We are 8

We are 8
Originally uploaded by Hotash

weeks old!!!!!!

we demand your full attention and all your love

another milestone reached.

at 8 weeks old the Thank You's are all eating a raw diet of ground fish, chicken & vegetables (hissy fit from Feed This, Inc,) mixed with water and rice cereal on occasion. They also get some yogurt here and there still. Today was the last day they got any kitten milk re-placer. By next week they will be on full raw without any problems. Asante already loves the quail ;)

They are all good about using the kitty litter box now.

We started sleeping upstairs again finally.....I missed my bed so much, the downstairs bed has nothing over my lovely FloBed!!! The first few nights I took the kitty box upstairs (it's two flights) and of course worried they would fall through the railing when playing. Turns out they have a healthy fear of the edge so all has been well. This week, no kitty box upstairs. When they wake up in the morning/day/night- so do I, and we all go downstairs for a box visit- it's working great.

The play skills they have are awesome- they run, jump, leap, roll, tumble, carry, and climb with ease. They can really follow an object well now and one of the most fun games they play is king of the scratching post...it's second only to "try and get me out of the kleenex box" - so far Merci is the queen of the kleenex box.

Bramble sleeps with them all and she eats with them too-she has really taken to playing with them nicely.

More on Bramble later....

Tea-toes kisses

Tea-toes kisses
Originally uploaded by Hotash

he is a HUGE kisser, they all do this but Kiitos gets right in there and really loves me up.

Today they went outside...Kittos stayed right around my lap for a long time while he watched his big brothers tear it up, Merci stayed right with Kiitos in my lap- they know it's safe there.

Something to be THANKFUL for today

Something to be THANKFUL for today
Originally uploaded by Hotash

The baby Thank You's are 1 month old and doing just awesome.

Asante is a hound for food. He has shared some cooked pork chop with me and he loves the baby food meats. Last night I was able to get him to lick out of a dish!!!

Merci gave it the ol' college try last night and she did a good job licking baby food meat off of my finger.

Takk & Kiitos still wish that disgusting smelly food finger would get the heck out of their face!

By this weekend I will be starting Asante on his forever diet - B.A.R.F

And in other news - AKA "the best news ever" - ALL four of them are successfully using the kitty box as of today.

I have had to keep a close eye on them even though they were using the box the past 4-5 days as they would 'forget' and just find a spot when they were playing. But as of today I feel very comfortable with them using the box without my direction. They all four nursed this afternoon then played and then each took themselves to the kitty box and went.

Oh happy day!!!!!

The Thank You's

Kiitos & Asante
Originally uploaded by Hotash

The babies are nearly 30 days old.

They
-nurse without any effort
-walk
-are starting to run/walk
-ears open and mostly upright
-eyes fully open
-middle teeth cut through (between canines)
-canine buds starting to poke through
-tails swishing
-play with each other, biting, kicking, and bear hugs galore
-hissing at things that they don't recognize

and today-I'm not kidding you....after only 2 times in the kitty litter box, they ALL are digging holes and peeing!!!!!

They are growing up so fast!!!!

Kiitos stopped his antibiotics yesterday after 10 days...and if you were wondering....I didn't put the others on antibiotics- they are all doing really, really well. They will get their 2nd round of worm medicine on the 17th- then no more meds!

I have been feeding them:

Just Born kitten milk re-placer powder
Water
A splash of Pedialyte
Slippery Elm powder
Goat milk yogurt
1 tiny jar of 1st foods meats (finely ground meat & water)
Pinch of Vitamin B12/Folic
& Baby rice cereal

They are still nursing-it's a thicker mix now though.
Asante has been supplementing his nursing with licks of baby food off of my finger, Merci tried it, didn't like it and Takk & Kiitos would run away if they could....

Kiitos

Kiitos
Originally uploaded by Hotash

it all started yesterday...his appetite dropped off and continued to wane until he had none.

by the time we got home around 230am he refused any food and was hot. Within an hour he was showing more signs of illness.

I took his temperature - it was 102.5F - high for his age (should be 96-100F) - he had thick, sticky saliva and was just too weak to do anything.

I started him on antibiotics and tried to get a tiny bit of Pedialyte into him- no go.

By 5am I was convinced his time was very near. He could not lift/hold his head up, his breathing was forced, his lips were blue and his feet were cold.

I diluted a drop of Rescue Remedy in some cool Pedialyte and put a drop in his mouth.

He was resting with me, away from everyone else in a warm spot in the bed. I told him I was sorry and just re-assured him it was ok. I turned him from side to side every 30 minutes or so to help with his breathing- he rested quietly, too weak to cry much. I would rub down his little nose to the top of his head and he would purr, we did this until I fell asleep.

I tried to sleep...hoping the antibiotics would give him a kick start back. At the next scheduled feeding he still wasn't able to nurse well, however he rooted and tried to nurse my finger- the fluid was just too much for him.

I took a tiny dropper and put some warm Pedialyte with a few drops of milk - he took about three (very small dropper) full droppers. Then refused anymore, pushing away and crying loudly. He is going to the bathroom ok and had been eating fine, if not possibly too much (which can be a problem).

This could be many things...but whatever it is, he's fighting it.

I gave him a second dose of antibiotics this afternoon and managed to give him 1ml of subcutaneous fluids -that was hard to do!!! He has nursed and taken Pedialyte milk 3 times today....it's 10pm and I'm here to say that Kiitos is a strong little boy- He pulled up from deaths door at 3am to crawling and nursing and over-all a bit better by 10.

...I'm exhausted to be honest...and it's time to feed and poo everyone again.

BUT, today we have hope...again.

Thank you mommy

Thank you mommy
Originally uploaded by Hotash

My mom gets off of work in the early am, after the stores open up...I'm (hopefully) sleeping and 20 minutes from town, so----

A quick call to mommy late last night - "Mom, some jerk dumped 4 kittens in a garbage can, they are about a day old....can you do me a solid and pick up some things for me in the morning and bring them by the house?"

Mom - "sure, what?"

me - KMR, new bottles (the Nutkins bottle nipples are too big an opening) and a heating pad."

mom- "ok, I'll see you when I get off of work - I hope they do ok..."

I get off of work at 2am, head home, feed the four some kitty milk, Pedialyte and a bit of karo syrup, mixed with colostrum- all eat well and pee (with stimulation) and then curl up in the nest I made in a re-usable grocery bag, two hot water bottles and my jacket.

Their squeaking draws everyone into the kitchen- Marlee is sniffing and sniffing-Rain just wonders if there will be food involved and Cali is guarding Big Kitty.

I have not introduced the kittens to the cats- I want to keep them separate for awhile to help insure their health, as well as our kitties.

They wake me up around 8am (again) and they nurse the bottle well, two took some encouragement but soon, the ears were twitching and some serious nursing was going on- all peed again and back to bed we went-with a nice new heating pad and warm water bottle.

This afternoon, I wake up with screaming kittens, poop everywhere and sunshine.
Each kitten gets a thorough scrubbing and a full belly - Asante didn't eat as well, and had hiccups....he did pee and poo though, so maybe he just has an upset tummy.
All are sleeping in the basket that Bramble no longer needs- tonight will be a long night...work begins at 4pm

So far they are eating, pooping machines- If things keep going this way we may be ok. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and...thanking someone that it's my Friday- then 3 days off- because I'm getting no sleep!!!

The Thank YOU's

The Thank YOU's
Originally uploaded by Hotash

Kitten #1 = Takk
Light Black & Gray Tabby - Male

Kitten #2 = Kiitos
Dark Black & White tabby - Male

Kitten #3 = Asante
Black w/White stripe on belly - Male

Kitten #4 = Merci
Very light Grey & White stripped - Female

All names mean THANK YOU in different languages

ps-sex is approximate :)

All four, less than three (3) day old kittens, came to be with us around 10pm September 17th while I was working.

They were found by a co-worker (whom I've never met before tonight) in a neighboring town. She went out to put her garbage out for garbage day. When she lifted the lid to her can she found someone had dumped all four kittens in her garbage can!!!!

She drove them the 30 minutes south to me at work where I have been bringing up their temperature with warm water bottles and a fuzzy jacket. They were all very cold when I took them over. It's 3 hours later....they are warm and all 4 have nursed some Pedialyte & kitten milk. I hope it is enough, soon enough....

Only time will tell.

Welcome to the herd you four.

A great big THANK YOU to the creep who dumped these babies.
I guess you weren't counting on people who cared....

"Um, now what?"

"Um, now what?"
Originally uploaded by Hotash

Bramble was climbing away on the posts....I helped her all the way up...and then down again

Today we had a tiny bit of rain. It was fun to watch Bramble hop around trying to figure out what kept hitting her everywhere she went.

Even though my wood isn't stacked and nothing is covered...I'm ready for winter.

Rock my world little country girl

My 1st try
Originally uploaded by Hotash

Well, I took my hand at flower arranging.
The judging happens in the morning....

Baby Blackberry Bramble

Baby Blackberry Bramble
Originally uploaded by Hotash

she is getting so big!!

She is 4 months old now.
Has her new canine teeth but is still teething.

She also has a swollen lymph node on the left side (neck) and itchy ears.

After I wrangled her and wrapped her in a towel...
I took a look - she has Chiggers!!! - this is something we have dealt with in the other cats in the past. We haven't seen it in the past year, but maybe this year they are out and about again.

Temperature: 101.2 / 9.6.08.1520 = normal = good news

Bramble has been going on evening adventures with the other cats so who knows what else she'll bring home!!!

I hope this is all we are dealing with....

On top of More Mr. Peeps latest lab results... we could all due with NO MORE pet issues!!! for awhile at least....