Pets
Related: About this forumFosters at five weeks
Five weeks old tomorrow! New things this week: they've got litter box training down pat and use it like they've been doing so for years. They have a red cube to play in now, and I brought in the kitten tower (top level only 20" off the ground) for them to practice their climbing skills on. Eating wet food, drinking water and still nursing with Mama Greta.
"King on the Mountain"
[url=https://flic.kr/p/T4Jzw2][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/T4Jzw2]playing "king on the mountain"[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
The cube clubhouse
[url=https://flic.kr/p/T4Jwek][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/T4Jwek]fullsizeoutput_9112[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Little baby teeth need to chew! Soda straws work perfectly.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UeH6X1][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UeH6X1]fullsizeoutput_9122[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Kitten-sized climbing tower
[url=https://flic.kr/p/THpNmN][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/THpNmN]fullsizeoutput_9125[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Mama Greta likes to look out of the window
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UikyhK][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UikyhK]fullsizeoutput_911c[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Milo (lighter color than Max and more almond shaped eyes, shorter fur)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/U4nHPh][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/U4nHPh]fullsizeoutput_911d[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Max (longer fur, rounder eyes and a unique chirp)
[url=https://flic.kr/p/THpPcW][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/THpPcW]fullsizeoutput_9123[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Alfie, the most people oriented one
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UeH62y][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UeH62y]fullsizeoutput_9126[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Ellie, the only girl, a torbie also pretty social
[url=https://flic.kr/p/THq5TL][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/THq5TL]fullsizeoutput_9116[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
Naptime: see ya next week!
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UikYRp][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UikYRp]DSC09082[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr
MFM008
(19,782 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(9,777 posts)angstlessk
(11,862 posts)I agree, kittys PREFER a clean litter box to anything else, except maybe a garden
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)I had to get a larger box because the mama cat likes to dig and dig and dig! She'd stand in one box and scratch all the litter out of the one next to it! The kittens have two shallow ones of their own from the shelter, but they also like to climb in and use Mama's.
angstlessk
(11,862 posts)I had three kittys...scoop twice daily, and clean and scrub box weekly...at least they get to entertain themselves and don't need too much of your attention
packman
(16,296 posts)One would think you would know that
I'm envious, what a joy and pleasure to have that much life and energy in your house. I only have a fat ginger that stumbles from his bed to his feeding bowl to the litter box and back to his bed. Love him anyway.
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)litter box, drink and food, back to nap. Love her anyway, she is so pretty shiny black. The kittens being fostered are adorable. What will happen to Mama?
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)When the kittens reach 2 lbs in weight, they will go back be spayed/neutered and then put on the adoption floor (where they usually find homes within a week). The mama usually stays in the foster home for a few more days or a week, so she can dry out and have a rest before coming in for her spay. I have been working to socialize her little by little and I think she'll make a fine pet.
The house will seem empty for a few days, as usual. I may get another group of fosters if our summer plans permit. I will have these guys through May, so there's time to figure that out.
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)the rules and recommendation of the shelter I foster for. If kittens ingested scoopable litter, there could be some complications.
So since they've been out of the nest, both mama and babies are using regular litter. Which is fine-- I have a way of scooping out the solids and wet spots that stick to the bottom anyway, so it is sort of scooping. One large box and two small ones, twice a day.
It is much easier to raise these guys with a mama present. She gives them baths and love and of course nourishing milk while they are weaning onto cat food. Beats powdered kitten milk replacer I'm sure!
tblue37
(64,982 posts)padfun
(1,780 posts)And when they get tired, they will just sleep right where they are at the moment.
Those kittens are cute as buttons and should give you many years of fun.
I have 4 cats now. I had 8 once but 4 passed recently (Three were 15-16 years old, One was 10).
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)I do fostering for my local no-kill humane society. They will be going back to the shelter when they are about nine weeks old--so about four more weeks. And the mother too.
Then I'll probably get some more!
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)Adorable kitties!
KatyaR
(3,445 posts)What precious babies! You must be having a wonderful time.
shenmue
(38,503 posts)ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)Not anyone on "TV".
KT2000
(20,544 posts)they have such impressive ears!
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)At this stage, five weeks old, kittens are all head, ears and feet! Soon they'll start to stretch out.
Greybnk48
(10,148 posts)I can smell these sweet little creatures. Love them!
Jack-o-Lantern
(965 posts)as two of our rescues approach 18 yrs. of age and are slowly losing their fight against their kitten-hood defective immune systems.
lamp_shade
(14,796 posts)woodsprite
(11,854 posts)We had one when we brought our German Shepherd home as a pup, which made Maxicat the alpha. He's been gone 3 years now and our shepherd is 10yo. I'd be afraid if we brought one or two home now that she might hurt. She and Max used to play "bite me" but they never bit down. Max only swatted Noelle's nose (drawing first blood) one time. Max would sit above Noelle's food bowl when she was eating, dangling his tail in her face. They would play tag, and Noelle would get his head in her mouth (but not bite down). As soon as Max cried "uncle", she'd let go.
I'd be afraid she'd try some of those tricks with a kitten, so it will at least be several years. Maybe next time we'll get a cat and pup together.
ginnyinWI
(17,276 posts)Two will keep each other company, and maybe your old shepherd wouldn't mind them playing on the other end of the room. Might amuse her. Kittens are pretty fast and you could monitor the interaction until you felt they were safe. Keep them in a separate room when you aren't home, at least until they are bigger.
Or maybe a bonded pair of young adult cats would work better.