Deafness and raising kittens?

[brinnan]

How gorgeous are they!?!  I love the little charcoal one with the amazing moustache in the third picture... Is it a boy?

They all certainly look healthy enough.

Yes-- he is really unique looking. His face is also a bit flatter than the others, so he looks almost persian at some angles. He was only 2 ounces at birth (56 grams), but he's up to 8.1 now (229 grams). He also latches great when nursing. The other runt doesn't nurse as well and whines all the time, though he's the same size (he was born at 3 ounces, though, but lost weight at first). The two runts are both boys. The Russian Blue is a boy. The gray with white paws, calico, and gray with eyebrows (turning into a beautiful dilute tortie) are all girls. Three boys, three girls.

The kittens are adorable and sweet and playful. Still, I feel so sad to think of all the sweet and playful and gorgeous cats put down each day. All the posts about people wanting their cats to have kittens make me really upset. Luna is an awesome mother, but I cannot wait for her to get spayed and have her chance to be a normal cat.

 

[mani]

 All the posts about people wanting their cats to have kittens make me really upset. Luna is an awesome mother, but I cannot wait for her to get spayed and have her chance to be a normal cat.

Yes, I know exactly what you mean. Our Welfare League is inundated with pregnant mums and desperately need foster carers. 

And you look at Luna and imagine what it would be like for her if this just kept on happening...

You're doing a wonderful job...

 

[angels mommy]

"Cutest wrestling match ever!"

  

 

[orientalslave]

You are right they are all adorable, but sorry there is no way the blue boy is a Russian blue.  He looks a tiny bit like one, that's all.

 

[brinnan]

The vet said he thinks that mom and the boy are both blues. He said she has the typical double coat, and the baby is getting it now, too. I am not sure how you can be so sure from a few photos of them (there are six, and I haven't posted them all)-- and photos taken on my cell phone at that. Whether or not they are doesn't matter. They will be spayed/neutered, adopted to good families, and very loved.

 

[orientalslave]

The only colours two Russian blue cats produce is blue - you have other colours so even if mum has some of the charactaristics of a particular breed, clearly dad did not and genuine Russian Blues can only be the offspring of two Russian blues.  Two registered Russian Blues with papers.  Your kittens are adorable, one of them looks a little like a particular breed, but they are all cats and kittens of no specific breed - moggies - domestic shorthair cats.

PS most vets have very little idea about pedigree breeds and are wont to give breed labels to moggies.

 

[brinnan]

I don't quite understand why we are debating this. I will make sure to write in my future posts, "looks like a Russian Blue." Heck, I say the runt has a flat face "like a Persian," too. I am not a breeder. I am not trying to sell kittens or advertise them as a breed. Luna was pulled from a kill shelter and marked as feral. I am trying to get her and her kittens raised, healthy, and into other homes so I can take another foster cat.

Russian Blue comes from a recessive gene, from what I understand. That means that Luna would pass one gene to each of the kittens. If the sire also had the recessive gene, even if he had a dominant color, too, the kittens would all have one recessive from Luna and either a recessive blue or dominant gene.

 

[StefanZ]

Being blue isnt the same as russian blue...  If it is very important for you to say "a little alike russian blue" - sure, do it, esp if it helps him to get a home. You have even my blessing for it in that case (my residents are RB).

But if you really mean he is blue - so say it.   Just so.  

 

[missymotus]

I don't quite understand why we are debating this.

Because using correct terms is important, labeling a cat as a breed when it's a moggie is not right. Breed 'x' to breed 'x' mating is the only way to produce breed 'x' kittens.

Lots of moggies are blue.

But if you really mean he is blue - so say it.   Just so.  

Precisely, blue domestic

Are the kittens chests ok? Their legs are at a concerning angle seen on flat chested kittens, in this case from the hard/flat flooring, hopefully once up and walking better they'll be ok