1st time mom/anxious owner.. Help! TLDR

[Sarthur2]

Try not to fret right now and enjoy the kittens. There is still time. These things have a way of working out! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Anyone who does not want to pay $75 for a healthy, vetted kitten doesn't want or deserve one of yours. A contract is a good idea, but can be difficult to enforce.

Put notices at your vet's office and community centers and churches. Ask everyone you know if they have a friend or relative. The karma should begin to roll. Do not use Craig's list though!

 

[newkitties]

I've posted on a few local "pet sites" on Facebook that are primarily used for locating lost pets, and breeders. There are a fair share of adult animals that have to be rehomed on there which is sad. I've had many people comment and thank me for being responsible with trying to locate homes, and a few trusted "maybe I'll adopt one" from people I know.
I don't feel like the contract is outrageous! I don't understand why someone wouldn't be willing to sign, but if they aren't you are correct, I wouldn't want them adopting one from me anyways. Breeders, rescues, and shelters use them, so I don't see why I shouldn't. I have read so many sad stories about people giving away their animals for free and they end up homeless or euthanized at a shelter, and I want to ensure it doesn't happen. The main point in the contract is that they must be fed nutritious food, given fresh water, be kept as an indoor companion, not be declawed, and that if they find themselves unwilling or unable to care for it, it has to come back to me rather than to a stranger or shelter.
My boyfriend has been reassuring me we will probably find homes last minute, when they are ready to go, so people can come pick one up the next day or two rather than wait weeks.
It is stressful though! I'm surrounded by the stress of the move, and if we have to move kittens with us I have no idea how smoothly it will go, especially since we aren't supposed to have more than the approved number.

They are precious little things that's for sure! They are growing up so fast.

 

[handsome kitty]

@Wendydelmo had a kitten tea party.  People came and met the kittens when they were about 8 weeks old and I think most wound up with homes.  She kept them a couple more weeks until they were spayed and neutered.  Could you do something like that?

 

[newkitties]

I wouldn't want to risk doing something like that as Im currently 8 cats over my apartments limit due to the kittens. I was 2 over before so I was pushing it to begin with. I have to find homes decently discreetly. It would be nice to be able to do that, I just have no where to have a kitten tea party

 

[newkitties]

The kittens are four weeks old tomorrow! I caught a few of them trying to eat moms dry food this morning so I'm about to run out and get some more wet kitten food (ran out a few days ago and mama has been eating wet cat food that the others eat and dry kitten food and kmr daily) and mix it with kmr and let them chow down! Looking forward to see who says it first. gonna get some non clumping litter today too and start introducing them to the litter box when they start eating the solids

 

[Sarthur2]

WooHoo! Weaning time. Let us know how it goes. [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

So exciting! I've held off on getting the play pen until a few days ago because I figured they wouldn't be too interested in anything but mama for at least a few more days, and I figured moving them to the playpen would go hand in hand with the time they start eating solids! They try and escape the cage every chance they get.
The play pen won't be here for another week (didn't know two day shipping was so pricey) so I'm going to try and create a little pen for them makeshift style with some boxes.

 

[Sarthur2]

That would be good. They need to be out of the cage now at 4 weeks for sure! Time to play and explore. [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

Well the kittens were very eager to lick KMR off a plate, but didn't seem very interested in the kitten mush I made! theyll get there though
I made a little kitty play pen out of a large wall art, the cage divider, and some boxes. Mama can jump in and out which is nice. I let them in there for a few hours at a time and move them back to the cage when I sleep.
I let them more officially meet the other adults, Hera just wants to avoid them so I let her but she sniffed one, checked a few out, and when he meowed at her and she ran off. Zeus was playing with them through the bars of the pen (the cage divider is wonderful for the makeshift pen!) and he ended up jumping in and eating some of the kitten mush I made, and he licked a few kittens and took a nap outside the pen afterwards. Charlie is scared of them (he's very anxious, always growls when someone knocks at the door) but he is getting there. A kitten walked right up to him and he sniffed her, checked her out, and walked away when he had had enough.
I still keep Hera and mama apart, Hera still is very hostile when near her. When I was carrying mama to the bathroom so I could let hera meet the kittens, Hera hissed and yoweled when I passed by with her. So I'll continue keeping them apart.
Eventful day! Hopefully Heras behavior towards mama starts improving once mama is fixed and the kittens are even older. I'm just glad she isn't hostile towards the kittens when she sees them.

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is understandably upset with all the changes. Things will settle down more over time though.

 

[newkitties]

Every single one of them is now eating kitten mush! I extended their playpen area to include the cage, so it's even bigger now. My living room is super super crowded and I have to squeeze by things to get to the couch I have to remind myself it's only temporary for several more weeks!
We've named all the kittens!
I may have found a home for another one so that's half that have a home!
We named the gray and white boy Gravy, the male tabby Tabby (original I know haha), we named the black male Link, the black female runt Lola, the fuzzy black female Lex, and we named the skunk female Lucy!
My boyfriend has decided to keep Tabby, we may keep 2 kittens since we are moving into a space that may fit them all. We are considering it.
Link has a home with a good friend of mine
And Lola may have a home with a friend's mom, she is thinking about it.

 

[Sarthur2]

Fantastic! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[foxxycat]

I love the Skunk face Lucy!!! PICTURES?!

 

[newkitties]

I returned the play pen I bought online (it didn't ship yet so luckily not much trouble to cancel the order!) as its not much bigger than the cage and I'll never use it again, so what I have rigged up right now is about a 4ft by 6.5ft (26sqft) area which consists of the XXL dog cage against one wall but pulled out from the other to create a large space, then I moved the furniture piece (one of those wooden 9 cubby organization things) I had there out to create a wall where the cage ends, at an angle, and I have a box fan and the cage divider as a rigged door right now but I'm going to get zip ties and secure a thick piece of cardboard to the back panel of the cubby, and some velcrow to make a makeshift door! Not pretty but I have no spare rooms and there's too many for just a small play pen or cage alone!

I've got one of those s shaped cat scratching toys in there, the litter box with shredded newspaper and paper towels as litter for now, a bunch of toys, a cat bed, and they still have plenty of room to run around in it!

I'm running out later to buy more cat bowls, since I need to keep dry food and water down all the time and I've only got four bowls and a water bowl for my other cats!
I picked up some new toys for the adult cats, and I've retired the toys they never play with to the kitten pen, and a few new toys for the kittens too. They aren't too interested in toys yet, but they will be soon I'm sure! Haha

 

[newkitties]

foxxycat
I will post many pictures later today!

 

[newkitties]

Sorry for the delay! I've been really busy but here are some pictures of the babies!

a.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Baby Link who has a home! He has such long fur for a DSH! He's super super fluffy! He has fur as long as some long hair kittens, I know he can't be a long hair so he's just super fluffy!

aa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Tabby! My boyfriend has decided we are keeping him He's a sweetie and quite a troublemaker! Look at those ears!

aaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Lola! She has a prospective home but nothing for sure! She is the smartest of the bunch! Always escaping the playpen and coming in the bedroom to say hello!

aaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Baby Gravy! He's such a playful rascal! Always getting into trouble! Him and Tabby love to mess with their mom!

aaaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Lucy! Everyone wants her but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep her or not yet so no one can claim her quite yet! She loves to cuddle in your armpit, it's adorable.

aaaaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Last but not least little princess Lex! She is one of the ones I'm debating on keeping! She is so so sweet and when you wrap her in a fleece blanket she burrows in it and then falls asleep! She's the only one that doesn't chow down on kitten mush, some are already willingly eating hard food but she's a little behind so I help her out with eating mush, and I bottle feed her when the others are eating. She's the skinniest but not the smallest, she's gaining weight along par with the others so perhaps she is built like her mama! Very petite.

All of them are going potty mostly in the litterbox now! They still are using shredded papertowels and newspaper because they haven't quite gotten the hang of the litter but we are working on it!

 

[axelsangel]

Sorry for the delay! I've been really busy but here are some pictures of the babies!

a.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Baby Link who has a home! He has such long fur for a DSH! He's super super fluffy! He has fur as long as some long hair kittens, I know he can't be a long hair so he's just super fluffy!

aa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Tabby! My boyfriend has decided we are keeping him He's a sweetie and quite a troublemaker! Look at those ears!

aaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Lola! She has a prospective home but nothing for sure! She is the smartest of the bunch! Always escaping the playpen and coming in the bedroom to say hello!

aaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Baby Gravy! He's such a playful rascal! Always getting into trouble! Him and Tabby love to mess with their mom!

aaaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Lucy! Everyone wants her but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep her or not yet so no one can claim her quite yet! She loves to cuddle in your armpit, it's adorable.

aaaaaa.jpg

• newkitties
• Jun 21, 2016

Last but not least little princess Lex! She is one of the ones I'm debating on keeping! She is so so sweet and when you wrap her in a fleece blanket she burrows in it and then falls asleep! She's the only one that doesn't chow down on kitten mush, some are already willingly eating hard food but she's a little behind so I help her out with eating mush, and I bottle feed her when the others are eating. She's the skinniest but not the smallest, she's gaining weight along par with the others so perhaps she is built like her mama! Very petite.


All of them are going potty mostly in the litterbox now! They still are using shredded papertowels and newspaper because they haven't quite gotten the hang of the litter but we are working on it!

Should have named baby Lucy "flower" after the skunk on Bambie. They are all adorable.

 

[krissy marissy]

They're so big and fluffy now! [emoji]128513[/emoji]

 

[newkitties]

@Axelsangel  I named her Lucy because of "I love Lucy" the TV show! Everyone said they loved her since the day she was born because of the little skunk pattern. haha

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh, my! Little Lex and Lola have stolen my heart! I love black kittens.

But they are ALL just precious! [emoji]128149[/emoji]