Kittens and Mama cat therapy for you!

[ginnyinWI]

Take a 20 minute break and watch these guys:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Aw, squee!

I could listen to cats talking all day.

[Glamrock]

11. I know right?

We got a boy and girl from the same litter two years ago. He's a momma's boy, and she's my little girl. Ziggy is pretty quiet but my girl Beans has 10 minute conversations with me. I love it!

[Doreen]

2. Sooo adorable!

That pink ball is the same size as their head. What breed are these cats?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I think these are American Shorthairs.

http://cattime.com/cat-breeds/american-shorthair#/slide/1

[Doreen]

7. I like their "almost" flat faces.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. I like their neat stripes!

[Doreen]

9. Their stripes are very noticable compared to some tabby's.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. Very stripey - I think that's a breed standard.

And Momcat has such pretty yellow eyes!

[democratisphere]

3. Can never get enough cat stuff.

Thanks for the break.

[skylucy]

4. Good for lowering ones blood pressure after watching the Orange Asshole

Show tonight.

[ginnyinWI]

13. I know--well worth the time spent.

I watched before going to bed last night, and slept well!

[LudwigPastorius]

5. That's cute.

They've all got a version of the family crest on their foreheads.

[KT2000]

10. So sweet -

thank you.

[shenmue]

12. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[Fresh_Start]

15. thank you...I needed that

I have three fixed kitties...so no babies in the house for a long time

[ginnyinWI]

17. maybe you could foster them?

I have been fostering kittens, mostly, from June 2013. It's mainly Spring, Summer or Fall and winds up at the beginning of December, starts up again in April.

Of course if I have vacation plans or something, I just say, "not now".

I have two adult cats of my own, but foster litters of motherless kittens, and it's fun. Also some work, but you get to cuddle them and watch them grow and have them think of you as "mom".

You say goodbye when it is time, knowing that you have done something really great for these little lives.

Some people will foster a mama cat with kittens. I find that works better if you don't have cats of your own. There have been fireworks! Mom cats can be very protective.

[Fresh_Start]

18. i was thinking about something like that

maybe even bottle babies...

[ginnyinWI]

19. I raised my first litter of bottle babies last spring--

I hope you do! You can make a big difference in some little lives.

My first and only, so far, I should say. A lot of work but very rewarding. These five little female kittens were about 2 or 2 1/2 weeks old when I got them. A lady took them away from their feral mom for fear that her dogs would get them, like the last time. Then she tried trapping the mom but that didn't work. So anyway they came to me.

I fed them every few hours, even during the night, as you would newborns. Two of them did not like the bottle nipples, so I fed them by syringe until I got a special elongated nipple that they just loved. (You can buy nursing kits at pet stores.) Used kitten formula that you mix up and heat in the microwave.

I had to "potty" them too, with a damp paper towel, but we got through to four weeks old when they started eating and eliminating on their own.

I understand that there are foster care-givers who only do the bottle feeding stage, and then pass them on to someone else. But our shelter lets you see them all the way through to being available for adoption.

They were super-attached to me, more than kittens you get at an older age. The older they are, the less attached, naturally. I got to name them, and am still in touch via email with the person who adopted one of them. She sends pictures.

Here they are shortly after they got to my house:



And later:

[Judi Lynn]

16. Incredible! Thank you.