Stray Cat just had kittens. Questions

jeapa507 · Jul 14, 2015

You are probably right @sarthur2. I am worrying too much. I did wipe their eyes today and I did not see any goopey discharge just a slight wetness. They are moving around better without rolling over all the time.

Weights for today:

Calico 7.9 oz = .4 oz gain

Orange 8.9 oz = .3 oz gain

I am slacking today as I don't have any new photos. My grand kids stayed over last night and I am dragging butt today.

Sarthur2 · Jul 14, 2015

Hey, you've got to enjoy your two-legged grandkids too! I'll bet they can't wait to play with the kittens!

Weight gain is A+!

Take a nap!

jeapa507 · Jul 14, 2015

sarthur2 said:
Hey, you've got to enjoy your two-legged grandkids too! I'll bet they can't wait to play with the kittens!

Weight gain is A+!

Take a nap!

Yes @sarthur2 they were wanting to hold the kittens, but they both respect Claire's protecting nature and just watched them from a distance. It was a fun night of pillow fights, hide-in-seek, and ice cream sundaes. I have to enjoy them while they are young because they are growing up so fast !!

It will be early to bed for me tonight...

checkers · Jul 14, 2015

...Claire laid in my lap while I was sitting on the floor watching her with her kittens. As I was petting her she began to thump her tail on the floor. I thought to myself that this was very different from a wagging tail on a dog and seemed to be a warning to me. I stopped petting her and got up as I was not wanting another bite or scratch. It was confirming to read your post telling me to look out for that behavior. I am not sure yet how I will get her into a crate for the vet visit. I may in fact enlist my son to do it for me...

Ah, @Jeapa507, so you've experienced the warning signs already! Thank goodness you recognised there might be trouble. You probably would have been fine just stopping the patting and letting her stay on your lap, but it sounds like you got away with getting up without any bad reaction from her. They are so quick with their bites and scratches, so recognising the warning signs are important. Another sign is a quiet growling sound, but I'm sure you wouldn't need to be told what that meant.

Getting your son to put her in a crate when the time comes sounds like a good idea. She may be more submissive to him. Have a think about the type of crate, if you haven't already got one. I find the top opening ones easier to work with. The ones that open on one end can be trickier as the cat can struggle and make it hard for you to push them in unless you can surprise them and do it quickly. You've got some more bonding time with her before then, which is great.

Perhaps consider using a soft brush to pat her with. All the cats I've had have loved being brushed, but again, keep an eye out for the "I've had enough" warning signs! And of course, brushing removes excess fur that would otherwise end up in their stomach or in your house!

I really think it's time for more photos. It must be a day since I've seen any.

handsome kitty · Jul 14, 2015

Jeapa507 said:
Yes @sarthur2 they were wanting to hold the kittens, but they both respect Claire's protecting nature and just watched them from a distance. It was a fun night of pillow fights, hide-in-seek, and ice cream sundaes. I have to enjoy them while they are young because they are growing up so fast !!

It will be early to bed for me tonight...

You're a fun Grandma! Mine put me to work pulling weeds and threatened to call the cops when my friend and I wouldn't settle down at night.

jeapa507 · Jul 15, 2015

Todays update. Claire and kittens are doing well. There is still fighting over the nipple which I think may be the reason these two are stuck at gaining .3 per day for the past couple of days. They expand a lot of energy fussing over the nipple. If I move one of them Claire just gets up. She doesn't seem to like me reaching in the nest when she is nursing the babies.

So these two are going to have to figure this out. They are both still gaining so I am not going to worry (hard) ha ha.

Todays weight: 11 days old

Calico- 8.2 oz = .3 oz gain

Orange- 9.2 oz = .3 oz gain

I managed to get some cute photos today. Little Calico is also opening her eyes some today. They are growing up so fast.

_EMA5820.JPG

jeapa507
Jul 15, 2015

Yawn. Is it time to get up again?

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jeapa507
Jul 15, 2015

Such a cutie

_EMA5810.JPG

jeapa507
Jul 15, 2015

Hey, look at me, I'm cute, and my eyes are trying to open too!

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jeapa507
Jul 15, 2015
2

I love you, little girl.

jeapa507 · Jul 15, 2015

Checkers said:
Ah, @Jeapa507, so you've experienced the warning signs already! Thank goodness you recognised there might be trouble. You probably would have been fine just stopping the patting and letting her stay on your lap, but it sounds like you got away with getting up without any bad reaction from her. They are so quick with their bites and scratches, so recognising the warning signs are important. Another sign is a quiet growling sound, but I'm sure you wouldn't need to be told what that meant.

Getting your son to put her in a crate when the time comes sounds like a good idea. She may be more submissive to him. Have a think about the type of crate, if you haven't already got one. I find the top opening ones easier to work with. The ones that open on one end can be trickier as the cat can struggle and make it hard for you to push them in unless you can surprise them and do it quickly. You've got some more bonding time with her before then, which is great.

Perhaps consider using a soft brush to pat her with. All the cats I've had have loved being brushed, but again, keep an eye out for the "I've had enough" warning signs! And of course, brushing removes excess fur that would otherwise end up in their stomach or in your house!

I really think it's time for more photos. It must be a day since I've seen any.

Yes @Checkers my son has the best relationship with Claire. He was the first one to make her acquaintance as she would wait for him to get home from work every night around 12:30. He would sit outside on our porch and pet her and feed her. I am sure it was his attention and kindness that convinced her to stay and make our porch her home.

I am hesitant to bring any brushes or other tool looking things into the room with Claire right now. It was a scrub brush that provoked the bite, so I will wait until the kittens are older and she is a little less protective.

I think I got your photo request covered. They all had some cute poses for me today!

Sarthur2 · Jul 15, 2015

Great pictures! Orange looks quite healthy and feisty. The calico could be her mom's twin! They both look great!

I think they nipple fight because they CAN! If there were more in the litter they would claim a nipple and be done.

blueyedgirl5946 · Jul 15, 2015

I love this colorful cat and her kittens. :nod:

handsome kitty · Jul 15, 2015

Very nice pictures. They are starting to look furry.

kitkatkittygirl · Jul 15, 2015

So cute!!

jeapa507 · Jul 15, 2015

blueyedgirl5946 said:
I love this colorful cat and her kittens. :nod:

Thank you.

blueyedgirl5946

I am getting very attached to them all myself.

jeapa507 · Jul 15, 2015

Handsome Kitty said:
Very nice pictures. They are starting to look furry.

I think the orange boy is going to have more of a medium hair length. He seems more fluffy than the calico girl.

checkers · Jul 15, 2015

Thank you @Jeapa507, I can settle now I've had my kitty-photo fix for the day. They are too adorable and the photos are great. I love the contrast with the blue blanket. They are certainly calendar kittens.

It looks like they - especially the ginger one - are going to have lovely thick tails.

They do look very healthy and happy - all three of them - so congratulations!

jeapa507 · Jul 16, 2015

Today's update.

Calico- 8.7 oz = .5 oz gain

Orange- 9.7 oz = .5 oz gain

I was happy to see a .5 oz gain today @sarthur2. They are both moving around better and actually starting to stand on less shaky legs. I think I will need to put the side up on the box soon so they don't venture out of the nest. Claire came close to biting me again today as I was placing one of the kittens back into the nest after weighing it. I had lifted the kitten up to see its eyes better and when I reached into the box her mouth grazed my arm, but did not break the skin. I am hoping she held back on biting me. I have read some bad stuff about infected cat bites and since I don't know her vaccination status I really don't want to get another bite that could require medical attention. I need to be careful. Just when I think I am reading her behavior correctly she reminds me I still have much to learn.

Claire is a great mom and the kittens both look really healthy. Their eyes look better and I did not notice any discharge today at all. No photos @Checkers but more to come this week.

Sarthur2 · Jul 16, 2015

I am really pleased with their weight gain. They are doing great!

Sorry she almost bit you. Try to move v-e-r-y slowly around her, especially when handling the kittens. She really trusts you though, it's just instinct about protecting the babies.

I'm glad their eyes are looking better. Do you have one more week at home before returning to work?

handsome kitty · Jul 16, 2015

Do you think she's getting more protective because they are starting to move around more. (AARGH! I'm counting my post - rotten Babbling contest.)

jeapa507 · Jul 16, 2015

sarthur2 said:
I am really pleased with their weight gain. They are doing great!

Sorry she almost bit you. Try to move v-e-r-y slowly around her, especially when handling the kittens. She really trusts you though, it's just instinct about protecting the babies.

I'm glad their eyes are looking better. Do you have one more week at home before returning to work?

Yes @sarthur2 . I go back to work on July 27th. I will need to get up a little earlier so I can feed and check on Claire before leaving at 7:00 am for work. Maybe I can enlist my son's help since he works 2nd shift and is home until 2:30 every day. It will be a new routine for sure.

I definitely feel that Claire trusts me, but I need to move slowly like you said. Most of the time she is a sweet girl. The problem is she doesn't seem to give me much warning, or I am just missing it, when she is about to bite.

jeapa507 · Jul 16, 2015

Handsome Kitty said:
Do you think she's getting more protective because they are starting to move around more. (AARGH! I'm counting my post - rotten Babbling contest.)

You could be right @Handsome Kitty I just don't know for sure.

checkers · Jul 16, 2015

Thank for the update, @Jeapa507. Great to read about the weight gain.

I think I will need to put the side up on the box soon so they don't venture out of the nest.

I wonder if it's not better to leave the side of the box down, as if they venture out it's good exercise and Claire won't let them go too far. She'll bring them back to the nest. My view only but I'd be keen to hear what @sarthur2 or @Handsome Kitty thinks.

Stray Cat just had kittens. Questions

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