Advice and Support Needed!

ROSIE - UPDATE

Hi Everybody,

I am at work but family members have been keeping an eye on the shed. I just received a call that Rosie has apparently had TWO kittens. There may be more once I get home, but apparently it's two at the moment. No other details yet, except that she is sitting up bright eyed in her chair and that's where she had the kittens.

I'm glad that so far it doesn't sound like things were too hard for her. But I am concerned that they will not be warm enough in the shed, even with the heater going. Apparently it's going to be - 3 tonight.  When is the best time to move them and how can I keep everybody safe?

She does have an insulated shelter in the shed, but I don't know if she'll use it, she is very partial to her little bed...

Thanks! Cher

ROSIE UPDATE  II

So I went to check on Rosie when I got home tonight and she had two kittens, one orange and white and one calico with crazy colors. Everybody seems to be doing well so far. Rosie did not hiss at me and in fact let me pet her quite abit. I was also able to spoon feed her a jar of chicken baby food, and clean her litter. 

I have decided to leave the space heater, a portable radiator, running tonight because it will be -5 outside. After that the temp is supposed to warm up a bit more, and within 2-3 days we hope to move the family into my neighbour's house. We just have to get them through tonight. There is an insulated cat house in the shed, hopefully if it gets nippy Rosie will take them in there.

But for now everybody is nice and quiet, and looking well.

Ev

Aww how exciting glad to hear everything went well. Can't wait to see pictures of the babies.

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing? Where you able too move them into your neighbors house yet? Hope all is well.

Hi April,

Thanks for checking in. I'm happy to say that Rosie and her little family are safe & well. The kittens are fat lil sausages with great colour, and Rosie is lovely with them, gentle & motherly.

I was worried about them because we had cooler temps - it was -5 their first night -  but I went out and bought a 14 gauge electrical cord (actually had to go out twice because 50 feet wasn't long enough, argh) because I'd remembered that I had a U-L listed, newer portable radiator style heater, they're very safe - and plugged it in. Rosie and the babies were toasty warm, even with it cold outside.

Now the weather is working with us - it won't go below zero for the next two weeks and will usually be about six degrees at night, not balmy but with the little heater they will do fine.

So we haven't moved them yet because the heat situation is ok and I think it would stress Rosie out if i picked up her babies. I think it would be better to wait until she is comfortable with me handling them, especially if I can keep them warm in the meantime.

Feeding Rosie extras like KMR to give her extra vitamins and nutrients. I am also spoon feeding her meals so that she can stay curled up with her little ones (I live to serve).

I'm not so sure about moving her to the neighbor's - although it's a great backup plan - because I seem to be the only one Rosie trusts. She has already run away from one temporary home.

I am hoping I can get everybody on board at my house to move them into my home office for a few weeks. No one goes in there but me anyway, it's a fairly big room and I could keep my routine with her, and keep building her trust. I guess it's a work in progress - I'll keep you posted. 

Thanks again for the email.

Ev

How's everything going with the new family??

Hi April!

Thanks!  So far, everything seems to be ok. Rosie is a good little mum to them, very often she is holding them with her  front paws, and she is very affectionate. She doesn't seem to mind me petting them, which I have started to do, a little bit. Rosie is eating pretty well, though not as much as I would like. She's fussy on dry food, which means I  am often feeding her small meals throughout the day, of wet food.

We have changed plans a bit, my neighbour's "empty room" also has her washer & dryer in it, which I didn't know til a few days ago. I am going to re-arrange my home office and bring the whole family in there, in a week or so. Nice & quiet, and easier for me to care for them. Not sure how best to crate Rosie, as she is very skittish. I am hoping that if I put the kittens in a crate, she will follow. 

My dad took this picture from the shed window. I'll have a better one soon, but thought I would include this. Not a perfect photo, but still cute!

Ev

Aww thanks so much for the picture. She looks like she's doing a great job of keeping them warm. So sweet. I think you're idea of putting the babies in the crate first she will join them.

Hi April,

Thanks!

Not sure how things are going to go - nothing changed over the weekend as far as I could tell, although it was a bit noisier outside than usual (sirens) - first Rosie hid the kittens, which happens, but now she won't come out of hiding herself. She didn't come out for breakfast this morning at all. It's only been a couple of days but I'm a touch worried. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thank you!

Ev

I'm not sure how to get her to come out.  You can't stop the sirens.  Are you still playing music for her??  Maybe try some different wet stinky food like tuna to get her to come and see what's going on.  I hope you can move them before it gets to cold out there for them.  Did you name the babies yet??

Hey, April!

Thanks for the note. I could try treats and special food - it might tempt her. As long as she is eating and the kittens seem ok too, I suppose I could see how it goes for a few days. Maybe she just wants a little privacy!

But I will keep an eye on her and if no change over the next few days, I will see if my vet will make a house call to assess.

Still playing music now and then, and whenever I am there I talk to her or read aloud... on the 16th the kittens will be two weeks old, if the weather holds ideally I should wait til the 23rd when they are three weeks old to try and move them, I am told. So far the weather seems like it will be steady, no drastic drops in temp which is great.

Didn't name the babies yet as I am waiting to get a sense for their personalities

Thank you again

Ev

Thank goodness the weather will hold out for you.  It seems to me your doing everything you can for this little family.  If your vet will come to you that's great.  Hope to see more pics of the babies once your able to get them out.

Fingers crossed! Will definitely post more pictures, when Rosie is more relaxed and they are more mobile. They are super cute - such tiny features - it's just adorable. 

Ev

Where do you live to have it so cold at this time of year?  You didn't add your location to your profile yet.  Alaska?  I can understand why he moved babies into the tunnel as it is more like a cave nd they usually ant the kitten to be in some sort of cave. not out in the open.  One may have fallen off the chair too, so at that point she would move them to some place they cannot fall but will still be enclosed.  As I said in the private message, you can cut the tunnel short enough so you can reach in an touch her and the babies.  If they are already two weeks and you have not been touching them, they will hiss at you with their little toothless mouths until they get used to your smell on a regular basis.  You need to be touching them a lot now!  Moving them into your study will be easier if the kittens already know your smell and Rosie is used to the idea that you will not hurt them.  I would not consider the neighbor's house because YOU are the one she trusts an your study and YOU are what she needs.  As long as the door is shut and she has a safe hiding place there (does it have a closet?) she should be OK. Bring the tunnel -- in fact you could take the kittens inside the tunnel -- or you could put a carrier with a soft bed in there and see if she moves them in there.  Then it would be easier to move the whole family together.

Hi Red Top,

I live in Timmins, Ontario about 9 hours north of Toronto. It gets cold here really quick, in fact we often have snow & ice for Halloween, so plans have to be made to move them indoors within the next few weeks at the latest. So far the heater is keeping them very warm and we have no snow in the forecast which is great.

The kittens are a week old as of last Friday. (9th Oct). I keep reading that kittens should not be handled until their eyes are open or they are about two weeks old, so I have been careful about that, although I was sitting near Rosie's chair all the time, I'm sure they would pick up my scent.

I don't know, but I may have upset Rosie somehow, and maybe that's why she's hiding? I hope I haven't damaged her trust, because I worked really hard to earn it, although if she's feeling shaky I have the time to keep working on it.

I agree with you - I've made arrangements to bring Rosie & co into my house...moving her will upset her but if I am there, I  hope it will be less upsetting. Already have the Feliway plug in set up and there are hiding places, climbing posts, and a brand new bed for them, that has a heating feature as well.

Thanks...I'll keep everybody posted. Fingers crossed for Rosie.

Ev

Evening update -

Seems I did a whole lot of worrying for nothing. Rosie ate very well today and as she was cuddled up in the play tunnel, I was able to pet her for a good 15 - 20 minutes. I was also able to pet the kittens a little bit, all good signs. The only thing I didn't like is that the tunnel is drafty (by the door) and we have some cold air coming through. I have covered the tunnel in a faux fur blanket, and buffered the other end with another, which seems to stop the draft nicely. With Rosie's warmth and the heater the kittens will do fine.   I hope she'll be comfortable enough for me to handle the kittens, and get everybody inside within the next week or so.

Kitten pictures will follow.

Thanks everybody for listening to my worries. Remind me next time to take a deep breath.

Ev

Ev your doing fine I would be worried if I were in your place.  So glad she's doing well and that you were able to spend so time with them.  Can't wait to see those sweet babies and hear what you come up with for their names. 

Thanks, April

Great to know you've got my back   Really, though, it's hard not to worry, I just want the best for them. So far everybody is hanging in there, I'll be very relieved when I can get them inside the house.

I'll keep you posted. Pictures soon for sure.

Ev

Hi April,

Just checking in - I have an idea I want to run by you. I'd like to get Rosie and her babies into my house this weekend, but I'm still not sure on the best way to do that. Rosie is a real challenge to crate.

Now I'm thinking I might use a larger dog crate, and see if I can put her tunnel/cave with the babies and all, right in the crate. I'd cover it with the same blankets, and with any luck she'll continue to use it.

Then all I would have to do is close the gate, ie early in the morning when they are less active, and move them. I could pick the right time.

Rosie hides whenever someone else comes in the shed, so I might ask my neighbour to come in with me - if Rosie is out of the tunnel, I could move it quickly & discreetly without her knowing or seeing what I am doing.

And if she has a few nights to sleep in it, she'll be less wary. The only problem I can see is if Rosie senses something is up, she might move the kittens, and it would set me back a bit.

Does this sound realistic? Have I forgotten anything?

Thank you,

Ev

Sounds like a good plan to me.  Can't hurt to try.  Does she go where the babies go??  If she does this should work.  I never had a mama to deal with so I'm just giving you my thoughts.