Thursday, 19 March 2009
Kitten Diary #2
Crow
The kittens are now 20 weeks old, half way through their official kittenhood which will end at around 9 or 10 months. After that they will become young cats who will continue to develop slowly until they are about 2 years old and fully mature.
They've now been living with us for nearly half their lives and we wonder if they have any recollection at all of their previous homes, their mother and the other humans who have cared for them during their short spans.
We've been keeping a record of their weights as an aid to tracking their health and because it's interesting. Four days after they arrived, 18th Jan, they weighed:
Rook: 1.48kg
Crow: 1.425kg
Raven: 1.231kg
Last Saturday 14th March:
Rook: 2.868kg
Crow: 2.689kg
Raven: 2.209kg
So they have nearly doubled in weight, with Rook always the heaviest also having the fastest gain.
Rook
There is a reason for this; he is the laziest, most comfort seeking of the cats. While Crow worries and prowls around in anxious searches for company and Raven plays prettily at perfecting her precision hunting skills, Rook just quietly sits, sleeps and snoozes his life away. He's also the most mature in other ways, best at tray training and keen to tidy up after the others if they're less particular. He likes sitting quietly on laps and is rarely found being first at any naughty new pastime. He does just enough to master any new trick but never puts himself out.
Raven
Until now we've been feeding them pretty much on demand. There has always been crunch available and once a day a kitten breakfast is served, wet food from one pouch split three ways. They love this and it's been a valuable training aid which has enabled me to bring them in with a call when needed.
Now, though, they are beginning to show a certain embonpoint. Fat kittens are not healthy kittens and so we're starting to measure their food and ration it to three meals a day. I have a whole nest of issues to do with pet food manufacturers and their products but can't really justify boring the pants off people by writing about it here. Bring me a bottle of wine and we'll sit and talk!
Blood for their Rabies test is being taken tomorrow. If the outcome is positive, and we'll know in a week, then we'll be clear to take them across the channel. I think once they get there, they're going to love it.
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