# We have new additions!



## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Albie's bump changed drastically yesterday, it looked like it was really tight, and you could almost see the outline of the kittens!
She got out yesterday afternoon, the decorator left the door open, and she legged it, and I was in tears last night, as she hadn't come home..
This morning, I shouted her, and she came straight away.. minus a bump! I lifted her tail, and her vagina was swollen.. other than that, she was eating her food, and acting as normal. I went into the garden to check where I thought she'd come from, and heard the kitties crying!!

Under the bush, were 4 ADORABLE little beauties!! 

Mummy and babies are all safetly back inside now, snuggled in bed. Albie is eating and drinking, and is a wonderful mum, considering it's her fist litter! 

So, so proud of my girl xxx


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

here they are!! x


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

I hope there was only 4  Poor girl.


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2011)

Blimey, weren't you all lucky! So glad mum and baby's are all well


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

you're dead lucky to get her back. Congratulations on the new little ones! Do you know what they weigh?


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Of course there were only 4 Aurelia. No dead kittens where she was laid?
All are good weights for being a few hours old. Full tummies, like little pieces of toast! And mummy is very content


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

The grey and 2 black and white are dead on 85grams at the moment, the ginger one is 100grams. 
I don't want to fuss them, as she cried a little when I picked them up to weigh them just now. Will weigh them again this afternoon. When will her milk come in Carly? Her nipples seem the same at the moment? And I'm not sure when they were born EXACTLY. 
Can she leave them too? And for how long? She keeps wanting to follow me and leave them, but I can't bring them all into my living room, as I have 3 children under 5 who would poke and prod her and the kittens?
xx


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## Marley boy (Sep 6, 2010)

omg thank god you found the babies  she really should have been shut in a bedroom or somthing if you had people in and out. Hope everything goes well from now on


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## BiKERcc (Jan 29, 2011)

Aw bless.

Glad they are all doing ok.


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## Marley boy (Sep 6, 2010)

Dannielle100 said:


> The grey and 2 black and white are dead on 85grams at the moment, the ginger one is 100grams.
> I don't want to fuss them, as she cried a little when I picked them up to weigh them just now. Will weigh them again this afternoon. When will her milk come in Carly? Her nipples seem the same at the moment? And I'm not sure when they were born EXACTLY.
> Can she leave them too? And for how long? She keeps wanting to follow me and leave them, but I can't bring them all into my living room, as I have 3 children under 5 who would poke and prod her and the kittens?
> xx


you only need to weigh them once a day i think. They also need to be somwhere you can keep and eye on them all the time


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

They're in my utility room, where she has always had her bed, food and litter tray.

She's happy, and healthy, and so are the kits, thats all I care about. She was shut in, but one of the kids opened the door, and while the decorator opened the back door, she shot out. Couldn't have grabbed her quick enough. I'm just so lucky that she stayed in the garden and had them, anywhere else, and I wouldn't have got them back alive :nonod:


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Dannielle100 said:


> Of course there were only 4 Aurelia. No dead kittens where she was laid?
> All are good weights for being a few hours old. Full tummies, like little pieces of toast! And mummy is very content


I don't mean to cause you worry, but how do you know for sure? Newborns can crawl quite a distance given the chance and lack of an enclosed kittening box. Plus there is the chance of predation to 

I hope they continue to do well. Are you going to put her and the babies in a secure room now? ... padlock the room door if you have to so not even the decorator can accidentally let her out. As she really really shouldn't go out now either.


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2011)

Congratulations!!!
they are adorable...especially the grey one


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Aurelia said:


> I don't mean to cause you worry, but how do you know for sure? Newborns can crawl quite a distance given the chance and lack of an enclosed kittening box. Plus there is the chance of predation to
> 
> I hope they continue to do well. Are you going to put her and the babies in a secure room now? ... padlock the room door if you have to so not even the decorator can accidentally let her out. As she really really shouldn't go out now either.


Well yes, I can understand that, but I have searched as much as I can under the bush. So I'm just hoping that there were only four. 
She is in a secure room now, and she is NOT going out until she is spayed.. how long can she leave the kittens for? I mean, if she wanted to come into the living room for a fuss and a cuddle, can she? I don't want her leaving them for longer than she should? xx


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

To be honest I would go to her and the kittens for fuss times. It's much better for the kittens doing this as well as they get used to your presence then  Plus you can start handling them more after about a week or two. Obviously you'll need to weigh them and change the bedding daily(I did both at the same time so it took literally seconds) in the mean time.

Spend as much time as you possibly can in the room with her and the kittens though, this will benifit the kittens and mum massively when it comes to socialisation.


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Right, I have just gone in there to fuss her. She is crying really loudly at me, wanting me to pick her up, and then she calms down. And she keeps bringing the kittens through to the living room?! What is she doing? 2 boys and 2 girls, I think xx


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

They usually move their kittens because they don't feel secure. If there is a way of having the kittens in your living room I would let her do that. She probably also is desperately wanting your love and affection. It's not much fun being shut away, hence my suggestion of going to her and spending as much time as possible with her and the kittens.

But if it's not secure enough to do this (she could get out again) then I would keep the door to her room firmly shut and go into her more. When my girl had her babies she had them in my room, I spent 24/7 with them for the first 10+ weeks. I never once witnessed her trying to pick the kittens up to move them, and they always seemed very happy and content. If you can do it so she has company around the clock for the first couple of week it would be so much better for her 

One more thing, the bed in your pictures is very small, even for now while the kittens are tiny as she has no room to spread out. This could be another reason she is trying to move them. Do you not have a cardboard box or something twice the size that she can use?


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## Lushgirl84 (Jun 27, 2011)

Aww well least they are all safe now.. Congrats


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Aurelia said:


> They usually move their kittens because they don't feel secure. If there is a way of having the kittens in your living room I would let her do that. She probably also is desperately wanting your love and affection. It's not much fun being shut away, hence my suggestion of going to her and spending as much time as possible with her and the kittens.
> 
> But if it's not secure enough to do this (she could get out again) then I would keep the door to her room firmly shut and go into her more. When my girl had her babies she had them in my room, I spent 24/7 with them for the first 10+ weeks. I never once witnessed her trying to pick the kittens up to move them, and they always seemed very happy and content. If you can do it so she has company around the clock for the first couple of week it would be so much better for her
> 
> One more thing, the bed in your pictures is very small, even for now while the kittens are tiny as she has no room to spread out. This could be another reason she is trying to move them. Do you not have a cardboard box or something twice the size that she can use?


She has a big cardboard box, but she has moved them into this bed? Lol! I have been in and sat with her and she seems quite content to just lay with them now. She has eaten lots, hasn't used her tray yet, and has had a drink.

Should I try and move her back into the box? She brought the ginger one through earlier, and kept putting him at my feet? I carried him back, sat with her, and she has settled down. They had a monster feed while she was laid with me, and are now a bundle of sleeping beauties!

Also, I have no idea with cat colours, and I know there may have been multiple fathers, but thought with her being a dark, mainly black tortie, that she would have had black kittens? The grey has completely thrown me!

Do they open their eyes at 10 days? xx


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## Lumboo (Mar 31, 2011)

3 children under 5, plus 4 kittens, plus a feeding Mum - Blimey you have your work cut out :w00t:

Glad the pregnancy story ends well, but you may need an extra pair of eyes to ensure the children do not try and interfere with the kittens, as they are too young to understand when you tell them not to.

The reason I say this is because one of our neighbours (who is not quite with it), moved her cats kittens even though she was told not to and then forgot where they were and ended up sitting on one and killing it. 

Better safe than sorry.

Best of luck!


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Dannielle100 said:


> She has a big cardboard box, but she has moved them into this bed? Lol! I have been in and sat with her and she seems quite content to just lay with them now. She has eaten lots, hasn't used her tray yet, and has had a drink.
> 
> Should I try and move her back into the box? She brought the ginger one through earlier, and kept putting him at my feet? I carried him back, sat with her, and she has settled down. They had a monster feed while she was laid with me, and are now a bundle of sleeping beauties!
> 
> ...


I'd personally pop the kittens back in the box with a couple of towels for bedding so it's nice and soft. So long as the box has high sides she should be fine ... then remove the other bed from the room.

Both of your first paragraphs would tell me she is much happier with company, you say ...



> She brought the ginger one through earlier, and kept putting him at my feet? *I carried him back, sat with her, and she has settled down*.


so again I would recommend someone stays with her around the clock for a little while yet. Share the load with someone else if you can't do it all yourself 

Again I would also recommend you keep the door to her room shut so she can't walk around with the kittens. If she continues to do this and perhaps is left alone in the house for a while, or no one notices her moving one ... well the babies can chill, even in this weather and that wouldn't be a good thing.


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## Viki (Jul 16, 2009)

awww congrats, they are lovely. Sounds like you was lucky to find them!


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

I've put fresh towels in and moved the family into a large box, enough for mummy to spread out, and for them to move around too, I've left sides on it, but cut out a door for Albie to get in and out. 

She doesn't seem to know how to carry them? Guess it's just trials of being a new mum? She picks them up by the fur, wherever she can grab them to move them around. The last one was picked up by the leg! She's been arranging them around the box 

All of them squeak everytime she leaves the box to eat or drink, is that okay? And she hasn't used her tray yet, how long should I leave her before concern? I imagine she's sore? She's tiny, and they seem so big!


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

the kittens are vfery tiny, if mum hasnt looked as though she has milk you HAVE to weigh every 12hours, if they havent gained get mum to the vet asap for a shot of oxytocin (has to be done within 48hours of birth) otherwise your be hand rearing every 2 hours.

I would just look under the bush for kittens id be in the entiure garden and next doors, kiitens can crawl such a long way its unreal.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

It all sounds fine so far, and I wouldn't worry too much about her not going to the loo just yet. If you do feel concerned at all just give your vet a call day or night. It's almost always free to get advice on the phone 

Have you weighed them yet?You now need to weigh them every day at exactly (or near as damn it) the same time each day.

This will be the best way of monitoring their progress but also gives you an early warning if they should get sick, which would give them their best chance. So you need some accurate digital kitchen scales, you can buy them cheaply, one set in Argos are £10 but I'm sure you can get them cheaper else where or even borrow some if you can. You'll need them for several weeks though 

You're looking for a gain of at least 10g a day, 15+ is better. If you have any weight loss for more than 2 days running a vet visit would be advisable after the second weight loss. If they gain just below 10g a day it might be an indication that the kitten is not quite getting enough milk. If that happens let us know and we can try and help you work to find the best solution. Often it's easily remedied by watching them at feeding times and moving the one which is gaining less to a better nipple.


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

The grey and two black and whites are all 85grams each, the ginger is 100grams. Is that tiny? They are all firmly attached to a nipple nearly everytime I look at them, or sleeping. They don't seem to be crying in hunger, as such?


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

Tesco have some really good digital scales with bowl in the sale. I got them today they are £9 instead of £18.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Those weights are just fine hun  now lets hope they gain good amounts daily. I found it really useful (and great for looking back on and reminiscing :cryin to write the time and weights of each one down in a little note book


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

My cat had 5 kittens 2 days ago, they are small weights like your own. I'm just monitoring and being prepared to help needed. Mummy cat didn't go to litter tray for 24hrs and I was beginning to worry but she went last night and her funny feels better today for it. She is now tucking into a good quality kitten food to keep her strength up.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

Dannielle100 said:


> The grey and two black and whites are all 85grams each, the ginger is 100grams. Is that tiny? They are all firmly attached to a nipple nearly everytime I look at them, or sleeping. They don't seem to be crying in hunger, as such?


85 is tiny, but not awful tiny, but we need to get it up! 100 not bad weight, you may find even if mum has no milk they dont cry, mine didnt :nonod: its natural instinct to suckle then they fall asleep, just keep on top of the weighing them, Id do it every 12hours, and look fora 5g gain


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Jordebony, there's really no need to feed kitten food at all, to any adult or kitten at any time  A good quality adult food is fine for all 

The weights are not small really, they are actually pretty adverage so don't worry


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

Aurelia said:


> Jordebony, there's really no need to feed kitten food at all, to any adult or kitten at any time  A good quality adult food is fine for all
> 
> The weights are not small really, they are actually pretty adverage so don't worry


my vet told me to feed her on it as she was malnourished when I got her.  Been advised to do it for the next couple of months also by her.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

Aye, unfortunately vets don't specialise in animal nutrition usually (though a few good ones do ). But honestly there is very little difference in kitten food. And if you buy Whiskas kitten food for instance, you can do looooooooads better buying something like Smilla (found on Zooplus), not only in the nutritional needs but also on it being a good quality high meat content food.

One food you can buy from a supermarket which my girls liked and is fairly high meat content is the Tescos Natures menu. They are in little gold square trays and have only a few flavours, but the meat content is good. There are plenty more listed in the A-Z threads by Hobbs2004 as well. Though obviously while she is feeding any food change would have to be very gradual so as not to upset her tum while she's feeding.

But honestly, the better the food she is eating, the more goodness is in her milk for her babies


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## gloworm*mushroom (Mar 4, 2011)

If you feed a good high quality food then there is no need for kitten food. If she is malnourished I hope she is on a very high quality food (ie not felix, whiskas or 99% of supermarket/pah brands)

I did a comparison for a girl yesterday, admittedly on only one brand, and the difference in the fat amounts was 0.5%!


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Gosh you were lucky. I have known a cat hide her kittens outside for 13 days! Congratulations on the babies.

Liz


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

Its one the vet started her on with a sample bag, called Hills.


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## gloworm*mushroom (Mar 4, 2011)

jordebony said:


> Its one the vet started her on with a sample bag, called Hills.


*groooooan*

Bloody vets. Hills is crap


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

gloworm*mushroom said:


> *groooooan*
> 
> Bloody vets. Hills is crap


what food would you suggest?


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## gloworm*mushroom (Mar 4, 2011)

jordebony said:


> what food would you suggest?


Not dry, for a start. I would have her on a very high meat content wet. (that will be easier to wean the kittens onto in my experience than dry) Dry will definitely not be giving her what she needs at the moment, of ANY brand, and hills isnt a good one.

Look on zooplus.com for bozita, animonda, smilla, grau, all of these are around 90% + meat. You don't want to be looking at anything less than 70% meat. PAh do do some like this (natures harvest/menu/purely) which will be quicker to get than waiting for the post.

I would say don't just switch her from one to another but it sounds like shes just been switched over to hills anyway.


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

gloworm*mushroom said:


> Not dry, for a start. I would have her on a very high meat content wet. (that will be easier to wean the kittens onto in my experience than dry) Dry will definitely not be giving her what she needs at the moment, of ANY brand, and hills isnt a good one.
> 
> Look on zooplus.com for bozita, animonda, smilla, grau, all of these are around 90% + meat. You don't want to be looking at anything less than 70% meat. PAh do do some like this (natures harvest/menu/purely) which will be quicker to get than waiting for the post.
> 
> I would say don't just switch her from one to another but it sounds like shes just been switched over to hills anyway.


thank you, my fave pet shop sell natures harvest so i will go get her some.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

But any switch now should still be done slowly (over a couple of weeks). We don't want your lady to suffer with a dicky tum while she is feeding her babies


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

thanks i will do it gradually. i will gradually change my boy over too, keeps it simple that way.


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Well, after an argument with Albie for the last half an hour  she has gone on the tray, for some reason she seemed desperate to get outside. Obviously, thats a NO CHANCE LADY!! 

She's had a poo and a wee, and is now snuggled back up with her beautiful bambinos. 

The ginger one, (biggest) seems to be fighting for a nipple, all the time, he gets on, they all get on, and then he unlatches and pushes another off and steals it! They almost seem to be squabbling! It's like 'hey, that one looks better, I want it!' 

Her tummy also seems still quite big, she isn't uncomfortable in any way.. could this be coz she just looks quite chunky after the bump? 

Weigh gain since this morning.. as follows..

Ginger, was 100grams now 127
Female black and white, was 85grams, now 106
Grey, was 85grams, now 104
And male black and white, was 87grams, now 108 xx


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Weigh gain since this morning.. as follows..

Ginger, was 100grams now 127
Female black and white, was 85grams, now 106
Grey, was 85grams, now 104
And male black and white, was 87grams, now 108 xx[/QUOTE]

And seriously I am NOT joking! They look like they might pop!!!


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

While mummy had a break!! xx


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

Dannielle100 said:


> Well, after an argument with Albie for the last half an hour  she has gone on the tray, for some reason she seemed desperate to get outside. Obviously, thats a NO CHANCE LADY!!
> 
> She's had a poo and a wee, and is now snuggled back up with her beautiful bambinos.
> 
> ...


lol that all sounds so familiar! my lot remind me of my kids lol always squabbling lol. 
my cats tummy looked quite big still too but then i thought so did mine after having just one baby lol... never mind 5! so thought it may just be the tummy muscles needing to retract and the milk supply?


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Question... I'm worried. She was just laid on the floor next to the box, and when she got up, there was a smear of blood? I have checked her everywhere, and the kits, and the only blood I can see is a tiny bit from her vagina.. is this normal? She is comfortable, isn't in pain, feeding and purring away. She has just gone to the toilet for the first time though, could this be why??!


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

Dannielle100 said:


> Question... I'm worried. She was just laid on the floor next to the box, and when she got up, there was a smear of blood? I have checked her everywhere, and the kits, and the only blood I can see is a tiny bit from her vagina.. is this normal? She is comfortable, isn't in pain, feeding and purring away. She has just gone to the toilet for the first time though, could this be why??!


my cat is same, i just asumed it was normal.


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Phew! At least I know that it happens to other cats too!!!

Are you rehoming yours then? I want to keep them all!!!! I can't bear to think of them leaving already!! xx


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

i have managed to get 3 homes ready with friends of mine who i know are very good with animals two more to find. i can't keep any as i already have a mini zoo. lol. my dog wouldn't cope with any more lol she is 12 yr old now. i only ever meant to have one cat my little tipsy but i couldn't see dusty left out in the cold and all elements after they left her. i think 2 cats, 1 dog, 4 rabbits, 1 guinea pig, 1 hamster, a tank of fish and 4 african land snails is plenty in this house and garden lol


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Dannielle100 said:


> Weigh gain since this morning.. as follows..
> 
> Ginger, was 100grams now 127
> Female black and white, was 85grams, now 106
> ...


Blimey, that's not just gold top she's producing, that's double cream!

Liz


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Thats only in a day! Haha, I wonder if they'll walk... or roll?! :w00t:

I haven't got homes yet, although a few have enquired now I have the pics on facebook! 
Does Dusty sometimes lay on the babies? Alby seems so clumsy with them, and keeps laying on them, where they'll let out a squeal and she'll jump off!! I'm quite worried with it being her first night tonight, as to whether she'll be careful? :nonod:


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

yes she has once or twice but they soon wriggle out way. she lowers herself over them now until she is clear to lay down. lol my pics are on facebook too lol. but i'm being very careful who gets them as some ppl i know i feel would not give them homes that they deserve.


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## jordebony (Jun 22, 2011)

my little dusty and her babies today, looking very content.


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## Aurelia (Apr 29, 2010)

The blood is perfectly normal, however please do keep an eye on her. If her tummy is still quite big it is possible she might have one or two left inside. It's not impossible for them to give birth to more ... even more than 24 hours after the first lot.

Excellent weigh gains, but you might have also caught them all before they have pooped :lol: mind it wouldn't account for that much! It's best to weigh them at the same time every day to account for toileting fluctuations and feeding times because of this


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## francescah (Feb 6, 2011)

Oh how gorgeous! I want the cat nap that little grey one!


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

really good weight gains!  with the blood, its like humans that give birth, sometimes blood is there after, your ok with small tiny bits, if its loads then obviously call the vet, normally lasts a few days.


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Yeah, it's literally only just a few spots. All's good after the first night, all feeding on mummy when I woke up  she's being such a good mum!! 

The ginger one is still squabbling for nipples, haha, he just seems to want mum to himself, and he squeaks when he can't get one, so she moves until he gets on, the others just go with the flow. He's going to be a little bossy boots! Going to weigh them all in a minute, they're feeding at the minute, and I'm going to change the bedding at the same time. 

Mums eating and drinking well, and is very, very content  and I think the kittens have pooped? Little black flecks around the bedding? Albie appears to be doing the neccesary, stimulating their bums after they have had a feed, so I assume it is. Back on soon with weights.. x


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Here we go.. 

Black and white girl.. now, 110
Black and White boy.. now, 120
Ginger.. now, 132 (!!)
Grey.. now, 118 xx


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

Think I'm going to get some new scales at the weekend.. these seem to be incredible weights they are putting on!! Bet they're well out! Lol...


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## Dannielle100 (May 23, 2011)

pinched them for photos while I was weighing and doing the bedding


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