates me, came over to play with the wand toy. 

Interestingly enough, Zotz, who was the first to do everything and is incredibly adventurous, was one of the last to fully approach Peggy. Double Stuff kept needing his momma to reinforce his courage. He would dart back to her, get his head licked, and then he would venture a couple steps further. 

After the hour long session, Peggy was able to see, interact, AND touch all seven kittens. She even held Fudgie. Biscoff draped himself over her feet, keeping close to his favorite toy and the woman with treats. 

The next visitor is scheduled for Wednesday (6/25), a little after 5:00pm Minnesota time. I'm hoping that with each new visitor, the time it takes for them to come out of hiding is shorter to the point where they don't even hide. There is hope. 

In other news, the kittens will be three months old on 7/2. This is a momentous date because in the Feline Rescue world, this marks the spay/neuter age (with the caveat that they are three pounds; this is also the time when they're FIV tested). And once they're spayed/neutered, they can be adopted. Two of the kittens (Fudgie and Shortie) are not three pounds yet. They're just a tish over two and a half pounds now. Since kittens typically gain about 4 ounces a week, this means neither will be three pounds by next week. I had tentatively scheduled their spay/neuter surgery for 7/7 knowing that the smaller kittens wouldn't be ready on their actual 3 month birthday, however, it looks as though it will need to be pushed out until at least 7/9. 

Every day with the kittens brings something new. They're learning. They're growing. 

Ch-Ch-Changes

Part of the job of a foster caregiver is to prepare the kittens for, well, life in general. This means everyday household occurrences and noises - like the dishwasher, cooking dinner, dogs barking, the vacuum cleaner, climbing stairs. The kittens' room is like a fortress. It's in the basement (you may have noticed the cinder block walls), tucked far away from the hustle and bustle that goes on upstairs. While this was perfect for Nadya when she was pregnant and then later when she was a new momma to minimize stressful impacts, it is now a little too perfect. You may have heard the music in the background of the kittens' room and wondered if the kittens were having a rave. No, the music is for educational purposes. A few weeks ago, as I was sitting in the kittens' room, my stomach growled. The kittens freaked out and flew into hiding. A few days later when the same thing happened and was met by the same response, I realized that the kittens were overprotected. Tucked in the basement, away from every day noises, their room was a little too quiet, a little too serene. Instead of creating kittens who were at peace, the opposite had occurred. These guys were neurotic over the slightest noise.

I brought out the iPod containing a playlist of soothing, tranquil selections (Muzak style songs, lullabies, and classical), used ages ago for my own cat who was afraid of thunderstorms (but is now fine). The first time I turned on the stereo, the kittens scattered, which definitely reinforced my point. After a week, I added more peppy songs, mixing them into the more serene selection. The volume also varies. Sometimes it's quite soft; sometimes it's rather loud. The unexpected volume changes help mimic every day life.

Once the kittens seemed unfazed by the music, I decided to add TV noises - car chases, gun fire, dogs barking, doorbells. For an hour a day, they get TV time. If you're wondering what they're watching that would give them scary noises consistently, it would be old episodes of the TV series Charmed (starring Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Alyssa Milano). The kittens seem to be over their fear of noises. My tummy can growl all it wants now. :-)

In other news, Double Stuff is no longer afraid of climbing down from the top of the cat tower!! Finally! He spent a good 10 minutes climbing up, climbing down, climbing up, climbing down with reckless abandonment one evening (and almost falling off in the process as he got cocky).

Finally, all seven kittens have had their first distemper shot. The five "cookie" kittens (Biscoff, Stroopy, Double Stuff, Fudge Stripe, and Shortbread) received their first one on Friday (6/13). All did very well and didn't even make a peep! Shortbread, who is the littlest, delayed the date of the shot as she was not quite two pounds when the kittens turned eight weeks old (Feline Rescue requires that the kittens be 2 pounds and 8 weeks old). The other kittens thanked her. Their spay/neuter surgery will also most likely be delayed, too, due to weight issues. If projection holds true, neither Fudge Stripe nor Shortbread will be the required three pounds at 12 weeks old (which is 7/2).

I have more exercises planned for the kittens. They still need to be introduced to the vacuum cleaner. They need to experience climbing stairs. They need to be in a kitchen during dinner preparation. They need to be in the living room as members of the household scurry about doing every day things. They also need to meet my cats... Nadya is still in protective momma cat mode so I'll have to arrange a meeting that does not include Nadya. One of my cats is the official foster socializer. Howard the cat is a wonderful surrogate poppa. He is incredibly patient with kittens (I usually get orphans) and loves to bathe with them. He's excellent at teaching a kitten how to play.

In a few short weeks, the kittens will be ready for adoption. I have just a little time left to teach them everything they're supposed to know before they leave me. I hope they all graduate from kittening school!

Nine Weeks of Furry Spunk

The cookie kittens turned nine weeks old on 6/11 (and the candy kids are 10 weeks old). Hard to believe how quickly they went from helpless to waddling to bouncing off the walls.

Most of the kittens are right on track with their weight (which means they're at least two pounds). Shortbread is about 6 days behind in weight. Although that seems sad, it's actually not so bad since a few weeks ago, she was two weeks behind in weight. She's catching up! Fudge Stripe and Shortbread toggle who is the smallest. Currently, Shortbread is the tiniest.

The kittens should be receiving their first distemper shot (the horror!) on 6/13. The candy kittens received their first shot already (since they're a week older) and both took it really well.

Double Stuff had a very scary incident last Friday. He was frightened by a loud noise while he was lounging on top of a six foot high cat tower. In a panic, he jumped straight down. While that's a scary action all in itself, it was compounded when his head slammed into the metal leg of the futon couch. He then spent 10 minutes wobbling all over the room, not wanting to put weight on his back legs (and actually wheel-barrowed around on his front two legs). This occurred around 7:15pm Friday. Since the vet's office closes at 8pm (and there's a 20 minute drive), I didn't wait to assess if he were merely stunned or was actually injured. I packed him into a carrier and took him to the vet. He was fine. Physically fine. Mentally, he was one upset kitten. He was very vocal about his displeasure over the car ride. As soon as he returned home, Nadya licked him all over and gave him a private nursing session. He glared up at me as he nursed feverishly. The residual effects of his fall - Double Stuff is now terrified to climb down from the cat tower. This fear does NOT keep him from climbing to the top of the tower. Every day when I come home, I find him stuck on the top, screaming at me to help him down. I've tried showing him how to get down. I've tried just letting him sit up there and scream. The other kittens have all tried to show him how to get down, too. He refuses to listen to logic and insists that I help him.

Their little personalities continue to develop.

Zotz absolutely loves attention and is incredibly friendly. She's the first to greet me as I walk into their room. She loves to crawl all over me as I sit on the floor. She's my pal.

Shortie, although the smallest of the bunch, has one of the sweetest personalities. She's so smart, too! When she wants me to play with her, she taps a toy and looks at me. If I'm not paying attention, she runs over to me, taps my leg, and then runs back to her toy and taps her toy. She's incredibly gentle. Her claws are always in when she accidentally hits me instead of the toy I'm waving at her. She's also one curious kitten and is very interested in waste management. As I clean the litter boxes, she crawls into the bag, investigating where the poop goes...

Biscoff is one of largest kittens and is the most easy going of the bunch. He lets me do pretty much anything, including holding him in the crook of my arm, cradling him like a baby. He loves belly rubs... or at least puts up with them.

Zagnut is a quiet, gentle giant. He is the largest of the kittens. Typically, kittens gain 4 ounces a week and total 3 pounds at 12 weeks. Zagnut reached 3 pounds at 9 weeks old. I'm still working with him about human interaction. It seems he greets me at the door every OTHER day. He likes me. He's just a little unassuming. His favorite game is blanket monster (I'm teaching 'em young!). He loves to have a baby blanket thrown over him and when he sneaks a paw out from under the blanket, he almost giggles when I touch it.

Stroopy is a rascal. He is the biggest of Nadya's kittens. He can be a bit of a bully as he plays a little too aggressively with some of the kittens. Of course, he has a good heart and likes to curl up with his siblings, too. He loves to be petted and puts up with belly rubs.

Double Stuff is the trouble maker. He loves to get into things. He's also the talker. The other kittens are fairly quiet, rarely meowing. Double Stuff is constantly talking, even in the potty. He is also a deep purrer. Loves belly rubs and will actually flop down at my feet for belly rubs.

Fudgie. Sigh. Fudgie. She's a sweet girl. Unfortunately, she absolutely hates me. It breaks my heart. She's starting to come around, though. She doesn't run away from me... as much. She WILL walk past me if I'm sitting on the floor now (she used to take the biggest circle possible to avoid coming anywhere near me - and sometimes, she just wouldn't even go around me. She'd stay on her side of the room). I think she's still holding a grudge to humans in general, with me at the top of her list, after her butt abscess draining (her bottom was poked with a giant needle to drain a nasty infection). Although I didn't do it (a vet did), she still holds me responsible for the incident (and not her mother Nadya who gave her the abscess). She does love to play with her siblings. I'm trying to work with her.

And Nadya. Sweet Nadya.  Always greets me at the door. She loves, loves, loves to lick her kittens. When one runs by her, she grabs it and bathes it. She loves to play with me. She prefers to hang back when I'm playing with the kittens, though. She herself occasionally plays with a kitten. Shortie loves to wrestle with her momma.

Nadya continues to have bouts here and there of fevers. She was fine for a good three weeks without incident. She spent a couple of hours alone when the kittens were 7 weeks old. They went to the vet for their wellness checkup. A few hours after they returned, her temp shot up, caused by the stress of her missing kittens. She was placed on antibiotics and sub-Q fluids for a week. A day after that, her temp shot up again and she went back on antibiotics and sub-Q fluids for another week. She's just finished that round. Fingers crossed that she stays healthy!

Typically, Feline Rescue posts kittens for pre-adoption when they reach 2 months old (but doesn't adopt out until 3 months old, after they've been spayed/neutered and FeLV/FIV tested). Because there's a slight chance that these kittens might have FIV, we have to wait to post the kittens for adoption until after they've been tested. They most likely will be just fine - FIV negative. Given their momma's history, we have to be careful. With a typical litter, I'd be entertaining people who were interested in meeting the kittens. I'd know now if my babies were going to be adopted. These kittens have about 4 weeks to go before they can meet potential adopters. It's bittersweet. It's sweet because I have more time with these kittens; it's bitter because these kittens, unfortunately, can't do what other kittens get to do.

As mentioned, the kittens get their first distemper shot tomorrow (6/13). Think about them about 4:30 Central (Minnesota) time because that's when the needles come out. Poor babies. I think I'm more nervous then they are!!

Getting Older (and Cuter)!

Zotz

 The candy kittens (Zotz and Zagnut) are seven weeks old today (5/20) while their cookie "siblings" turn six weeks old on Wednesday (5/21).

Zagnut

Stroopy eating in the middle of the plate!

Biscoff the lap cat

The kittens continue to grow and are constantly learning new things. Shortbread and Fudge Stripe are the smallest (Fudgie is a smidge lighter than her sister). They have finally cracked the pound mark. They are behind in weight but that's nothing to worry about. One kitten has to be the smallest. They are both gaining weight every day and as long as that continues, there's no cause for alarm. Zagnut is the largest at 32 ounces, a full week ahead of where he should be. He's a mighty two pounder whose feet are an inch and a half wide. They are unbelievably - and comically - big. Biscoff, Stroopy, and Zotz are pretty much tied around 25 ounces. Biscoff and Stroopy are slightly heavier than target (24 ounces) but considering they're medium hairs, perhaps that extra ounce is all fluff. :-) Zotz is behind. She should be 28 ounces. Again, since she continues to gain weight, there's nothing to worry about. Double Stuff is constantly doing his own thing and his weight is right smack dab in the middle of everyone else's. He's a little underweight at 22 ounces (since he should be 24). Most of the kittens are still trying to play catch-up from all of Nadya's illnesses.

All of the kittens are eating canned food now - and even a few have ventured into eating dry food. They still nurse from time to time. When they'll stop is determined by a combination of desire and accommodation. If they still want to and Nadya still allows them to, they will continue to nurse. Some momma cats shut their kittens off around seven weeks; some momma cats have been known to nurse well into five or six months...

The kittens all use the litter box. Nadya has stopped cleaning the litter box, removing its contents... (thank goodness!)

The kittens have learned how comfortable cat beds are, even when it's a small bed piled high with siblings. They now have several beds in their room.

They also have tons of toys, although the cube and the tunnel seem to be the favorites. Biscoff and Double Stuff have really embraced toys and can often be seen batting them around or carrying them in their mouth. Biscoff was the first to figure out how to play with the ball-in-track toy. He's a very smart boy!

The smallest - Fudge Stripe

Their personalities continue to emerge. Biscoff and Stroopy love lap time. Biscoff is incredibly smart and quickly figures out new toys. Stroopy... is a bit of a scaredy cat. He's often the first  - and sometimes the only one - who runs and hides. His favorite spot is behind the litter box, tucked into the corner. Zotz is the trouble maker - and is quite good an instigating the other kittens into getting into trouble. Nadya is constantly chasing Zotz and yelling at her. (Nadya refuses to believe that she's lost control of her kittens; they don't listen to her constant chatter but she insists on scolding them) Shortbread is turning into a sweetheart. She often wrestles with the big kittens (Zagnut, who is almost twice her weight, is her best buddy... after Fudge Stripe) and then climbs into my lap, looking up at me with her big eyes, asking politely to have her cheeks rubbed as she falls asleep. Double Stuff is the talker. He must get that from his mother. He talks in the litter box; he talks when he's hiding under something to leap out at his siblings; he talks when he's in No-Kitty-Land (the side of the room the kittens aren't supposed to go into but do anyway), which totally tells his mother that he's up to something mischievous. He's a bit zany, too. Fudge Stripe is the ultimate crazy cat. She's tiny but she's got great speed. She's often so fast, her back legs can't keep up (and then she's running on just the front two paws - I kid you not). Zagnut, the giant, is a bit afraid of me. He gets freaked out when I try to pick him up. Once he's on my lap, he loves to be petted. He doesn't seek out affection much. I'm working on that.

Shortbread looking worried.

The kittens play amazingly well together. No one hates another kitten. There isn't sibling drama. In a lot of litters, the same colored kittens gravitate towards each other (the grey kittens cuddle with other grey kittens; orange kittens with orange kittens, etc). In this litter, it seems as though size is the defining factor. There are definite friendships - Biscoff, Stroopy, and Zagnut are buds. Shortbread and Fudge Stripe are friends. Shortbread and Zagnut are friends. Zotz and Double Stuff seem to be the liaisons - neither one of them has developed a tight friendship with anyone yet but they do play well with all the other kittens.

Double Stuff

Nadya has been off antibiotics for three full days now. Her temp is holding steady at 101 (the range of normal is 99.5-102.5). Her appetite has decreased significantly, which is understandable now that she's not solely responsible for feeding her kittens. She is teaching her kittens to be finicky. She'll eat anything... for a couple of days. And then she decides she doesn't like it anymore.

Everyone is doing well.  Everyone continues to grow and thrive. Everyone continues to develop. Everyone is pretty happy (as long as the carpet sweeper isn't being used).

(All photos taken by KrisKreativ)

Four Weeks Old!

Nadya's five kittens are four weeks old today (5/7)! The two orphans (Zotz and Zagnut) turned 5 weeks old on 5/6.

All of the kittens are getting more mobile. Still a little wobbly, particularly when walking slow, but several have really mastered running. Uh-oh! They're getting more accustomed to eating solid food.  Double Stuff and Fudge Stripe are the two remaining hold outs. They both refuse to eat solid food. I think Double Stuff has issues getting dirty. He doesn't want to mess up that white fur! He's the only one of the kittens that never spills a drop and never gets a milk beard while being bottle fed. Fudge Stripe is a bit like Piglet from Winnie the Pooh - very small and very afraid. She doesn't think canned food is for kittens.

They're all developing little personalities, too. Biscoff is going to be a MAJOR lap cat. He (I think he's a he) seems to prefer to fall asleep on my lap after (or while waiting) bottle feeding. Zagnut loves to play. Double Stuff is very clingy. Shortbread always seems to have a worried look on his face. Fudge Stripe is very quiet and a bit reserved... and then unleashes some spontaneous crazies. Stroopy is a sly one, seemingly quiet and reserved but can definitely kick up his heals with his pal Zagnut. Zotz is two dimensional - she is great at instigating the other kittens into a playing frenzy but is also quite capable of playing by herself.

Alliances are forming! The three biggest kittens seem to like to play together - Zagnut, Biscoff, and Stroopy. Zagnut and Biscoff are often curled up sleeping on my legs after bottle time. The two smaller kittens play together - Shortbread and Fudge Stripe. However, Shortbread can handle his own and often plays with the biggest of them all - Zagnut. Zotz is a liason. She can be rough and tumble with her big brother Zagnut but also spends a lot of time wrestling with the smaller kittens (probably because she can win). Double Stuff... Double Stuff seems to prefer bottle time....

Of course, the kittens are young. Alliances certainly haven't been set in stone yet. It will be interesting to see how the kittens pair up in a month.

The kitten room is divided in half - literally. I have wood planks stacked up, separating the room with one side kitten proof (or as kitten proof as something can be) and the other side where all the electrical cords and more breakable supplies are stored. This morning, three kittens followed me over to the wrong side of the planks... (Of course, Zotz has been doing this for a week now). Darn it! I'll be adding extra kitten security tonight to keep them on their side of the room. Well, for at least a few more days.

Three of Nadya's kittens are right on track (or even a little above) for weights. At four weeks old, they should be one pound (16 ounces). Biscoff is 18 ounces, Stroopy and Double Stuff are almost 17 ounces. Unfortunately, all of Nadya's health issues have affected Shortbread and Fudge Stripe. They're a little under 14 ounces. This often happens and is nothing to worry about. They're perfectly healthy and have plenty of time to make up their weight. At five weeks old, Zotz and Zagnut should be 20 ounces (they gain 4 ounces a week). Zagnut is well ahead of the game at 22 ounces; Zotz is surprisingly underweight at 18 ounces. She's just too busy exploring and playing to eat.

Nadya's temperature remains well within the normal range. She's still on antibiotics (which she says tastes horrible and often runs around the room after I've given her some meds). She also gets sub-Q fluids (under the skin) once a day. She seems to be in good spirits. She loves play time. After I've fed her and bottle fed all the kittens, she likes to block the door or sits by her toys as soon as she sees me stand up (the cue that I'm probably leaving the room). To keep her spirits up, I make sure to play with her every night.

The kittens are happy, healthy, and very energetic. Everyone is doing well.

The Kittens Are Growing Up!

Nadya's kittens were born on 4/9. This photo shoot was 5/3, when they were about 3 1/2 weeks old. The orphans were born on 4/1, which means they're almost 5 weeks old in these photos.

Zotz, still the leader, and still the first to do everything! 

Shortbread. Such sad eyes for such a happy cat.... 

Stroopy! 

Fudge Stripe, the smallest of the bunch.

Biscoff gets into posing. 

Double Stuff, the infamous waddler. 

Zagnut...  so unsure of what he's supposed to be doing... 

Nadya Comes Home!

Nadya was released from the vet last night (4/30). She came home with a bunch of medications and a happy heart.

To my surprise, ALL of the kittens could not only walk but were more than happy to practice that newfound mobility. Translation: They're all over the place! First out of the kennel after momma was, of course, Zotz. The rest of them soon followed, wiggling and wobbling all over their room.

First task - feed momma and the kittens. A lot of the kittens have discovered the joys of eating canned food. A few that didn't eat probably don't have their sense of smell fully developed so they're not interested in (nor do they even notice) the slop on the plate in front of them. After the canned food was consumed, I brought out the bottle of formula. A little line of kittens formed at my feet as they waited (not so patiently) for their turn at the bottle. All kittens now get bottle fed. Prior to Nadya's last hospitalization, only those that were not gaining weight or those who had lost weight were getting bottle fed. Now, to take the pressure off Nadya, all kittens get bottle fed three times a day (in addition to canned food, if they'll eat that). I love that the kittens know me as the gal with the bottle. When one walks up to me and cries, I'm pretty sure they're telling me, "I'm hungry!"

Second task - build something to contain the kittens so that they're not walking around, getting into mischief. Of course, this containment arena needs to be easily escapable for momma. I built several different options. None of which were acceptable to Nadya. Instead, she moved the kittens one by one (even took one right out of my hands as I was bottle feeding her) to the cave at the bottom of the cat tower. An itty bitty cave. Very itty bitty. It barely is big enough for one adult cat let alone an adult cat who needs to nurse seven kittens. And it does not contain the kittens at all (as demonstrated by Zotz two seconds after Nadya moved her to the cave). After spending almost two hours building - and tearing down - containment centers, I finally gave in to Nadya. I sectioned off the room with planks, dividing the room. One half is kitten proof. The other half contains the power cords, laptop, heater, and all supplies (extra bowls, medications, cans of food, etc). Zotz, of course, will be the first over on that side... (And then it's back to the drawing board).

Third task - Nadya's medications. Nadya needs to have her temperature monitored... which means I get the joy of taking her temperature twice a day (once a day is bad enough). She's not happy about this and neither am I. Last night's temperature was 103.5 (higher than what is normal but not horrible).

In addition to temperature taking, Nadya needs sub-Q fluids (saline given under the skin, not in the vein). Again, Nadya is not happy about this experience. For the first time since she arrived, she growled at me. I completely understand - the needle is quite big and the feeling of water flooding into your body cannot be pleasant (even though I warmed the fluids before the procedure). Although I am quite experienced giving fluids, most of my patients have been elderly and near death. Having a young, mobile, and busy cat is a different experience. Nadya is strong and strong willed. She had kittens to attend to and didn't want to put up with something holding her back. She had words for me when I tried to confine her.

Nadya also has a few antibiotics and supplements to take. Nadya said very clearly that her antibiotics do NOT taste very good.

All in all, Nadya is enduring her treatment. She's a little more growly and vocal than she's been before but it's understandable. No one likes medications. No one likes needles jabbed in them. She and I will work on our routine. She's a good girl with a good heart so I'm sure she'll come to understand that I'm only trying to help.

Fudge Stripe also got to join in on the medication fun. She had an abscess on her rear that was infected. It was drained and now she's on antibiotics to help it all heal. Most likely the abscess was caused by Nadya accidentally nipping Fudgie. I assume Fudge sat in some formula during one of her bottle feedings and Nadya over zealously cleaned her up.

After medications, Nadya got some treats (which helps take the awful taste of the antibiotics away) and some playtime. She's not fully her happy, purry, dancing self but she did purr and she did humor me with a couple of playful bats at her toys.

Fourth task - feed the kittens again. Canned food for those who would eat the food and bottle feedings for all. I will have to wash my clothes after that. There was a lot of spillage as some of the kittens are new to the bottle experience. I was amazed that some got the hang of this bottle thing after just a few sucks. My kittens are smart. :-)

From this morning (5/1): Nadya's temp was 102.9. It's always a good sign when the temp goes down!

It took about an hour and a half to get everyone bottle fed. Several kittens did not want to get out of bed! Zotz, of course, was the first one up followed by Biscoff. After Biscoff was done with his bottle, he woke up several more kittens who then staggered like zombies out of the cave and over to me. Zagnut preferred to lick his formula off a plate, which was just fine with me. Stroopy was the last one up and would have slept right through breakfast if I didn't go get him. He loved the canned food and camped right in front of the plate.

The kittens are learning how to play. Zagnut was enjoying biting his siblings and they in turn enjoyed whapping him in the face.

Everyone is doing fine. Kittens are happy to be able to roam. I'm not as happy about that but I do love how much they're growing and learning. The kittens lost a bit of weight while at the vet but we'll make that up with bottle feedings and canned food.

BTW, Nadya's kittens turned three weeks old yesterday (4/30).