Pending...

Well, I took the kittens out for another check today. I think I mentioned Amber sneezing and I wanted to be sure it wasn't anything contagious or serious. More on that later.

Squeak is patiently playing mother hen to Smokey and allows him to suckle on her fur while giving people a look that just says 'well he insists'. She is just shy of 800 grams so hopefully on this coming Tuesday she'll graduate and be free from the little fur sucker.

Really? I'll be able to escape him? ~ Squeak

Smokey had some issues with runny poop. He'll be facing another course of worming in hopes he will pick up again. He does seem to be gaining again and he doesn't feel scrawny thin but he isn't eating or talking as much as he should be. If he stopped pointlessly sucking on Squeak he might have made 600 grams by now.

But sucking is comforting? ~ Smokey

Rose and Ranga have stepped up and reached 800 grams. Smack dab on the 800 so they're still with me until they can get a decent amount over it then they can go straight into sales and not worry about dropping back under.

Kissing kittens (were just finished milk)
*not sure if that's Rose or Ruby there

Ruby who should be well into the 700's is taking her sweet time to get anywhere. She is going up again but she's been a bit of a yo-yo and dropped soon after her vaccination. We shall see how she goes in the following days.

Ruby in the middle. Difficult kitten to get pictures of that one.

Now Violet 'should' be 600 grams and is the only one of her litter not yet vaccinated. She's rooming with Amber and is being slightly fussy on food. She is active bright looking and unlike her sister I've seen no sign of sneezing.

I still cannot get over how big their ears are....

Amber. Shakes head. Mystery kitten this one. Since her vaccination she's had the sneezes. There has been a bit of clear discharge from eyes and nose but she has her bouts of activeness and will sometimes eat if her face is mushed into food or milk. I do understand cats that don't smell don't eat. I would have thought it was serious if Violet had started showing signs too but nope.

Doesn't look too sick here does she?

I'm hesitant to say she's sneezing less. She has dropped a bit of weight but is hovering right on the 600 grams. The vet said to keep an eye on her and if she's still sneezing by the following Tuesday then maybe it will be safer for the majority to put her down.

They aren't sure if the vaccination batch has brought this on, if so then the sneezing should have cleared by Tuesday. If she's still sneezing then she may have caught something when she was horribly thin and its developing into something more serious. Sadly I'd much rather lose one than the whole lot.

We shall see how they go. I've had kittens face the needle before and even when I've given up all hope they've turned around and surprised not only me but a bunch of vets also (naming a few Rebel, Flash and Sparky and also Stella earlier this year).

The yo-yoing in weight that these kittens are doing seems to be happening a lot. Kittens are struggling to reach 600 grams and then struggling to reach 800 grams then when they hit 800 their weight problems seem to disappear.

It isn't just my own insanity apparently.

Many shelters this year are experiencing the same problems of kittens not gaining as they should but not showing any signs of illness'.

That was a blessing to hear I've been going insane wondering what I'm doing different to last year when I had batch after batch of cruisey kittens that came home with me, were active and playful, when food turned up they scoffed it down, when they were weighed they went up not down or level....

So until next Tuesday....


*****
Sale kittens Update

Flash is no longer in adoption. I'm unsure if he went home with a family or was one of the lucky 20 to be chosen to move on to another shelter that had less kittens. Safe journey little Blimp.

This kitten is one of the 'special' ones I wont forget...

Sparky, Pip, Jet and Rebel are all out in the sale rooms at the current shelter. They are entirely different from the teeny tiny scrawny, hissy little bundles I took home. The room is much less populated with 20 less kittens as are the rooms in Quarantine (spare cages whoop). If Squeak makes weight on Tuesday she'll be reunited with her siblings. *fingers crossed*

Not sure if I'll be having any more kittens. Depending on the verdict for the Meses and whether they're all considered at risk or only Amber who's sneezing I might have Ruby and Violet for a bit longer. Ranga and Rose if they pass check on Tuesday will be returning. Squeak will be returning. Smokey will be hanging with us awhile longer unless major issues arise and Amber...well it all depends on her immune system. I may be returning with 3 on Tuesday.

Wow three kittens....*fights off empty nesting feelings*