Kitten School

Well Mother has had enough and enrolled her kittens in Kitten School

Fran ~ It's About Time!

She is halfheartedly closing the milk bar in effort to teach the kittens to begin learning life long lessons. I must say they're pretty quick learners.

Hank ~ Milk bar is closed? But But...

First lesson which has been going on for a few days is walking. Not too many bellies are dragging on the ground anymore and they're using each leg individually. This in itself is quite a feat because all kittens have quite large bellies to lug around. There is still the occasional wobble when they try going too fast.

Kimba ~ You put your leg out like this...

Second lesson is eating. This is still a lesson in progress. It would possibly be quicker for them to learn if their mother actually ate wet food consistently but she's a bit fussy.
Simba the little tank is the only one that's clicked and figured wet food comes from inside a bowl and will happily chomp away.
Josie and Kimba don't mind the taste, Josie's more interested in wandering and Kimba's interested but hasn't figured out the food is *in* the bowl and ends up chewing on the edge.
Hank...he's in denial and believes his mother will offer up the milk bar all the time forever. I haven't seen him give wet food a real try as yet.

Josie and Simba eating by themselves *claps*

Kimba chewing the edge of the bowl...not quite there...

Simba ~ Try and pull me away I dare ya!

Third lesson is toilet training. Josie has been taking close notes on her mother and I've witnessed her piddling in a litter tray (Woo Hoo!) the others are figuring out the whole climbing in and climbing out or scratching around but so far no further.
Its a hard lesson to learn, hopefully all packages will land in the litter box *gives Fran a long suffering gaze* (Apparently the regular sized litter trays are too small for her and she wants swimming pool sized).

Josie ~ Nothin' to see here, toilet is in use!

Fourth lesson is contact with those strange two leggeds. All four kittens are excelling in this department. The minute I walk in the room Josie is right up against the cage front and has even learned to climb the wall which I'm trying to get her to stop (but I know it will only get worse).
If the kittens are on the floor for exercise and a bit of play they flock to my feet, or if I'm sitting they clamber onto my lap peeping at me. It does totally kill me with the cute.

Unfortunately what could have been an epic group shot, kind of failed...
(We'll work on that)

Kimba ~ Move over I wanna be there too!

Fifth lesson is play-fighting. Day to day combat when not trying to bat a sibling off a nipple is now trying to wave at each other (failed paw of doom due to lack of depth perception) and chewing on siblings ears. Progressions to playing tag and following things is still being figured out. I did see Josie try a few bounds, before she got the speed wobbles and also try the Halloween cat at a sibling but she's not quite there.

Kimba's fail paw of doom

Kimba & Simba play fighting

Sixth lesson Weight Gain. While no kittens are dropping by massive margins, no kittens are acting lethargic there is inconsistencies in weight.
Simba is well on his way to 450 grams and I rarely supplement him at all since he's either attached to mother or chomping on wet food.

Simba ~ You calling me FAT?

Hank hovered just over the 400 mark and isn't really going up by significant amounts but you'd never think that with his massive gut.

Hank ~ I don't wanna eat that *Pout*

Kimba had a few stops and starts but is now over 400 grams and with milk supplement she will hopefully stay there. (From the way she chomps on the syringe you'd think her mother never feeds her).

Kimba ~ I is cute, aren't I?

Josie is the most adventurous nearing the most developed but weighs the least. I swear she spends too much time checking things out and getting into things she shouldn't than she does eating. Josie is still under 400 grams but I'm hoping she'll cross that milestone very soon.

Josie ~ I wanna be behind this!
(As if the entire room isn't big enough...)

Josie ~ I Luvs You *Purrr*

Seventh lesson is Grooming. They definitely have home work on this one and Fran gives each of them several thorough baths after they've been given milk supplement of had their little faces smushed in food in effort to get them to click. I have seen some half hearted leg washing and face washing and its oh-so-cute when they're so weeny.

Fran ~ I leave you for a few minutes *sigh*

Kimba ~ I'm not dirty...am I?

Lesson Eight Sleeping. I think this is Fran's favorite class. The kittens aren't batting at her face while she's trying to keep them clean, they aren't growling and swatting at each other while they're nursing and they're just...quiet.
After all those hard lessons I don't really blame them for needing some time to sleep and dream of the day when all these things that are so difficult now are like second nature in the days and weeks to come...

All together now....AWWWW

Josie & Kimba napping on my lap

Boys at the milk bar...of course they weigh more than the girls...