Kitten Less *Nooooooo*

Pretty much for the first time this year I'm currently kittenless. I mean I wont be kittenless for long as I'm already seeing talk of pregnant female cats but it might be a little while before any are handed over for foster care.

Anyway. The Firestarters were due to return on the Wednesday last week but due to vet staff shortage it was changed to the Friday. I would have 'loved' to have kept the four for a bit longer but at the same time I was happy to see them go.

By the time kittens are reaching 8 Weeks old they're getting pretty good on their feet and causing all sorts of trouble. These four were getting ever closer to reaching 4 MONTHS old. They knew how to get into all sorts of mischief. They were getting bored within the same four walls - I don't blame them.

So beyond shredding the mesh screen on a window and trying to leap up onto shelves that they weren't supposed to these four kittens had reached the point where they no longer needed me. Technically they could have been a short term foster of only a week considering the first time I offered them some raw cat mince they were all over anyone that had some.

Yeah they didn't need much socializing.

The longer we had them the more obvious it was that these cats absorbed attention like a sponge. Of all of them Ash is the most reserved and wont push her siblings out of the way to claim a piece of mince. She'd much rather sneak a bit someone else hasn't seen.
Smokey has gotten much better but he's the least happy about being picked up with Cinders -depending on her mood - coming in second.
All four will drown you if you so much as hint to sit down and all four will begin a chorus of loud purring.

So I wasn't sure what the vet would find on Friday. There was every chance there could have been some remnants of their sneezing bug. I had witnessed a few coughing but it seemed like hair stuck down the wrong way - Sooty and Ash the two longest haired kittens were seen doing it.

I managed to worm them all when some of their stool was looking just a wee bit too 'soft' and no food had been changed. That was quite the event in itself as I'm not a pro pill popper and dread doing my own cats.

Alas all passed Friday's vet check without any problems. Sure they were all cowering in the cages having not been confined so much since they were taken out on foster care but none began hissing even when their temperature was checked.

Then they all went straight into adoption. I put them in room one but there was likely to be some shifting around. They went in with three other roomies.

Two black and white kittens that I called the Twins

Who are you?

And Sadly, little Cleo looking so much older and wiser is STILL waiting for her home.

Hey, why did you have to bring four more pests?

There was some fluffing up and hissing going on. Cleo hissed at anyone that so much as dared come over to her comfortable bed, she was quite happy observing and didn't go out of her way to make any introductions.

Cinders sizing up the competition

Cinders and Smokey were investigating everything with Cinders telling those Twin cats that she did NOT want to be buddies.

Smokey giving one of the Twins the cold shoulder

Sooty ventured out from under a sitting seat but at the sound of loud trucks across the road zoomed back under cover.

What was that Noise? ~ Ash

Smokey did attempt to climb the walls in effort to see if there was any escape.

Hey!! Lemme Out!! ~ Smokey

Poor Ash. She didn't like it at all and squished herself between the seat and the wall. I coaxed her out and she huddled on my lap for quite some time, hissing at the over friendly Twins and cowering at the loud sounds of traffic. Ash wasn't any less affectionate but she wasn't comfortable in her new surroundings and may take awhile to come out of her shell.

Still photogenic even with a crappy mobile phone camera

The other three were wandering around and checking things out when I finally decided to leave them.

The homes that had been lined up for Smokey and Cinders may have fallen through. I know Smokey's one has but with Cinders the jury is still out. I shall let you know the outcome.

The Firestarters

Well I've had them for over a week now....

A few days after their arrival the sneezes started and I threw out a few choice words. Despite this however there has been no further progression other than sneezing. Any snot has been clear, no eye discharge and I've seen no welts in their mouth.

They are still eating like there is no tomorrow, still playing and still being totally normal kitty cats. Pretty much day two and all socialization work was done but they couldnt return while they were sneezing. I totally dont mind having the company.

So...

Every night they get a tiny container of cat mince. Its kind of a bonding process but it has come to the point that to ensure you dont end up clawed, bitten or drowned by cats then you must stand and attempt to share out the food. Each kitten has gotten quite good at stealing from a litter mate or begging for more and pretending I never feed them at all....

My Brother Ben doing the honors of mince feeding while I take pictures

Cinders doing a little beg for said mince

It seems the hissing that originated from the cats in the beginning (when they had been separated from their siblings and then returned) lasted only a few days as well. Now they're all quite happy with each other, even to the point of helping each other wash.

Smokey - Really Cinders keep your ears clean

Sooty - Uh guys...do remember I'm down here

The problem with having four three month old (possibly older) kittens is that their balance and activity level is much higher than a kitten that is much younger. Normally by 8 weeks old they're done with foster care and return and I usually see the signs when they get ON TOP of the cage or begin making attempts to scale the half door.

These guys are always testing the boundaries. They managed to use the study chair to get ON TOP of the curtain rail. Not the brightest idea on their part because mum loves her curtains and if they shredded them they'd end up being in deep trouble. To 'save' the curtains I tend to tuck the white mesh over the curtain rail so they can wander on the window sill...

Smokey had decided this created the perfect hammock. He was quite cosy tucked in there until his two sisters tried to join him. Minor chaos ensued with me yelling at them to get down and Smokey barely managed to not slide down the white material screen with his claws. The curtains are intact and I moved the foster room around in attempt to make it so they can no longer get up there.

Whilst doing so I pinched a nerve in my back. So for four days it was painful to bend/lift/generally move. Serves me right for trying to shift heavy stuff with no help.

My back is fine again now after seeking a bit of helpful chiropractic and remedial massage, I'm also hesitant but hopeful that the sneezing in the kittens has begun to recede. (Fingers crossed)

They are not due for their next vaccination for a few more weeks. I'm not sure if I'll take them in earlier and see if they're eligible to get their spays and neuters done while their on foster care.

I'm hopeful that they don't destroy anything else in the meantime. I think I owe my parents a new protective window screen as one or maybe all four attempted to scale it or use it as a scratching frame and I'm VERY lucky that they didn't all escape (if they had focused on the one area for much longer  they would have created a hole big enough to escape).

Here's some pictures of the little rascals

Cinders and Ash

Ash is a bit more reserved than the other three but
affectionate and very photogenic

Smokey is a handsome little love bug and
will probably be returning to the shelter
as his potential home has fallen through.

Sooty not quite sure what to make of the treadmill

Laps do not go cold with these kitties, Cinders claims mum's lap

Sooty claims mum's lap with Smokey looking for room to join

Pretty, pretty Ash claims my lap

Sooty claims brother Ben's lap

As you see I have no doubt these kitties will be fine finding themselves homes when they return and they really don't need anymore socializing.

***********************
I am a horrible person. I haven't updated in so long and wrote this entry over a week ago.

Since then there has been little to no sneezing (any sneezing there is I've put down to recently giving the room a good clean and thus disturbing dust) and has been a bit of coughing but I'm not sure if that's just (I need to get rid of a hair ball) or something along those lines.

They go in for a vet check on Wednesday (fingers crossed) and if they pass they're likely to head straight up into adoption. As much as I'm enjoying their company they are quite full on and ready to be unleashed on the general public.

They are entirely fine with people. Always hungry, always playing, always being generally well adjusted kittens that now need a home.

Smokey, Sooty & Cinders squishing onto mum's lap

Ash  looking a bit put out that she doesn't fit as well

Speaking of playing I had hoped to resume walking on my treadmill. Well Smoky and Cinders have taken a particular liking to the treadmill and if I were to set the speed to something that was actually a walking pace I'd risk breaking my neck.

Any who, Sorry for the massive post, I'll possibly update again on Wednesday to say how their vet check went but I doubt I'll have any newbies until kittens begin flooding through the doors.