Looking For a New Rhythm

My family is growing at a rapid pace the last 3 weeks.  These are my 5 new additions.  The two calico girls will be going back to their owner when they are off the bottle.  Morgana is the orange and white baby girl with the swirly tabby markings.  Morrison is the orange tabby with the fine markings.  Maddox is the black and white boy who looks a lot like Asia.  They drank 3 bottles in the first feed I gave them.  Now I have 6 babies on the bottle so a new routine will hopefully happen soon.  They have been quiet since they had their big feed.  Their mom was probably taken by a coyote so I get to me their new mom.

Sharing Happy Times With My Babies

I was watching t.v. last night and looked up.  I saw Jorja and James playing with the ring.  I ran for the camera and hoped they would stay that way until I could get a few pictures.  They were really enjoying each other and the ring.  Jayden was playing with toys on the floor  (you can see all the toys by the ring.  This is their play area and they go there when they get up from their naps so they can play.  What luck to get pictures of them playing so nicely.  This morning Jayden insists on being on my lap so wherever I go he gets carried then put on my lap when I sit.  He is indeed a mama's boy.
     Zodiac is growing up.  This morning I fed him then put him in the litter box.  He started digging then very horizontally peed.  Soon he will be going in the box on his own.  He is only 3 weeks old and such a smart boy already.  When I went to get him so I could feed him this morning I sat on the bed by the cage.  Although it hasn't been a whole day that he has graduated to the big cage he knew to come over to the side door so he could be picked up and fed.  He catches on so fast to a new routine.

Here Are James, Jayden and Jorja

James, Jayden and Jorja are good babies.  They gained huge amounts the first day they were here as they were really enjoying their bottles.  Now they are getting switched to canned food so weight gain is smaller but that is what I expect.  They are playing and fun to watch as they scamper in the livingroom.  They play for a short while then all go into their bed to catch a nap.  Jayden is another mama's boy.  He loves, loves his mama and can't get enough of her.
     Zodiac is 3 weeks old today.  He was exactly 300g this morning and still a little butterball.  He got moved into the 2' x 4" cage which has a litter box.  It won't be long before he uses the litterbox.  He is a good boy and enjoys the occasional short walk time in the livingroom so he can get his legs under him and have a change of scenery.

Changes

The first 4 pictures are how I found Asia and Aster sleeping then Austin joined in.  Then pictures of Asia, Aster and Austin.  No pictures today of Tricket because she left for her forever home.  The goodbyes begin again.  Tricket arrived here July 29 and has a firm spot in my heart.  Asia, Austin and Aster are now up for adoption.
     My precious little baby girl who arrived on Saturday died Monday night around 7 pm.  I asked my vet on Wed about what more could have been done for her.  I had given her subcutaneous fluids, probiotics and white corn syrup picking everything that I could think that would help.  Because they were hypothermic she said that my good care enabled them to survive a few days but the organs had started to shut down when they were so very cold.  The little girl purred for me on Monday so I know she felt loved and was saying thank you.  I felt empty after both were gone as I had given everything I had into trying to save them but am glad for the short time I had with them.
     Zodiac is growing so much.  He was 264g tonight.  He is bright and alert and likes to walk around on the floor for short periods of time.  He drank half a bottle tonight.  I am so glad when I see good appetites.  He is 18 days old today. 
     Yesterday at noon before I went to work I received 3 more little babies.  They are about 4 weeks old.  I was surprised that they weighed 312g, 312g and 354g when I weighed them yesterday.  They are very fluffy kittens so seemed bigger than their weights showed.  They took a bottle readily which is a sigh of relief as 4 week old kittens are usually in the in between stage of too young to eat canned food well enough to have a full meal and too old to know how to take a bottle.  They are drinking lots of milk and this afternoon ate a plate of canned food.  Pictures of them soon once names are decided on.  They are learning the ropes of living in my house and know my voice already.

Baby Update

Zodiac (in the first 3 pictures) is doing awesome.  I call him my perfect baby.  He eats well and has gained weight every day.  He was 102g when he came and today was 226g.  He still has his umbilical cord hanging on but it should be gone soon.  His eyes are completely open and he started hearing yesterday.  No more sneaking up on him to take a quick peek.  He is aware of his surroundings and soon will need more entertaining.
     The last 3 pictures are of the new baby I got last night.  She (I think it is a girl) is 10 days old and arrived with her brother from out of town.  When they were discovered on the farm they were ice cold and no sign of life.  As the owner was taking the bodies to dispose of one of the babies started moving.  They were immediately warmed up which is what they needed.  Last night they were eating and felt warm.  I was worried about the little boy because as the evening went on he was starting to decline.  The little boy was mouth breathing (not a good sign) and started making little grunting noises though he was sleeping peacefully.  These were miracle babies as cold so quickly kills a little baby and they survived.  I stayed up late so I could offer frequent little feedings.  Then I set my alarm for 2 am.  The little boy purred when I fed him so I was encouraged that all would turn out well.  They woke me up at 4 am and then I got up at 6 am.  The boy did not want to eat.  He was crashing when I checked him a while later.  I knew he was in serious trouble.  His lips and mouth were blue.  I rubbed him all over and tried to make him pee (could not pee).  He died just after 8 am.  The little girl gained 4 g which isn't much but it is a step in a positive direction.  She likes the heat lamp.  She is not out of trouble yet but every hour gives her a chance.  I will do everything I can for her to make me smile by getting stronger.

Life as it Has Been Happening

The big babies who have moved down the pecking order in my house are super big.  Two are over 800g and two are about 750g.  They go to the vet next Wed and if all check out they will be up for adoption on Thursday.  Hard to believe these little beings who were only a week old are ready to go to their forever homes.  Tricket is still a love bug.  She lives to be on my lap.  If I happen to be petting Austin (who also lives to be on my lap) and Tricket is sleeping in the cat bed she somehow knows and has to come and share the love.  They are eating hard and canned food by the bucket.  They have many places they like to sleep which is a sign they are "big" babies now.
     On Sept 8 I had company who came to visit the babies.  All were well.  I held Aspen who was on the top of my chest, rolling, waving her legs in the air.  She ate twice and was an active, bright baby.  She was smaller than the rest but strong and playing.  The next morning as usual after I woke up I called the babies for a quick love session before I went to work.  Four babies came and as usual Aspen was last.  I called and called her but no Aspen.  I got out of bed saying "you are scaring me Aspen, don't do this to me".  I found her in the cat bed barely breathing.  She was on her last and I took her to the vet to be put down on my way to work.  I was shocked and we are not really sure why I lost her.  It was heartbreaking as I didn't see it coming.
     I got my new little baby after I got off work last Wed at 10 pm. Sept 25.  He was born on Sunday so was 3 days old.  His mom had him then had a lot of bleeding and health problems.  His sibling was born on Monday and died.  Mom again had a lot of bleeding due to a huge infection. As I was driving to get him I knew that sound sleep was going to be a thing of the past and I was going to have a lot of work ahead of me.  Zodiac weighed 102 g when I weighed him that night.  He is a happy boy and never meows.  I have been getting up every night for him.  He is a good eater and tonight weighed 172g which is amazing as it has only been 6 days since I got him.  He purrs for me when I pet him after he gets his bottle.  He is alone and needs to know he is loved and someone is there for him.  He is going to be one spoiled little boy.  The last 2 pictures were taken this morning when I saw how happy he was under the heat lamp.  He now moves around his cage a bit and is beginning to hold his head up well.  He still has his umbilical cord which has shrivelled a lot so will be falling off soon.  His eyes are getting formed so soon his eyes will be open and he will look like a bigger baby.  He is one sweet, gentle little boy.