The 4 female kittens opened their eyes yesterday!

I will post some pictures later, just wanted to make note of the beautiful occurrence right away! So far each of the 13 kittens has survived. 2 of the newborns, the runts, aren't eating as much as I would like to see it, but they are not doing too bad either. Time will tell. Time is something I don't have much lately hehehe. Feeding every 4 hours where it takes me 2 hours to feed all of them. The newborns I feed of course every 2-3 hours, so that's all I'm basically doing..warming bottles and feeding. And I wouldn't want it any other way! loool

13 Kittens, six newborns

These six kitties are less than 48 hours old.
My Great Dane Olliver is already very interested. He keeps helping me with cleaning
the kittens after feeding :).

I am not happy with the runt of this litter, have to keep a close eye on her.

The other 3 boys are doing great and the 4 girls are about to open their eyes!

First 2 litter of kittens this year!

The 4 girls are 1 week old (eyes still closed) and the 3 boys are now 2.5 weeks old. All 7 are doing ok. I received the boys when they were 10 days old and just opening their eyes:



The 3 boys are starting to play now and figuring out balance, hehe:







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Did you know...

Did you know that cats view people as parents or children that need help?? They actually feel compelled to bring us food! In hindsight, kitty is trying to do his share for the family. Cats also have a natural desire to store food for “rainy days”.

Groom Your Cat

Your feline will look (and feel!) like the cat’s meow after a good grooming session.

By nature, cats are extremely fastidious. You’ve no doubt watched your kitty washing herself several times a day. For the most part she can take care of herself very well, thank you, but sometimes she’ll need a little help from you.

MAKE GROOMING AS ENJOYABLE AS POSSIBLE—FOR THE BOTH OF YOU!
Grooming sessions should be fun for the both of you, so be sure to schedule them when your cat’s relaxed, perhaps after exercise or eating. You want your pet to remember grooming sessions in a positive way, so you never want to risk losing your temper. If you’ve had a stressful day or are in a bad mood, it’s probably not a good time to groom your cat.

Keep your first grooming sessions short—just 5 to 10 minutes. Gradually lengthen the time until your pet is used to the routine. You should also get your pet used to being handled. Get in the habit of petting every single part of your cat—including ears, tail, belly and back—and especially the feet!

And keep in mind, a little patience can go a long way. If your cat is extremely stressed out, cut the session short and try again when she’s calmer. Unfortunately, most cats do not like baths, so you may need another person to help. And remember to pile on the praise and offer her a treat when the session is over.

BRUSHING
Regular sessions with a brush or comb will help keep your pet’s hair in good condition by removing dirt, spreading natural oils throughout her coat, preventing tangles and keeping her skin clean and irritant-free.

If your cat has short hair, you only need to brush once a week:

- First, use a metal comb and work through her fur from head to tail.
- Next, use a bristle or rubber brush to remove dead and loose hair.
- Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly.

If your cat has long hair, you will need to brush every day:

- Start by combing her belly and legs; be sure to untangle any knots.
- Next, brush her fur in an upward motion with a bristle or rubber brush.
- To brush her tail, make a part down the middle and brush the fur out on either side.

BATHING
If your cat’s coat becomes greasy and oily, or if she’s gotten into something sticky or smelly, she’ll benefit from a bath. Use a mild shampoo that’s safe to use on cats, and follow these easy steps:
- First, give your pet a good brushing to remove all dead hair and mats.
- Place a rubber bath mat in a sink or tub to provide secure footing.
- Put your cat in a tub or sink that has been filled with about 3 to 4 inches of lukewarm water.
- Use a spray hose to thoroughly wet your pet, taking care not to spray directly in her ears, eyes or nose. If you don’t have a spray hose, a large plastic pitcher or unbreakable cup will do.
- Gently massage in shampoo, working from head to tail.
- Thoroughly rinse with a spray hose or pitcher; again, avoid the ears, eyes and nose
- Dry your pet with a large towel.

NAIL CLIPPING
Most people really don’t handle their cats’ feet until they are about to clip the nails and then…watch out! Some animals can get very upset at this totally foreign feeling. That’s why it’s a good idea to get your cat used to having her feet touched before you attempt a nail trim. Rub your hand up and down her leg and then gently press each individual toe—and be sure to give her lots of praise and some food treats as you do this. Every animal is different, but chances are that within a week or two of daily foot massage, your cat will accept nail clipping with too much fuss. Here’s how to do it:

- Begin by applying gentle pressure to the top of the foot and cushiony pad underneath—this will cause her to extend her claws.
- Use sharp, high-quality cat nail scissors to cut off the white tip of each nail, just before the point where it begins to curl.
- Take care to avoid the quick, a vein that runs into the nail. This pink area can be seen through the nail.
- If you do accidentally cut into this pink area, it may bleed, in which case you can apply some styptic powder to stop the bleeding.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_groomcat

Cat Food and Nutrition

If you are concerned about the kind of cat food your kitty is eating, these resources will help you learn all you need to know about cat food and nutrition in order to make educated choices of food for your cat, by learning to read cat food labels and understanding the meaning of the ingredients.

Food Choices - Adoption - and Compromises
While in a perfect world people would feed their cats the best possible foods, there are times when this is impossible, for a variety of reasons. Would a cat in a kill shelter be better off left there because a potential adopter couldn't afford the best foods? Look here for a discussion of compromises in cat food choices that might be necessary at times.

Quick Tip - Making Water More Interesting to Cats
Here's a quick tip for stimulating your cat's interest in drinking water during hot summer months.

The Role of Food in Your Cat's Health
Outside of regularly veterinary care, the food your cat eats is the most important factor to his health and longevity. These lessons will teach you everything you need to know about cat food: how to read labels, how to choose it, and foods you should avoid, and why.

Tips for Choosing Cat Food - Learning the Basics about Cat Food Labels
The ultimate purpose of this series is to help you learn how to read cat food labels to make your decision process easier in choosing the best foods for your cat

Understanding Cat Food Labels - the formulas you need
Learn how to analyze cat food labels to better understand the meaning of the "Guaranteed Analysis" section, and exactly what the AAFCO can and cannot do in regulating cat food.

Natural Raw Food Diet for Cats - The Hows and Whys of Feeding Cats Raw
A carefully home-prepared raw food diet closely approximates the diet cats would get in the wild; the diet to which their physiology is naturally attuned.

Why All the Fuss About Cat Food?
Retail cat food sales alone accounted for an estimated 8.2 billion dollars in 2002, according to Ann Gurkin, writing for the Petfood Industry magazine. It is therefore unfortunate that some of the top-selling pet foods may be doing cats an injustice, and in some cases, may actually be harming them.

Cat Food Ingredients to Avoid - Cat Food FAQ
What cat food ingredients should I avoid? Questions and Answers from About Cats email box.

Human Foods for Cats?
Let's face it: some cats are inveterate "bums" and will beg and plead most appealingly while you try to eat. While I will (rarely) give a cat a tidbit of chicken or turkey from my plate, it's a practice I don't encourage as a regular habit for a few reasons.

Focus on Food - Index of Articles - Top Picks - Reviews of Cat Foods
To help readers in their search for information about cat foods easier, here is a "shortcut" of all the original articles, cat food reviews, and top picks of premium cat foods on the About Cats Site, organized a bit differently from the Categories.

A-Z Cat Food Brands Comparison
Help for those who prefer the convenience of opening a can of cat food or a bag of dry cat food in the form of an A to Z list of all brands of cat foods, including the manufacturers' ingredients listings and guaranteed analysis (where available) for each food.

Human Foods to Avoid for Cats - Toxic Foods
Let's face it: some cats are inveterate "bums" and will beg and plead most appealingly while you try to eat. While I will (rarely) give a cat a tidbit of chicken or turkey from my plate, it's a practice I don't encourage as a regular habit for a few reasons. Find out which foods are absolute no-nos for cats.

Should I try a Vegan Diet for my Cats - Cat Food FAQ
Vegetarian and Vegan diets are becoming more popular among both animal activists and others concerned about health. The question often arises as to whether they should involve their cats in their vegan philosophies. Read the detailed answer to this question by HOSTBarb, host of the About Cats Forum

What's In Your Cat's Water
Could your municipal water source impurities or minerals that could adversely affect your own health or that of your cats? Find out the importance of obtaining a report and what it might mean.

What's wrong with by-products in cat food - Cat Food FAQ
Most cat experts recommend premium brands that avoid things like by-products and chicken meal, etc. However, I was thinking about how feral cats eat a whole rodent, or whole bird. It seems like the cheaper brands would be closer to a natural diet than the premium brands in this case.

The Female Cat's Reproductive Cycle

Cats are polyestrus, which means females can have many heat periods in each breeding season. Each heat period lasts between 5-14 days. If she is mated, the cat will usually go out of heat within 24 hours.

Breeding season in the Northern hemisphere is during the months of late winter and early spring (March-September). Indoor-cats or cats living in warm climates can go into heat and become pregnant more than once during the breeding season.

When in heat, the cat may display several signs. These may vary between breeds and even between individual cats. Signs include the famous calling (loud meowing), increased appetite and restlessness. Many cats begin to roll on the floor and demand to be petted. Some cats may begin to spray urine around the house.

If the cat is not mated and does not become pregnant, she can go into heat repeatedly every 2-3 weeks. This means that if your cat goes into heat - you can't simply keep her locked up at home, waiting for it to go away. Unless you spay the cat, she will keep going into heat practically every month.

Pregnancy

Feline pregnancy, or gestation, usually lasts 63-65 days. The length of the pregnancy, from ovulation to birth can vary between different breeds - anything between 58-70 days is considered within normal range.

You should be able tell if your cat is pregnant by the second or third week of the pregnancy, as the nipples of the pregnant female become enlarged and change color to deep pink. Later on, the growing abdomen will become more visible and leave little room for doubt.

Take the cat to see the vet for a prenatal check-up. Your vet will be able to confirm the pregnancy using an ultrasound or other tests. He or she will also set a course of tests and future check-ups as necessary.

Occasionally, a cat may exhibit a condition called pseudo- pregnancy or false pregnancy, where elevated levels of hormones cause symptoms that look much like a pregnancy. This condition can last for several weeks and then gradually fade away.

Care During Pregnancy

A young and healthy pregnant cat usually needs little special care other than extra attention to her nutrition.

She may experience nausea and morning sickness for a few days during mid-pregnancy, due to hormonal changes. She may also show a decrease in appetite and may even go off her food entirely a few days before the birth. If she stops eating for more than a couple of days, or if you notice a decrease in appetite for more than 3-4 days, consult your vet.

You should never medicate a cat unless your vet instructs to do so. This is especially important during pregnancy, where relatively safe and common drugs can be harmful. Let your vet know even if you only suspect your cat may be pregnant before any drugs are prescribed.

Source: http://www.petcaretips.net/heat_pregnancy_cat.html

Sarah, Clara, and more squirrel babies

Clara, 1 month old:

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All 4 pinkies are doing ok! The hurt foot is healing just fine. I do not expect any permanent damage.


Yes, it's a boy!

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Sarah, 1 week old. This is the side of the previously injured eye lid, now all healed up.


Her ear has still a bit left to heal.