Updating

Well due to the internet being down I couldn't update as much as I would have liked to. So here is a summary of the goings on since...

Mother cat Marley was returned on Friday. Her Tuesday checkup the vet commented that she was extremely well off in weight and I was once again praised for stacking on kilos for cats and kittens. Marley however probably didn't need so much weight.

On the Tuesday checkup it was advised to begin weaning the kittens from the mother. I couldn't really keep them separate unless the mother was placed in the overnight cage and kittens had run of the room and with hot days that seemed a bit unfair. Marley however had a few ideas of her own and decided she wanted to meet the house cats Leo and Terra.

Kittens tired out Marley

On more than one occasion Marley could be found wandering the hallway like she owned the place and if Leo spotted her his wailing howl soon notified people that she was in his territory.

The kittens met the house residents through one of the playpen gates, there was much floofing up and hissing at the beginning but that soon gave way to curiosity and swatting through the bars. Marley was amazingly utterly fine with this interaction thus solidifying the idea that she was ready to move on.

Friday came and the vet checking her at first thought she was pregnant again. I wasn't sure how that would happen considering all cats at home are neutered or spayed and she never got outside, unless she did get pregnant soon after having the kittens she currently had. It was discovered as a false alarm and that Marley was just had a few extra kg's. With all her fur and her panting during hot days it didn't really surprise me at all. It was agreed that the mother cat would return and be scheduled for spaying before heading to the sale rooms. As mother cats' go, she was a gem and will make someone a really lovely girl.

Pretty girl

So, the kittens....

All flopped out during heat wave (Hidey in back corner)

On Tuesday weigh in it was looking like Itchy and maybe Prissy would be heading to the sales room by Friday. Around Wednesday or Thursday Itchy hit the 805g mark which would pass for sales however Prissy was only just getting past 700g and I really wasn't overly excited about one kitten going into the sale rooms alone. Sure he'd get scooped up quick but the new surroundings I feel would be better accepted if he had a buddy or two to make the transition with.

Food time

I didn't have to worry since Itchy was under weight needed by Friday. I returned home with the four kittens minus the mother and brought them out for a lounge room romp. They weren't overly excited about their new surroundings in the beginning. There was a lot of cowering and hissing and keeping a close eye on Leo and Terra who were curious about the tiny bundles of fluff.

Playpen jungle in lounge

Eventually the little tackers learned they could climb the playpen gates. My dad soon commandeered the very shy Hidey and she soon fell asleep on a pink cushion on his lap. My mother grabbed Scratchy and after a little bit of fussing he settled and slept too. Prissy being ever independent preferred to sleep in the playpen for awhile. Itchy kept climbing out but for awhile wouldn't settle down, when he did settle he went out like a light. Prissy feeling left out soon climbed up and I had two lap kittens - or rather one on my lap one beside my leg on the leather couch as Itchy had overheated...

Saturday night weigh ins left many questions. The kittens that had been gaining so well before were now dropping weight with only Prissy maintaining a proper weight range. They were behaving fine and eating normally from what I could tell but I made note to contact the shelter manager the next day.

Prissy going for the feather wand

I contacted the shelter manager to get approval to worm the kittens and see if that was causing the drops in weight. After hanging up and going about morning routine I found Itchy being less than his normal self, not wanting to eat, sitting and watching his siblings play but not doing so himself. I put him in isolation to try and track his bowel movements and eating habits.

When I returned from work training, my mother mentioned Itchy had managed to squeeze out of the cage through a gap that would have to be around two inches wide. He had climbed into the study chair with his siblings. He'd been put back in the cage by the time I got home.

I picked him up and he was a bit lethargic and still not the 'Itchy' I'd come to know. I decided to get some food into him either way since I hadn't seen him eat all day. I syringed up some wet food mixed with water and began feeding him that. Amazingly he didn't put too much of a fight up and finished off the remaining stuff in the bowl but did begin shivering like the cold food had kicked his temperature out.

In mother's arms

I fixed up a hot water bottle but he'd settled into my mothers arms and stopped shaking by the time I got off the phone and got the hot water bottle. He remained on my lap for most of the afternoon snoozing.

Itchy Snoozin'

Itchy is a talker. Not in the manner that he has to tell you every aspect of his life all the time but if he's hungry, or needs the potty he begins peeping. I noticed he peeps pitifully whenever using the litter box its a bit like he's saying 'I'm using this, don't come in guys'

I carried him to the litter tray, he ate some more food but began shaking again so I cuddled him and held him while he slept again. The other 3 soon piled on top of the hot water bottle that Itchy didn't want. Slowly as the afternoon progressed more 'Itchy' type behavior came through. When he was awake he would play and he began moving around more. Eventually moving enough that I placed him back with his siblings and he was eating on his own.

I witnessed him using the litter tray and sure enough he'd pooped in much better form with some stringy wiggly little parasites in the stool. Since he became even more normal in behavior afterwards I'm thinking the worming has helped shift things through. Prissy has also passed some worms.

Hoping this is the cause of the mystery illness and its not anything more severe or time consuming. Things will be much better for them if they're returned before Christmas.

Fingers Crossed.