The BPK are Nearly Grown Up Kitties!

The Beatrix Potter Kittens (BPK) are nearly grown up boys and girls. At ten weeks old the family is now reduced by one, Mopsy has found a forever home and her new name is Belle! Mopsy was the tom boy leader of the pack but we feel certain that she will develop into the dainty young lady that her new name implies (NOT!!!)

The BPK continue to inhabit Jane's house and have now taken over the entire first floor including the forbidden LIVING ROOM! Yes, that's the family (minus Peter...she's shy) making themselves comfortable on the sofa table. They are rather like a furry little gang and now that Mrs McGregor is no longer nursing she has joined in on the fun. She is, after all, just a kitten herself.

The entire family has gone off to the vet today to get spayed and neutered. We will have an infirmary of recuperating kitties tonight. Ice cream all around!

OOPS! He's a Girl!

Flopsy has had a sex change. I was sure he was a little boy one...but it turns out HE IS A GIRL!!! Oh well, she doesn't seems to mind one litle bit.
All the kittens are doing very well. They have learned to climb the stairs and no longer need to be transported in the kitty cup. The kitty cup is a small fleece lined pet bed that was their favorite cozy spot to in which to cuddle. When I transported the kittens from one place to another I would fold the kitty cup in half making a "kitty taco" to keep everyone in place and safe from falling out. Well they don't think that is funny anymore and everyone tries desperately to get out...it looks like a poorly made taco with lettuce (kitens) falling out of both ends. So they had to learn to navigate the stairs on their own. Oh no...nothing is safe now!
Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, Peter and Mrs McGregor had their first vaccination on Sunday. They tolerated the shot well and forgave our clumsiness in giving it. They couldn't wait to scamper away and play behind the refrigerator where they have found some very ferocious dust bunnies!

Mrs McGregor

Mrs. McGregor is a beautiful, buff colored, dilute tabby. She has white paws and a white bib. Her eyes are copper penny brown and she is fine boned and elegant. We wonder if she is a Turkish Angora or Turkish Van cross.

This lovely cat is doing a super job raising The Beatrix Potter Kittens, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter are thriving! The boys all weigh a pound and five ounces, while little Peter is a dainty one pound and two ounces. Those few ounces make a big difference! They are all eating soft cat food and tiny baby kitten kibble. They have learned to lap water (although they prefer to play in the water bowl) and I supplement mama's milk with kitten formula. All the kittens are using the litter box and this week they are learning to climb the cat tree. What fun!

Mrs. McGregor is quite young and no doubt this was her first litter of kittens. Her story is a perfect example of why it is so important to commit to spaying and neutering all pets. She and several siblings ended up at a shelter in West Virginia where the vast majority of animals are euthanized. The few that make it out to rescue organizations like Homeward Trails are fortunate indeed. HT is committed to finding every animal in our care a forever, loving and appropriate home. Your support of Homeward Trails makes our work possible. Even if you are not able to adopt a pet right now, please consider making a donation, sponsoring an animal or directing a contribution to the medical fund of a sick pet in our care. You can easily do this through the website http://www.homewardtrails.org/

More Milestones

The Beatrix Potter Kittens are progressing well. Today they are four weeks old and we have our first one pounder! Mopsy weighed exactly one pound meaning he has gained eight and a quarter ounces in the two weeks he had been with me. Flopsy is the next heaviest at 15 and 1/4 ounces and Cottontail is just behind at 14 and 5/8 ounces. Peter, the little girl, is just 13 ounces. She is a dainty girl indeed.

The kittens ate solid food for the first time today. Both Flopsy and Mopsy lapped away at some Gerber Chicken Baby Food. They really seemed to enjoy it but Cottontail and Peter were not interested. We will try again later.

I opened the nest box today so that the babies now have access to the entire nursery room. Once they are using the litter box I want to be sure the litter is far enough away from the nest area so they understand that there are places for sleeping and playing and places for peeing and pooing. The next box is a small baby wading pool. The sides are low enough for mom to get over, but the babies can't. Today I cut out a one foot section so that the kittens can easily go in and out. I will save the section so that I can replace it for another litter of little ones. The wading pool is easily cleaned and can be made quite cozy.

Potty Training

Mama cats keep their nests absolutely spotless. There is no odor and the kittens are immaculate. Think about it...in the wild she would need to keep the babies out of harm's way. Any odor would attract potential predators. So the queen keeps her kits and their nest very very clean. In the first few weeks she must stimulate the kittens to urinate and defecate which she does by strategically licking their little butts. There is never any evidence of pee or poo. As they get older and develop they can eliminate on their own and mama (grateful to be free of diaper duty) teaches the babies to use the litter box.

This morning after kitty weigh in one of the babies was pitifully crying in the corner of the nest. I thought it was an upset tummy and then realized it was a first poo! It must be a scary new sensation and the little guy didn't like it...but Mrs. McGregor and I celebrated with whoops and hollers! I immediately put together a little kitty litter pan with easy access for the little ones. Mama will show them how.

I use Kitten Attract as litter and I have saved the cardboard trays from the cafeteria at work to use as throw away litter pans. They have low sides and are just the right size for kittens. I will have several litter pans wherever the kittens are from now on.

At two and a half weeks

The kittens are two and a half weeks old now. They have been with me for one week and have visibly gained weight. I weigh them every morning and they have gained as follows: Flopsy started out the week at 8 and 3/4 ounces and ended the week at 13 ounces! Mopsy was 7 and 3/4 ounces at the begining of the week and is now 13 and 3/4 ounces (the largest kitten.) Cottontail was 9 and 3/4 ounces and weighed 13 1/4 ounces today. And Peter, the only female and the smallest kitten, started at 7 and 1/2 ounces and is a healthy 11 and 1/8 ounces today. They all look so alike that it is taking time to make distictions. Cottontail has a tiny white tip on his tail and a lovely white bib and socks. The tip of Flopsy's tail is crooked. Peter is slightly lighter in color and smaller than the others.

All are crawling around, trying to toddle. When they gain confidence the tail goes up to act as balance. They have started to groom themselves, cleaning their paws with tiny pink tongues. Tiny teeth have started to bud. We will work on introducing food later this week and will make kitten litter boxes available.

Mrs. McGregor, the mama cat continues to be very attentive, but spends some non-nursing time away from the babies. They don't need her for warmth anymore. She is a lover kitty.

They arrive!

The mom cat and her four babies arrived at my house on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, 2009. We think the kittens were born 15 days ago and so I have given them a birthday of April 25. All are on track for two weeks old. Their eyes are open and they are nursing well. It looks like we have three boys and one girl and I have decided to name them Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Peter. Mom will be known as Mrs. McGregor. The Beatrix Potter kittens are comfortably ensconsed in the kitten nursery, they are comfortable and cuddly.