Hyia is learning

smkie

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#1
To be a foster Mommy. These are her (with a lot of help) foster babies, day 2.


THat is not formula on the white one's face, there is a blonde siamese looking mask, both have it, but one is darker than the other. In good light you can see faint strips on the legs the same color. That will help in the people appeal. They will go back at 4 weeks for shots, and then back again for the final give back so they can receive vet care and microchip before they go up for adoption.

Hyia was having a hard time, and needed a confidence boost.I thought this might be a win win, I could teach her how to care for and bottle feed, there is no issue of them staying, it is in black and white that it is a 6 week commitment, end of story, period. SHe is laughing and singing and being awesome in cleaning up. THere is lots of cleaning up, but they are also already awesome at using the litter box which is where they go right after they eat. So getting them off on the right foot so to speak.
The shelter has received 200 animals last month, they are desperate for fosters, and I have my share of bottle feeding knowledge. So I told my friend Kelly we would take two, because I thought 2 would be easier to give up than one, but I should have known better, we walked out with a littler of 5. THey are a very pertty litter, all kittens are pretty, Hyia has always always always wanted to be with a kitten. She is happy, and positive, and the kittens are purring and playing now, so so far, so good.


Hyia told Kelly she wanted to work at the shelter when she grew up. Kelly told her being a good foster was the best place to start.
 
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Barb04

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#3
So happy for Hyia. The kittens are so cute. Fostering is such a nice thing to do and very rewarding.
 

Zoom

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#4
The kittens are ADORABLE! I need a kitten fix. :(

I"m glad Hyia is happy again and learning something extremely valuable in the process. I hope she can cope ok when they go back to the shelter.
 

Baxter'smybaby

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#5
what a wonderful thing for Hyia to be able to do--and learn from! They are really adorable--kittens are so much fun!
 

Moth

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#6
My god...those are some cute kitties!

Kudos to Hyia for becoming a foster mom for them :)
 

smkie

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#9
WE can't give them homes. THey go back at 4 weeks to get their shots, and wormed..and some where along the line microchipped. THen it is back at 8 weeks for the shelter to vet, screen and place. I am finding it far easier to be affectionate with a baby I know isn't staying. That sounds wrong, but it's true. There is an order here, if that makes any sense and I am spread very thin between a lot of children, and many animals. Getting attatched for a life time commitment would probably have me freaking out at this point. But I can hold a kitten, smell it, touch it, think it's cute as all get out, and set it down, and NOT have to worrya bout it's future. Yay. That is someone else's worry.

I bought one can of formula from petco that was gulp expensive, then the shleter was suppose to drop off a can at their substation out here, but they didn't. Long story I won't bother with, so I went to walmart where they get theirs. I cringed because I do not like Hartz products. IT's different, and I don't like how it sits in their bellies. I dont' know how else to put it in words. I cant afford to feed them the other on my own. I can clean up the sticky mess, have Hyia keep them clean, help with all the rest, but some one are not easy eaters, just can't seem to get the hang of it, while one will grab hold of the syringe and suck it dry in one fell swoop. On it's own. Hyia is still practicing with teh syringe. She isn't ready for that part yet. But that is ok, I am more than pleased with all the rest she is doing. I have given her a syringe to practice with.

They have cheered her up immensely. IT's been a rough go for her lately.
 

smkie

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#10

vid

and in the other room, sort of the same thing. I will be watching these two another week and a half, and then they will stay home with mama awaiting their new sibling.

AFter that my 8 yr hold grandson will be here for a week. AFter that school starts and maybe I can find where my house went. Because I think I have lost a lot of ground in that dept.
 

smkie

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#11
ONe kitten yesterday scared me to pieces. I went in to check, Hyia was at a movie with a friend's family. All 4 were laying on top of this one, at first I thought she was missing. When I touched her, she stretched out a paw, I reached down and picked her up, set her down and she fell over. I felt sick and picked her up, no response. I shook her lightly, nothing. I stroked her, nothing, I checked her gums, pink and moist, ears pink, belly not distended, I held her to my ear, no sticky lungs, no ticking, no gasping for breath, nothing. I brought her in and put her under a lamp, her head was wobbly, I thought stop poking at her, I hate it when people just keep poking when something is passing, I left her under the lamp and made phone calls. I am crying, I can't help it, I feel awful because I have no idea what was wrong. She would seem to revive amd then again, seemed too weak for anything. I called my Mom because I always call my Mom when I am a mess. WHich I was. This is when I know how post stress I am, I just don't handle things like this anymore, not after last week with all the hospital, and other issues. I think Why did I get into this. I don't lose them, EVER. I didn't even lose the last 4 parvo pups i worked with. Even that bad one. Why why why why.

TO make a very long story short, this kitten has a new name. IT's Resurrection. If Anyone can explain to me why that kitten was able to climb the mesh in 2 seconds flat, slam down her breakfast, ate some baby beef last night for the first time, I don't know. When it was over it was over. Th cat lady that is in charge of the kittens probably thinks I am a basket case. WHich might be true...but at least she is fine this morning, all are fat and fluffy and messy waiting for a great clean up because they are enjoying their formula mixed baby beef and purring in a pile. I will be glad when this is over. IN the meantime Hyia is happy as can be. And that counts too. School starts in a couple weeks, babies go back to staying all day with their Mama, and I might recover from this summer. I know one thing for sure, I am so tired it sint' funny. I am glad the Cat lady said go ahead and starte them on the beef. They will take more clean up, but less worry about warm enough, too cool, syringe wont' work right blah blah feedings. Soon as it warms up outside a bit, I am going to take their first baby portraits.
 

smkie

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#12
Lots and lots of clean up.
Still wet behind the ears (and on top of the head)...3 weeks old now.









This is Resurrection. Other wise known as Ressie
 
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Barb04

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#13
So glad the kitten pulled through and is okay. I know what good care you are taking of them. They are so adorable in the pics.
 

smkie

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#16
It was a sit on NAna kind of rainy day. Heating pads for all that aches me is ok by me. They heal my heart all the way through.


After a bit of a bath for the kittens and a drying Aiden decided he was a kitten (this happens a lot) and so I had to dry him gentle gentle gently too. He is learning. I will only let him touch them with one finger, and only when I am holding them. Mostly he is to just watch them. I hold them to Baylee's cheek and she just about swoons. They are so soft. It's been a long time since I have been around kittens. I want this whole show to learn right from the beginning.

<a href="http://s42.photobucket.com/user/smkie/media/July%202013/CIMG8288_zps339ae9da.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e331/smkie/July%202013/CIMG8288_zps339ae9da.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo CIMG8288_zps339ae9da.jpg"/></a>

 

smkie

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#19
I don't think I am a fan of 3 week weaning, tho I was told to go ahead. Two, the white ones, just are not ready, and Gremlin as Aiden calls him, the darkest long haired one needs extra as well. I have never tried to add solids, albeit baby beef with formula added, at this age. What a mess. Sheeesh. Do a head count every morning and we are still all here.
 

smkie

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My problem child. Resurrection. Everyone else has mastered licking up their food and milk, yet she still has a hard time drinking from the syringe. And forget a bottle. Or dipping your finger in it lower and lower until it is the saucer of milk, or putting it in the cup of your hand. I have tried everything I can think of and she will have nothing to do with the meat. She turns her head away from it. It takes 5 times as long to get food in her as it did the others when they were being bottle fed.
.
both white ones were difficult but this one her almost twin figured it out and not eats herself to a fat belly as it should be.
This is drying after clean up while I try to get sister asleep. 2 more days and the babies go back to staying with Mama and will be in their new home.

after dinner romp on their hollow log while clean up begins. What a mess. I finally got some meat in Ressurection by slurpinb some formula and some beef up the syringe. Just do meat, and she turns away. STill not as full as the others but she has a belly on her to sleep. Anyone want to play wash up a kitten? Hyia has the night off because she is having a sleep over at a friend's. video.
 
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