Alright. Bailey, Cookies, Cream, and Beckett are upstairs in their new room, they're in a good size playpen for now but they'll be allowed to explore a bit while they're up there.
I'll probably move Demi up there when she's closer to her due date (I think 3-4 weeks). By then Bailey will likely be back down here and it'll be easier to move one cat rather than two litters of kittens of various ages. (Also I don't really trust Demi to pick a good place in this room, she likes to keep me on my toes and it'll be easier to monitor in a smaller room.)
Baby #6 is out. So far all are alive, this is a much larger litter than what I thought before.
It's been more than an hour since baby #5, but only about 20 minutes since placenta #5. This is the first kitten to be born on the 23rd rather than the 22nd. And she still might not be done, still has to pass the placenta for this one at the very least.
All the placentas came out, everyone seems good. Babies are nursing and being cared for. Arwen's doing really well.
I moved them to a cleaner location since the blanket is stained. I think there are four boys and two girls, but it's a bit early to tell.
Their weights today are 3.3oz, 3.4oz, 3.8oz, 3.9oz, and two are 4.1oz. I'll watch to make sure they all gain properly, six kittens can be a lot for one mom.
I named Arwen's bunch. They are now Tumble, Hop, Bounce, Pounce, Skip, and Skitter. They're pretty squirmy little things. They're gaining really well too.
Most of them look like boys, with one (maybe two) girl(s).
It's hard to believe they'll be a week old soon and start opening their eyes.
Demi's getting bigger, I felt a kitten move yesterday. I know she's got to be at least six weeks along. (She was brought into the shelter July 17th, almost two weeks before Bailey's kittens were born.)
So Demi should have her kittens in two to three weeks.
Cookies, Cream, and Beckett are trying to eat the dry food I leave out for the other cats. I take that as a sign Cookies and Cream are at least ready to be trying slurry, I'll have to prepare some more often as Beckett, Bailey, and Demi eat it all.
I let one of my dogs go and interact with Demi, Bailey, Cookies, Cream, and Beckett today. Demi was a bit unsure, but a lot less than what one would expect. They actually all seem to do really well with dogs, or at least my small dogs who are used to cats coming and going all the time. Either way, it'll help when it's time for them all to go back and be adopted.
Kitten check-in dates are set. Cookies, Cream, and Beckett are getting another booster on the 3rd while Arwen's six are going in on the 6th. I hope to coordinate it soon so that everyone goes the same day but I might have to enlist more people and cat carriers.
I just got home from class
I couldn't find Demi, so I opened a can of wet food. She came out and I realize now that she has had three kittens so far. I think she's not done as she's still bloated around the belly but the first three look healthy and clean. She's doing well I think.
No way for me to tell if she's passed each placenta.
Bailey, Cookies, Cream, and Beckett are all in there with her, but with how close Bailey and Demi are I'm hesitant to separate them right away. At least the older kittens are now helping themselves to wet and dry food now, but I'll monitor them a while. I might just move Bailey and her bunch back down with Arwen since Arwens troup is nearing three weeks.
I meant to move bailey back a week ago, so I’ll just... do that now so Demi can focus on her bunch. Demi is still having contractions so I’m certain she’s not done, but the area is much cleaner than what Arwen left. I wonder if I have Bailey to thank for that, she’s been very supportive. Maybe I should just move the kittens for now and bring Bailey down a little later?
The three oldest are hanging out in the living room for now. Arwen wasn’t pleased when I put them in her room for a minute, but she’ll have to adjust again.
I’m worried about Demi, her belly is still really big, I saw contractions, but she hasn’t had anything in four hours.
It sounds like she is still in labor. She’ll have them when the kittens and her body are ready. It’s not unusual for it to be hours (sometimes even days) between deliveries. Unless she’s actively pushing and nothing is happening after an hour, try not to worry.
Four babies!
I think she's done now. We've got two tuxedo kittens, a brown tabby, and a black and white tabby.
No orange kittens, I was expecting at least one of the torbies to have an orange baby. But the tiny little beans are adorable anyway.
Demi seems anxious now, she's alone with her kittens in the room and I think misses her buddy. She's very cuddly, almost clingy when we go in there. She does not like how my own pets have a window looking into the room though she was fine with it before. Poor girl, I think she'll be fine though.
Arwen doesn't appreciate the company, but Bailey and the kittens are mostly sticking to the opposite end of the room so they give each other some space.
So this makes 16 foster kitties, the kittens all have such varied ages.
New moms usually settle in within 24-48 hours after giving birth. It’s the hormones that need to calm down. Demi will hopefully feel less anxious soon.
How about bringing Bailey in for a visit and see how it goes?