A few questions

charmaniac

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Ok, a few questions! All 9 are still healthy, growing and very cute.

1. Can I give the cats a bath yet at 5 weeks?

2. At what point should I take them to the vet for a first check up?

3. Is it normal for momma cat to feel very warm to the touch? Also, her belly is getting bigger, like she is getting fat. Should I stop feeding her kitten food? She still nurses them, although they are definitely into wet cat food and dry cat food.

4. At what point will the kittens stop playing in their litter box? It seems like half of them are pooping outside the litter box half inside but I know they will learn to use it. I am not sure if they are peeing in there yet, but I think they are. However, they all seem to play around and in the litter box. Is this normal? Any litter tips? Momma uses a different litter box.

5. 4 of the tabbies have a chocolate brown/blackish color with very dark stripes. Are they really chocolate brown or a liter shade of black? I have never seen a chocolate brown tabby before, so I assume its a lighter shade of black.

Thanks guys!
 

abymummy

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Ok, a few questions! All 9 are still healthy, growing and very cute.

1. Can I give the cats a bath yet at 5 weeks? Yes, but unless they are long haired and/or very dirty, why should you?

2. At what point should I take them to the vet for a first check up? 8 weeks at their first vaccinations

3. Is it normal for momma cat to feel very warm to the touch? Also, her belly is getting bigger, like she is getting fat. Should I stop feeding her kitten food? She still nurses them, although they are definitely into wet cat food and dry cat food.

Hard to say about the warmness, is it hot where you are? She needs to visit the vet to check on her belly. Don't stop the kitten food yet.

4. At what point will the kittens stop playing in their litter box? It seems like half of them are pooping outside the litter box half inside but I know they will learn to use it. I am not sure if they are peeing in there yet, but I think they are. However, they all seem to play around and in the litter box. Is this normal? Any litter tips? Momma uses a different litter box.

They are still exploring and the litter in the box actually moves. They'll stop soon enough!


5. 4 of the tabbies have a chocolate brown/blackish color with very dark stripes. Are they really chocolate brown or a liter shade of black? I have never seen a chocolate brown tabby before, so I assume its a lighter shade of black.

Can't tell from your description - pics please?


Thanks guys![/quote]
 

goldenkitty45

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Aby answered all the questions except the color one...shame on you.

OP - you have brown tabbies. They come in different shades of brown from warm honey brown to the colder black/brown, but they are all in the same "color" descriptions.

A TRUE chocolate tabby would only come from a chocolate cat. For example: you have chocolate spotted Ocicats and if they were the classic tabby pattern (which does occur once in awhile) then you would have a true chocolate tabby
 

abymummy

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Aby answered all the questions except the color one...shame on you.

OP - you have brown tabbies. They come in different shades of brown from warm honey brown to the colder black/brown, but they are all in the same "color" descriptions.

A TRUE chocolate tabby would only come from a chocolate cat. For example: you have chocolate spotted Ocicats and if they were the classic tabby pattern (which does occur once in awhile) then you would have a true chocolate tabby
Of course they are brown tabbys BUT what kind??? Classic, Mac, Spotted or patched????
 

lindsey88

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Actually I think your babies are just blacks with phantam tabby markings which should fade to solid black as they grow.
What do you think goldenkitty?
 

goldenkitty45

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Yes it could be black with ghost tabby markings, but I think from the description they are brown tabbies. A picture would help to clarify
 

goldenkitty45

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Lindsey - is that your kitten or the poster's kitten? Whoever it belongs to - the kitten will be black when grown. The ghost stripes just mean that one of the parents is a tabby
 

lindsey88

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Lindsey - is that your kitten or the poster's kitten? Whoever it belongs to - the kitten will be black when grown. The ghost stripes just mean that one of the parents is a tabby
No that is not my kitten. lol I guess I didn't explain it enough it's the poster's kitten. They posted lots of pics at the bottom of page 3 on this thread...http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...=162843&page=3
 
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charmaniac

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So the stripes will disappear and they will be solid black cats like the kind that people think are bad luck? Or will there be a few stripes remaining? I know you cant predict the future, but I am curious.
 

abymummy

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From what I can see from the aforementioned thread you have blacks, black and whites and brown mac tabbies and white...
 

goldenkitty45

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The ghost stripes will fade, but you still may sometimes see them in very strong sunlight. Ling was born blue tabby and white, then she (and all the litter) became blue points points with tabby body; then seal points with tabby body - till they all became black/white cats. In strong sunlight you can still see the darker "points" and some of the tabby markings on the side.
 
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charmaniac

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Thanks goldenkitty, you must be the board expert on cat coloring. Honestly, its all new to me. If I understand you, they will not be solid black like the cats you see in movies?

One of them is more a charcoal grey than black, but I guess he will probably darken. On of the others has wisps of white hair on his bellies. I find the underlying genetics of all this fascinating. I had no idea that cat colors could be predicted with such accuracy. I am not even sure if there was one father or more.
 
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