# Identifying kittens



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Can I ask those who have litters of identical or near identical kittens how they distinguish which one is which?
Our last litter was fairly easy as they all seemed to have something unique but I'm having trouble with this lot  Does anyone use the nail polish on their claws? I can see this would work but I am concerned that when I put the kitten back the polish will still be wet and come off, or Mai Tai will try to clean it off or even that the fumes from it are dangerous. Any ideas please?


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## David C (Sep 6, 2010)

Ive been wondering about this aswell , ive seen a kittening / whelping kit on ebay and this has coloured bands made of paper i think to put around their necks but i cant say im keen on that idea , my babys are due a week on wednesday and with the size of her i think im in for a vey big litter , she now cant jump up onto the units in the kitchen .


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

I use these: they do break and you can cut them to size, as my kittens are also pure white from birth so for weighing purposes and if I have some that look the same once sold people like to know who is who is pictures lol!

10 Puppy Dog ID Bands Party Wrist whelping collar TYVEK on eBay (end time 12-Nov-10 07:01:26 GMT)


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Bet you can't wait now  Mai Tai got so big that she couldn't jump up either which she found frustrating as she likes to sit on our bedroom window sill bird watching 
I've seen the paper bands but they look enormous to go around tiny Siamese necks :frown:


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Taylorbaby said:


> I use these: they do break and you can cut them to size, as my kittens are also pure white from birth so for weighing purposes and if I have some that look the same once sold people like to know who is who is pictures lol!
> 
> 10 Puppy Dog ID Bands Party Wrist whelping collar TYVEK on eBay (end time 12-Nov-10 07:01:26 GMT)


Thanks TB. They're cheap enough to give a try :thumbup:


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

lymorelynn said:


> Bet you can't wait now  Mai Tai got so big that she couldn't jump up either which she found frustrating as she likes to sit on our bedroom window sill bird watching
> I've seen the paper bands but they look enormous to go around tiny Siamese necks :frown:


lol my ragdolls arent giants at birth!! you have to Cut them to size very very small and very thin!!!!


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## 2flowers (Jan 24, 2010)

I had 3 lilac females in my litter and I used nail varnish as I tried the hair bands but the just seemed too tight and I thought they may get caught on the wire of the kittening pen.

However, you do need to refresh the polish every 4 days or so as it comes off quite quickly.

I may try to get some of those coloured bands from ebay - much simpler I would think!


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

im to worried about nail polish say mum licks it??

ive used those bands since i started breeding i didnt know about any other method so i looked up 'bands for kittens' or something and a breeder came up in america with them, thought it was a good idea!!

you can trim them and they can break if you do them thin enoguh if you are worried, rmember you dont need to do all of them if you have 5 kittens i use 4 collars lol


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

I use a paint pen. 4 paws, I blob per paw identifies 4 kittens or 5 if you leave one kitten blank... double blobs per paw if the litter is bigger than 5. (you can of course use different coloured paint pens too)

I put the blob of paint from the pen onto their foot, then blow on it till its dry, only takes seconds as paint pens air dry very quickly. Just to double check I give it a good rub with a cloth.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

I would put a little mark behind their ears with a pen, a different colour for each kitten.

Nail polish just comes off and they hate it.

The bands look ok but i dont think they would be comfy and mum would probably try to get them off.


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## David C (Sep 6, 2010)

What kind of pen would you use to mark their ears Alison ?


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Well, I tried the bands. I found some in my local pet shop and only cost me a couple of pounds. I have to say I didn't get on very well. If I cut one thin enough it didn't leave enough of the adhesive for it to stay on and one that I cut a little bigger ended up round the tiny's front legs  So that had to come off.
I have my parents staying and my ever practical Dad suggested food colouring. Has anyone tried that as a marker and would it be safe to use? Cochineal is made from crushed beetles, so I wouldn't have thought it would contain anything harmful. Opinions please


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## David C (Sep 6, 2010)

lymorelynn said:


> I have my parents staying and my ever practical Dad suggested food colouring. Has anyone tried that as a marker and would it be safe to use? Cochineal is made from crushed beetles, so I wouldn't have thought it would contain anything harmful. Opinions please


Now that might be a good idea and i wouldnt think it would be harmfull , you can get many different colours aswell and maybe just one tiny drop on a paw would be ok .


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

food coluring (I don't think) is water fast.... I have a feeling it would wash off pretty quickly, but I can't be 100% sure. You could try a blob of it on your own hand and see how it fairs with normal daily chores.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

alisondalziel said:


> I would put a little mark behind their ears with a pen, a different colour for each kitten.
> 
> Nail polish just comes off and they hate it.
> 
> The bands look ok but i dont think they would be comfy and mum would probably try to get them off.


none of my mums have noticed them and the kits have never tried to get them off, seeing as they are newborn kittens!!  ive had litters wear them all the way through, they are used to it, not uncomfy.



lymorelynn said:


> Well, I tried the bands. I found some in my local pet shop and only cost me a couple of pounds. I have to say I didn't get on very well. If I cut one thin enough it didn't leave enough of the adhesive for it to stay on and one that I cut a little bigger ended up round the tiny's front legs  So that had to come off.
> I have my parents staying and my ever practical Dad suggested food colouring. Has anyone tried that as a marker and would it be safe to use? Cochineal is made from crushed beetles, so I wouldn't have thought it would contain anything harmful. Opinions please


lol it takes take a while to get the right size/length i normally put it round the kits neck and then do it like that, after that its quite easy to guess!


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

The breeder who suggested the pen marks to me just uses a normal marker pen which she allows to dry completely before putting each kitten back with mum.

Even if it got licked it's such a tiny mark that it wouldn't cause any harm. If need be thats what i would do with my kittens.

I don't fancy the whole band idea, seems too unnatural for me but im sure it works for some.

Personal choice i think...


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

alisondalziel said:


> The breeder who suggested the pen marks to me just uses a normal marker pen which she allows to dry completely before putting each kitten back with mum.
> 
> Even if it got licked it's such a tiny mark that it wouldn't cause any harm. If need be thats what i would do with my kittens.
> 
> ...


lol and a pen dot is natural?? :confused1:

i only use them for weighing if i cant tell the kits apart make sure they all gain, never had a problem small bit of paper that can break if need be.


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## alisondalziel (Oct 8, 2008)

what i mean is that a tiny pen mark does not interfere and will go totally unnoticed by the kitten and the mother, a paper band will be felt by the kitten and mother.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

alisondalziel said:


> what i mean is that a tiny pen mark does not interfere and will go totally unnoticed by the kitten and the mother, a paper band will be felt by the kitten and mother.


Alison, lol, I am with you.... the way I look at is.... if I was given the choice of wearing a paper band or having a pen blob, I know which I would choose.

But in my next life I want to be one of those people who can just look at their identical litter of 7 and within a couple of hours know who is who, and never get it wrong. Also in my next life I'll be asking for the ability to separate males from females with a reasonably high success rate. And maybe knowing the basics of genetics would help too


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

:lol: Tje I haven't positively determined the sexes of my five yet  Give me a week and I might get there :lol: and as for marking them everytime I pick one up to weigh it Mai Tai is there taking it back to the nest :lol:


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

kittens and mum have never noticed them! you can barely notice them they are so small!!

i can normally tell mine apart from 2weeks, but new owners cant so they like to knmow who is who in pics bands always helped


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