Baby Ewok is better!!

[calypso]

Yeah, I noticed my hands/nails don't look like they're in very good shape LOL! Why is it I can see it in the pics, but not in Real Life when I'm looking at my Real Hands!?!?!

Here's what the babies look like AFTER feeding time!



They're sleeping in a guinea pig cage, and with the box that comes under the Starbucks Frapp bottles you can buy at Costco (breakfast of champions!) for a litter box. They're still very tiny - weigh between 285 and 390 grams (not even pound yet!)

eta: to change "little" to "litter" but I think I had it right the first time. Or maybe the Little Litter Box!

Need sleep.......or more caffeine!

[mickeyfan3]

Oh man....I wish I could take one. But new puppy and new kitty will make for a too crazy household!

[piopico]

Will they have their first 'field trip' on Sat. when we go to the PMR bash in Santa Cruz? We can switch off on feedings!!!.........'course I really just want to cuddle them!!

[calypso]

Yipee!! The little twerps started eating by themselves at the 3 am feeding this morning! Whew!

(and *yawn*)

[littlebouv]

Oh boy Caly! I remember bottle feeding little ones (of the canine variety too!) My dad was a veterinarian and with four daughters at home, always brought them to us for feeding. Of course we always wanted to keep them!!

I remember we had 4 (yes FOUR!) litters at once! When it was feeding time once they got the hang of solid, it was a solid wave of kitties coming over the back of the couch! All the colors of the rainbow...

[calypso]

LOL! Now THAT is an image! We took some vid of the little furry pinballs tonight and will try to get it up in the next couple days.

Work is killing me right now....I'll be back more often once it stabilizes.

[gypsyrn]

any takers? I can ask at work.... someone was looking but don't remember who, I placed 6 puppies earlier this year through work. also are they eating on thier own at all or bottle fed?

[calypso]

Hi,

They have just started eating on their own. We won't list them for adoption until they are 8 weeks and we don't actually place them until they are 12 weeks. Shelters - and most other rescues - place at 8 weeks cause that is the earliest they can hand handle the anesthia for spay/neuter. Once they're fixed they want them out to make room for the next ones. It's a space-utilization issue.

A tremendous amount of intra-species socialization takes place between 10-13 weeks, so we keep them together through that. Then, if kittens are under 6 months old, they need to go with a litter mate. If they are older than 6 months we prefer to place them with a companion (either a resident cat/dog or place them in pairs).

All of ours (with one exception - a 5 year old VERY set in his ways) are housed with other cats. (The ones at my place are also exposed to dogs). Cats are colony critters, despite their reputation for being solitary. They are solitary hunters - meaning they can survive without any other cats, as opposed to dogs who must hunt in packs, BUT in the wild they CHOOSE to live in colonies. The social dynamics of a feral colony are amazing to watch. So, I try to respect "their natural order" while I'm messing with it LOL! (spay/neuter, adoptions, moving them around within foster homes). "Natural catmenship". LOL! (oh jeez, I need some sleep...or some coffee....or both)

[calypso]

More pics taken last night. They're now furry little pinballs - ricocheting off everything! They've just finished eating so they're still covered in food. Thank goodness they're finally off the bottle!

mta: I thought my floor was clean! But in the pics I can see the litter dust they've tracked everywhere! They're cute, no doubt about it, but whadda lotta work! ;D

[calypso]

We were just about to head out the door to see the Lipizzaner Stallions with the group. The last task before going was to feed the babies. They had a rowdy morning playing and had been snoozing all afternoon. Three of them jumped on the food, but one - Ewok - didn't. She was flat and running a temp so instead of heading to Oakland, we headed to the hospital.

Right now we're back at home and treating symptoms - fluids and antibiotics. Don't know what's going on. Kittens are so fragile, and she's the smallest weighing only 1 pound 11 ounces. She's been very vigerous and a great eater (actually fairly food aggressive!) so the no appetite thing was a huge flag. She and her sibs have been bottle babies for weeks so they have no maternal antibodies left and they have not been vax'd yet so I am really worried. It also means they would NOT want to admit her to the hospital unless absolutely no choice. This little one could use some jingles. She does not feel well at all.

Here we are in the waiting room tonight:

[swissgrl]

Poor little baby, sending tons of jingles for the little girl!

[earlybp]

Did she make it through the night okay? Poor little girl.

[jenm]

Jingling like crazy for Ewok. I'm so sorry she isn't doing well. I hope she is doing better this morning. We missed you last night, Caly...

[calypso]

She made it though the night. Around midnight she seemed to perk up and was even playing a bit with a ball. Baby kittens are so amazing - they can die so quickly and they can rebound so quickly! I stayed up till 2 with her, checked on her at 5:45 and she was sleeping both times. Now (9:30) she's awaking and eating. She's more interested in interacting than eating and she's purring, so I think she's going to be okay. I need to see poo first though LOL! (panleuk is ALWAYS a concern with kittens, but especially ones that were bottle fed = no antibodies from mom.)

I missed y'all too! WHAT timing! But....story of my life...... ;D

modified to add smiley so I don't sound like I'm whining. The rewards are so worth it!

[calypso]

Baby Ewok is back with her sibs!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

I got some nice normal poo tonight! Her appetite is good and her fever is down. She was yelling bloody murder and wanted ATTENTION RIGHT NOW so I put her back with her brothers and sister an hour ago...they're still playing. ;D


Makes me so happy! ;D ;D ;D ;D

[earlybp]

Yay! Normal Poo! Yay!
Caly, I hope you move up here so I can come visit you and all of your meow-meows.

[Admin]

Good Pooh! Go baby Ewok ;D

They are so lucky to have Caly!