Day 63 (10/24)

The food we've been feeding these guys seems to make them smell bad. Right on the package, it says it has ingredients that are supposed to reduce litter box odors, but we've been noticing a fairly strong smell that is reminiscent of Desitin. So, Terri took it back and got some other food, and we'll see how that goes.

Kitten weights:
Rosey - over 3 pounds
Casey - over 3 pounds
Eric - over 3 1/2 pounds
Meisha - 608 grams or 21.50 ounces

Day 62

Today is the 2 months mark since the kittens moved in! It seems like longer, yet it seems like only yesterday at the same time. The boys have grown from those little blobs of kittens to big crazy fast, yet very loving young cats. I trimmed their nails this evening, and I must say they are all 4 so well behaved during that time! I think they think of it as a paw massage.

The boys have gotten so tall that it is time to raise the roof on their cage. The cage is currently 3 foot tall, and by adding on the other section it will be 6' tall. We plan on making a sub-floor half way up, so I would be so worried about Meisha falling. I think the boys are big enough to handle it though.

Meisha has finally blended in with the boys. I think if you ask the boys, they will tell you Meisha has always been there. She curls up with the boys, she eats with them, and she plays with them, with very little fuss. I think the only reason there is fuss now is that Meisha likes to hear her own voice!

This picture was taken of the kittens in their travel box. Yes, they all curl into one box still, and there is still a lot of room. They don't like being seperated, so we won't push them into seperate boxes until they either decide on their own, or putting them in the box is like loading passengers on the Tokyo subway trains.

Kitten weights:
Rosey - 3 pounds plus
Casey - 3 pounds plus
Eric - 3.5 pounds plus
Meisha - 600 grams or 21.10 ounces

Day 60

WOW!! The boys have been here for 60 days! In those 60 days they have grown SO big and loving and playful. We inquired further about the animal assisted therapy program for the boys, and they have to be at least a year old to be involved. We will continue taking them places so they can meet different people and enjoy different experiences.

The boys finally have grown big enough to fit in their harnesses, so they will be spending some time in them each day, working up to a daily walk on the leash. They don't walk so well now on the leash.

In the next few weeks we will also start trying to teach the kittens some simple tricks. That may be a joke, as we all know cats don't really do tricks, they just sometimes amuse us by doing what we ask of them :-)

Meisha is really starting to blend in with the boys, rompong and playing with them as if she has been with them all along! She often stirs up the "trouble" when everyone else is quiet. Once the boys start to play with Meisha it is hard not to worry about her, as she makes enough noise to lead you believe the boys are killing her! They're no obviously, and once they back off Little Sweet Meisha attacks! Heeheehee!!

Kitten Weights:
Rosey -
Casey -
Eric -
Meisha -

Day 59

Last night we discovered Meisha has a tapeworm. I won't go into detail about how we discovered that, but if you have had a dog or cat you probably understand :-) This morning I took Meisha to the vet and Meisha was once again given medicine. Have you ever given a pill to a cat!? All I can say is I counted blessings that Meisha only weighs a pounds and is still okay with pretty much everything! It was tiny little pill, and Meisha actually only had 1/4 of it, and she took it like a champ!

Aside from having the tapeworm, Meisha was given a clean bill of health. After confriming that tapeworm was not easily spread, you need fleas, Meisha returned home and joined the boys in the kitten cage. Fleas spread tapeworm, so that in an of itself is a reason you NEVER want to see fleas on your pets!!

I don't know if you have noticed the kittens' little blue mouse batting toy, it has a big springy red ball on a spring that the kittens bat at. Well it HAD a big red ball on it, but the boys have destroyed the mouse's tail. The big red ball is now a mere tuft of red fuzz. We are debating replacing the mouse, or waiting until all the fuzz is gone.....

Meisha has learned all about the litter box! I have to give credit to Casey for that! Meisha has been so fixated on Casey and watched his every move, and she has learned all. She has even learned Casey's loud screams :-)

Pictures: If you look closely, you will see little red dots on the kitty condo. Those are little pieces of the mouse's tail. In the picture of all of the kittens on the cat condo, Rosey is up top with Casey and Meisha, while Eric took teh peaceful middle shelf to himself.

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 3 pounds plus
Casey - 3 pounds plus
Eric - 3.5 pounds plus
Miesha - 584 grams or 20.50 ounces

Day 58

Yes, hanging head in shame...We did not take any pictures, and we forgot to even weigh the kittens! To top that off I am a whole day late getting day 58 up!!












Today Meisha stayed with the boys all day long! Yeah, there was some noise, and we thought about taking her out, then we saw it all, the whole entire story! Meisha woke up a sleeping Rosey to have him play with her! It was only then that we realized it may be her WANTING the rough play. Sure enough, she provokes quite often!

On the other hand, Casey has almost learned the routine of pick on Meisha and I get Mommy time!

Picture: That ball of yarn really IS bigger than Meisha! It is actually 2 skeins, but still you have to admit it IS awfully cute!!

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 3 pounds plus
Casey - 3 pounds plus
Eric - 3.5 pounds plus
Meisha - 550 grams or 19.40 ounces

Day 56

Today Meisha spent an entire hour visiting the boys! Well okay, Rosey and Eric, I did take Casey out for a large portion of the hour. I think she needs the company, the exercise, and she needs to see the boys being cats!

Meisha has mastered the leap now! She leapt about 8 inches from a shelf, up to the top of the cat condo. She did this several times, along with the return leap to the shelf!

Sandy had the pleasure of having all 4 kittens on the bed with her tonight. It is a first, and I don't think I have ever seen Sandy happier!!

I ordered i.d. tags for the kittens, and their canine mommy and brothers. I figure since the kittens are social butterflies they really need some identification on them.

Tomorrow I am going to call and find out more about using the kittens for animal assisted therapy, where they will visit people in the hospital and nursing homes and the like. I did the preliminary contact with the humane society, and I now have a contact and I will be calling tomorrow. I think the kittens will be great for the program, they are used to new people and new situations.

Pictures: Frankie is so very funny about the kittens! Do you see her in the top of the cat tree with Casey?! Well, Frankie kept jumping down as if she wanted away, then she would jump right back up, over and over.... Diego is finally okay with all the kittens, do you see Meisha approaching him? That is Eric on his back next to Meisha, see the size difference? Suddenly my little boys are HUGE!!

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 3 pounds plus
Casey - 3 pounds plus
Eric - 3.5 pounds plus
Meisha - 535 grams or 18.90 ounces

Day 55

The boys are getting absolutely HUGE!! They are all 3 weighing in at 3 pounds and over!! Of course having little Meisha around just makes the boys look all that much bigger. Tonight I commented to Eric that Casey's head is about the same size the WHOLE Casey was when he first moved in!! Like I said before though, Casey has a big head!! :-)

Casey is still in the bullying Meisha business! We put Meisha in there with the boys and Casey just towers over her and picks on her! Rosey and Eric seem more accepting of Meisha, and want to just figure out who she is. Tonight when Meisha visited, we actually took Casey out. Rosya nd Eric and Meisha had a very nice play date!!

I keep meaning to tell you we, meaning the vet and us, think Meisha is really close to 6 weeks old. The vet told us she is on the small side of the 6 week old kitten, so she is big enough. She certainly ACTS like the boys did 2 weeks ago! She may be a teeny tiny thing, but she is FAST!!! The only thing she isn't really getting is the litter box! It isn't like the boys, just refusing to learn, she gets in there and thinks it is a buffet! We have to watch her close and have had to brush the pine bits out of her mouth more than once!! AGAIN I am thankful I read not to use clay litter with kittens!!

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 3 POUNDS!!!!!
Casey - 3 POUNDS!!!!!
Eric 3.5 POUNDS!!!!!
Meisha - 530 grams or 18.70 ounces, that is 94 grams(3.3oz) in 5 days!!

Day 54

It is certainly easier to find time for this when the kittens are doing so many things!!

First of all, Sandy is all kinds of excited and happy now, her baby has accepted the fact that Sandy will not be eating her! The 2 of them were playing this morning, and the kitten seemed to really like the feel of cuddling with Sandy. I think Sandy got tired of being patient, and she decided she was going to stick it out with little kitty claws flying and little kitten hisses. After a few seconds of this Meisha relaxed, and has been fine with Sandy since!

Today I also decided to let Meisha join her new brothers for a few mintues of playtime. That Casey is a big bully!! The first time Meisha was in there, Casey cornered her, then pushed her around, and finally hissed and batted at her. I removed her promptly and she was just fine, not even scared. Later we put her in for another playtime, and this time went MUCH better. I figure 10 minutes with the boys 3 times a day for a few days until they all decide to get along. Oh, and Meisha has some growing to do before the cage is fun! She is not quite big enough to climb up and down the levels! She was ready for this, as she has not had any sneezing or runny eyes for the last 2 days! Oh yeah, and Meisha needs to be eating only solid food before she can really move in with the boys! It will probably all come together in the next week or so!

Pictures: Look hard in the picture in the corner by the food bowl, and you'll see Meisha eating with Casey. That's Eric climbing the open lid. That's a popcorn box with Meisha inside.

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 2 pounds plus
Casey - 2 pounds plus
Eric - 2½ poinds plus
Meisha - 487 grams or 17.2 ounces

Day 53

I have to tell you, there can't be a sadder sight than a kitten in quarantine!! It is so pitiful to see this little kitten sitting by the door to her box, just watching everything! I took her out and while I was holding her, I decided we could make a sling for her to ride in. I figured if it didn't work, it was still worth trying. We made the sling, and she rode around with Lee for a few minutes. While it isn't perfect, she can get out, it does make it easier to hold her and still do things.

Today Meisha tried hard food sprinkled on her moist food. She ate it like it was her favorite! Sh actually ate an equal amount of dry and moist at each meal. In a few days we will increase the dry food, until she is eating only dry food. I hope to have her eating dry food when she moves in with the boys!

Speaking of the boys, today they finished their wormer medicine like champs! Gosh, I can't get over how solid they feel, even Casey. I think back to when they first arrived, and how teeny tiny and fragile they felt. They are big beasts now!

Sandy has pretty much decided the boys are on their own, now that she has a new baby to focus on. Poor Sandy, Meisha is still not too thrilled with the idea of a dog in the house. Meisha was sitting on my lap tonight when Lee walked in with Sandy and Diego, and Meisha about had 2 cows!! She hissed and spit several times before she was able to calm down. Give it a few more days, and Meisha might be really okay with Sandy!

Okay, so Zelda is not a kitten, but I just have to tell you about this strange 2 year old cat we have!! Tonight she decided to pee in the toilet, this is the third time she has done it! We have never tried to teach her this, it is only on her own. I think she might think it a "bad" spot to go, so she pees there every so often! HA! Little does she know that one of thesedays I am going to start training her for this!!

I just went to upload pictures, when I realized we didn't take any!! All the 4 legged kids are in bed now, so I will make sure to get EXTRA cute pictures tomorrow!

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 2 pounds plus
Casey - 2 pounds plus
Eric - 2.5 pounds plus
Meisha - 449 grams or 15.85 ounces

Day 52

Today we decided to measure the boys to see who is the biggest kitten. You see, Eric weighs the most, but Casey looks like he is the biggest. We started off thinking Casey was all fluff with that hair, and or it was his light grey coloring. Well, a couple of measurements confirm that Eric is longest kitten. Casey has the biggest head, almost a full 1/2 inch bigger than both Rosey and Eric. Eric and Casey BOTH have the same size tummy!! So, Rosey is the smallest of the 3. I thought it funny that even though Eric weighs in more than 6 ounces heavier than Casey, the 2 are almost the exact same size! Oh, and 6 ounces isn't much, until you look back to day 1 and figure that Casey started this whole journey at about 5.5 ounces!!

I forgot to share with you our trip to the pet store yesterday. Lee put the kittens in a large ferret ball to see if they would be able to move it. They had no clue what to do, but we might get one, just to give the kittens a different thing to do.

Meisha has pretty boring life right now, poor girl!! She is afraid of the dogs, and she can't be around the other cats yet until her cold is gone, so it is either play alone or with us. When she is out though, all she wants to do is snuggle and cuddle and eat my hair. I did make her a little yarn ball to dangle inside her cage. I made one for the boys to play with as well. Meisha spent a large chunk of the day sitting in her hammock. I think she likes it so much because it allows her to see out all four sides of her box. At one point she was laying on her back, in the hammock, playing with her yarn ball, when she rolled right off! It brought a laugh :-)

Right now the boys are darting around like maniacs, or would that be catiacs?? Lee asked Eric if he wanted racing stripes, I will be sure to tell you if Eric ever answers!! The boys are confined most of the day, due to all the activity. They are also not quite sure where the litter pans are, and of course they still just drop and sleep where ever they land. When we do let them run, at least once a day, it is very entertaining!! Again I ask WHY would anyone ever want just ONE kitten!!

Pictures: The pictures of the boys when they were smaller were taken on Day 15 (9/6/06) and the other pictures were taken today. Look how they've changed! Do you see Casey in the cage, laying on top of the cat condo? He's laying on his back with his head hanging off, looking at us upside down!

Kitten weights:
Rosey - 2 pounds plus
Casey - 2 pounds plus
Eric - 2.5 pounds plus
Meisha - 436 grams or 15.4 ounces

A hammock for Meisha too

Well, I crocheted a little hammock for Meisha to enjoy while she is confined to her "box". I want to try to make her as comfortable as possible, since she is pretty much all alone. Well, all alone is relative, since Sandy is never more than a foot from her box!!

Day 51 (10/12)

Gosh, I need to get back to keeping this thing up!! I guess it is just that the kittens are not doing many new things at this point, but they sure are getting really, really cute!! And they are getting OH SO BIG!!

Today we took in Meisha. Meisha is a 4 week old cutie pie, and she is really a girl :-) We already had it confirmed by a pro.... Meisha was rescued from a really bad place by a girl named Rachel. I just erased home where the word "place" is because the way this kitten is, you can't call that place a home!! Rachel's boyfriend says Meisha's white stripe on her forehead is her "Mohawk". If she was a he, we would have called her Mr. T!

Meisha was/still is covered with fleas, and thus has sores from them. Don't worry though!! We took her to the vet first thing, and they gave her a dose of Advantage, and those fleas are dying! I really didn't want to put the stuff on her. After they told me the fleas would all be dead in 12 to 24 hours, instead of days or weeks with non-chemical treatments, well I decided that outweighed any and all concerns with the Advantage!

Meisha took to the soft canned food with just a little coaxing. I had to spoon feed her, literally, the first 2 or 3 bites, then she figured it out! She ate very well, and then enjoyed a bottle of goat milk as a chaser!

Poor Sandy! Sandy so wants to be Meisha's mommy, but I think Meisha has had a bad experience with a dog in the past! She growls and hisses at Sandy, which just makes Sandy sad! I think they will grow to like each other, Sandy is sitting on the bed right at the door of Meisha's kennel. They are getting to know each other......Hopefully by Saturday they will be able to be together with no doors between them!!

We haven't introduced Rosey, Casey, and Eric to Meisha yet, though they have seen her. Meisha has the common kitten ailment of a respiratory infection, and she is on medication for that. 2 days after her symptoms clear up, the vet gave her the go ahead to join the boys for playtime! That will be fun :-)

As it stands now, we think we may be looking for another home for Meisha, probably in January. She will be ready before then, but I am afraid of adopting her to someone as a gift, then ending up in a shelter! SO, if any of you reading this are thinking of getting a kitten, you can watch here and get to know Meisha like you know her brothers!

If anyone has any suggestions on a type of scale, and a place to buy it, that will weigh these guys more accurately, please let me know!! Every one that I have seen has the same limitations the one we already have does, or it weighs in 1/2 pound increments.

Kitten Weights:
Rosey: 2 pounds plus
Casey: 975 grams or 34.40 ounces
Eric: 2 pounds plus
Meisha: 385 grams or 13.60 ounces

Day 50 (10/11)

Kitten Weights:
Rosey: past what the kitchen scale can measure. More than 36 ounces or 2¼ pounds
Casey: 947 grams or 33.40 ounces
Eric: 2.5 pounds

Day 49 (10/10)

Kitten Weights:
Rosey: 1002 grams or 35.30 ounces
Casey: 934 grams or 32.90 ounces
Eric: 2.5 pounds

Day 48 (10/9)

I made the kittens these little hammocks that hang in the corners of their cage. The hammocks are crocheted, and the kittens seem to really enjoy cuddling into the hammocks to sleep!

The kittens are eating machines now!! Growing like weeds, or flowers as some would say :-) They are eating dry food exclusively at this point, with the occasional treat of moist food just because we still have some.

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 974 grams or 34.40 ounces
Casey - 890 grams or 31.40 ounces
Eric - 2.5 pounds, but still looking for a scale to give more accurate weights

Day 47 (10/8)

Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 966 grams or 34.10 ounces
Casey - 880 grams or 31 ounces
Eric - Still looking for a proper scale to weigh the big kitten on :-)

Day 46 (10/7)

I don't know who is has the funniest face, Eric or Casey!! That is Frankie peering down from the top of the cat tree, The kittens were playing on the lower shelves. Frankie watched them intently.


Kitten Weights:
Rosey - 930 grams or 33.10 ounces
Casey - 848 grams or 29.90 ounces
Eric - Surpassed the limits of the scale, need to get a new one :-)

Day 45 (10/6)

We have been giving the kittens dry food mixed with canned food all along, so far, with progressively more dry food. The kittens are all three eating the dry food well enough that we have decided not to get any more canned food for their regular feeding. Maybe occasionally as a treat!

Eric has now reached the point where the scale gives an error if he wiggles, but we still got one more weight from it. And Rosey has now exceeded 2 pounds! We'll look around tomorrow for another scale we can use for awhile longer.

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 912 grams or 32.10 ounces
Casey: 832 grams or 29.40 ounces
Eric: 1014 grams or 35.80 ounces

Day 44 (10/5)

Eric has exceeded the limits that the food scale is rated for (1000 grams or 35.00 ounces). It didn't give an error yet, so here's what it said:

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 886 grams or 31.40 ounces
Casey: 820 grams or 28.90 ounces
Eric: 1010 grams or 35.70 ounces

Day 43 (10/4)

Eric finally gaining again! :-)

Look how big those kittens are!!

That is Frankie on the top of the cat tree with Casey. Frankie looks scared to death, but I think she is just more unsure of Casey than afraid of him. We got several pictures like this one, and Frankie never hissed or batted or made any other aggressive moves toward Casey.

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 860 grams or 30.50 ounces
Casey: 782 grams or 27.80 ounces
Eric: 972 grams or 34.30 ounces

Day 42 (10/3)

We decided to try the kitty condo in place of the scratching post today. They all three seem to really love to climb on and in that. Not too long after that, Eric or Rosey (I'm not sure which) crawled head-first down into the corner between the condo and the outside of the cage. Casey was playing with his tail. Just before I was ready to get up and rescue the head-down kitty, he managed to back himself back up and out of the corner.

Eric still at the same weight (why 2 pounds? I don't know). Rosey went up again, beyond what he lost yesterday.

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 820 grams or 29.00 ounces
Casey: 730 grams or 25.80 ounces
Eric: 910 grams or 32.00 ounces

Day 41 (10/2)

We got the new cage all cleaned up and put together today. We put the litter pan in one corner of the bottom, and the scratching post in another corner for them to climb on. All three kittens are doing really well at using the litter box now.

Eric has reached a weight plateau. And Rosey's weight dropped a bit today.

Kitten weights:
Rosey; 802 grams or 28.20 ounces
Casey: 712 grams or 25.10 ounces
Eric: 910 grams or 32.00 ounces

Day 40 (10/1)

We have pictures, too, we really will get them added :-) And Eric reached 2 pounds October 1st!

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 818 grams or 28.80 ounces
Casey: 698 grams or 24.70 ounces
Eric: 910 grams or 32.00 ounces

Day 39 (9/30)

We got a ferret cage today for the kitties. It has about a 3-foot square base, and two 3-foot-high parts, and shelves that snap in for the kittens to climb on. We're going to just make it 3 feet high at first, so there isn't too much distance where they can fall (yes, we are still worried about their judgement).

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 780 grams or 27.50 ounces
Casey: 690 grams or 24.40 ounces
Eric: 864 grams or 30.60 ounces

Day 38 (9/29)

Finally!!! Eric is using the litter box too! Of all the kitties to be last :-) Casey was the first, and Eric has been watching him and Rosey, but still pooping outside the box. Now, I guess he decided he can do that just as easily in the litter box.

Kitten weights:
Rosey: 768 grams or 27.00 ounces
Casey: 682 grams or 24.10 ounces
Eric: 826 grams or 29.20 ounces