Kaos Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Looking a bit more like trouble now! What are their chances of surviving......(I know they're in the best hands, but aren't kitties are more difficult to hand rear successfully than pups)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 I've never done puppies so I've nothing to compare it to but from my knowledge of kittens there seems to be two danger periods. The first is around 7-10 days old. I believe most cases of fading kitten syndrome are caused by an infection contracted from the mother, and in my experience this has an incubation period of about a week. I've lost them at 7 and 8 days for no apparent reason, they just get weaker and weaker. The other is when they get weaned onto solid food. Problems internally seem to appear then. They seem to have done fine on milk but when you ask their little bodies to move onto the next step they fall to pieces because they're just not strong enough to do any more. I notice this about four weeks. I've lost kittens at five weeks and seven weeks so I can't afford to be complacent for a long time. It's soooooooo hard knowing I'm putting all this effort in and they still might not make it anyway. I know it sounds callous but I don't mind losing them at the start (well I do but you know what I mean), losing them at five weeks and onwards is a killer By that time I know them so well, they're part of the family. And they don't die suddenly, in each case I've been battling with them for days or even weeks. I still miss those I lost late. Dora at seven weeks was buried in the garden and I hated moving house and leaving her behind. Artemise (5 weeks) and Chelsea (almost 8 weeks) were cremated and will always be with me. I think my vet Mike shed as many tears as I did over Chelsea because he'd been treating her for so long. She finally died from Feline Infectious Peritonitis which she would've contracted from her mother. I'd had her since she was a week old so learning that she was doomed from the start was very very tough indeed. I'm glad she had almost eight weeks of life, she was almost pts at a week old after being attacked by her family dog. She suffered a fair bit at the beginning and end but on the whole she enjoyed her time here. Seven weeks of love and being waited on hand and foot is better than no life at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Jelly makes a bid for freedom: Run Jelly run!! Am keeping everything crossed that they all make it - they certainly couldn't be in better hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Ooooooo and I should've added that at their 3.30am feed I was greeted by Spam with one and a half eyes open Will take pics of his gorgeous eyes today I always get ridiculously excited, waving and holding them close to my face when they can finally see me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 All apart from lazy Spud have opened their eyes now. I think he devotes his energies to cultivating his fantastic hairstyle rather than actual physical development It wouldn't surprise me if he's semi-longhaired, his coat is incredibly thick and long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Oh Cheryl, what a heart-rending account of what you go through with these ickle babies I am so hoping that these guys make it. I am just loving their updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 I want them all , but I really need a house...and I loooooooooooove black or black and white cats....both my boys are big black cats....it never occured to me that people wouldn't want black cats....but for some reason it doesn't surprise people I meet when they find out I have two black cats...I don't know what vibes I give off!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 They are absolutely gorgeous, you are doing a fantastic job. I know how hard it is too as we hand-reared 3 kittens from 2 1/2 weeks old. All made it, although 2 got serious colic, we kept them all and they all lived to ripe ages, but the loldest was 19! Look forward to more photos, please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 They're always milky with wet bums in their pics because they scream the place down for milk at their feeds so I can only take pics after a grub & bum wiping session Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 My babies, on what I guess is about day 11 for them Spud with Egg in the basket: Possibly Egg: Jelly sprinting milkwards: Jelly upending one of her brothers She's tiny And has a moustache which makes it look like she's got milky chops Egg (left) and Spam: Dunno A pile of boys: Egg: I'm hoping for exploderous bums from them all. They've been constipated for two days so had some olive oil in their milk this afternoon. Failing that they're off to the vets tomorrow for some lactulose. I am soooooooooooooo tired and long for a decent nights kip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtychicken Posted October 7, 2008 Report Share Posted October 7, 2008 Oh my ker-flippin-thunk These have to be THE cutest photographs that I have EVER seen And has a moustache which makes it look like she's got milky chops Egg: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaos Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Love them all ! (but Jelly is a bit special) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Bones Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 (but Jelly is a bit special) You know you want to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoebejo Posted October 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 Poor Jelly is going to have her first bath this afternoon because Egg has weed on her back They're all a bit pongy so I might as well bath them all while I'm at it. Will wait until Daisy and Molly are home from school because I could do with help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted October 8, 2008 Report Share Posted October 8, 2008 They're looking much stronger already, and more beautiful by the day. Well done, you. Keep eating and growing, babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts