SQUEE! What cute and beautiful little calico girl! Phoenix looks very healthy; it's great she has two caring moms!:D:love:
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SQUEE! What cute and beautiful little calico girl! Phoenix looks very healthy; it's great she has two caring moms!:D:love:
You've gotten plenty of good advice so that's covered. I just wanted to say that both are beauties. Calicos are my favorite. I just love them. You might try goat's milk as moosmom suggested but always have fresh water out for them. I have two cat fountains for my Fur Posse. Btw, not all cats are lactose intolerant. I drink skim milk and when I'm done w/my cereal, I put the bowl down on the floor and they dive right in. None of them have had any problems ever from drinking milk. However, no sense in tempting fate, right? They don't need the milk; it's just a treat for my cats. Good luck! :)
I will always care about Phoenix.
Phoenix's mum (Princess) has never ever drank from any type of bowl or dish. My sister don't put her out water anymore as she would prefur to die from thirst than drink from a bowl/dish. Princess has always jumped in the bath and drank water straight from the taps. Anything less simply isn't good enough for her.
I often wonder if Phoenix will inherit this trait but then I do know animals can adopt strange habits. Like cats only drinking from Glasses sometimes in a certain setting. I also remember growing up having a dog and a cat and neither of them ate the right food. The dog would eat cat food and the cat would eat dog food. My mum tried everything and it never worked so she just let them be. But then they did use to sleep together and instead of chasing their own tail they would chase each others.
I love animals behaviour!
And I'm not sure if I would give Phoenix any milk as the though of it turns my stomach. My body simply can't tolerate it and the thought/look/sound and smell of it makes me feel sick. I may give it a go as I'm not the one drinking it but then as you'll already said they don't need it.
Ill buy some kitty treats instead :)
You can get lactose free milk drops or yogurt drops. My cats go nuts for the yogurt drops. I believe it is either gimpet or vitakraft that makes them but I will check it out to be sure.
Whiskas makes something called Catmilk. It is safe for cats, 98& lactose reduced, has some protein and calcium.
Again, Phoenix shouldn't need it once she is grown, but it might be nice for a treat now and then.:)
Thank you all. I will buy some whiskas milk. They do a 6 pack so that should be okay.
Phoenix is 2 weeks old Today, I haven't seen her yet but can't wait to see her tomorrow.
Am I correct in thinking that she should start to be handled in 2 weeks? At 4 weeks old (1month)?
She doesn't get touched at all at the moment as we worry mum will reject her. I must admit though I have stroked her head the last time I saw her and she didn't hiss but I made sure I had princesses sent on me first.
You can touch her now, just do so when her momma cat is there, so she knows you are not a threat, and so Phoenix gets used to being touched. Try petting momma, too, if that helps, because that will help mom relax, too, hopefully.
Don't worry. It is not likely mum would reject them from being touched by a person (scent) she knows.
I delivered the last kittens I have here. Their mum was tossed out very young as she gave birth at around 8 months old. She didn't have a clue. When the first kitten started to 'exit' the body she went nuts, growling, trying to tear it out with her teeth, trying to run from it. I had to force her down onto a blanket and I was literally like a midwife with her. When the kitten was pushed out she didn't know what to do. I had to break the sac & cut the cord then place the baby with mum so she could clean him & he could feed. I did this 3 more times so all her kittens were handled from the second they were born and she never ever rejected any of them.
It is really only within the first days or even week mum is so inclined to be extra protective. Start handling now. What Karen said is good advice. Stroke Phoenix while mum is there and even include her in the petting session. Frequent petting sessions are great. If you are nervous still carry out your petting sessions while she is still snug with mum or on her blankie. You can start in a week or so, once you see mum & Phoenix & of course you are more comfortable, to pick her up for cuddles.
I have never been afraid to touch Phoenix but my sister is and don't like her much. She said she is possessed, which clearly isn't true.
It's funny because when the mum leaves Phoenix by herself and I walk up to her Princess just looks over at me to see what I'm doing before turning away. Usually it depends on phoenix if she hisses or not.
If my sister goes to phoenix and princess isn't there then princess runs over to her and sits on her. If princess is already with phoenix then she puts her arm over phoenix as if to protect her.
When they were all born princess was agitated and my sister refused to go near her and said it all made her feel sick (she's 4 years older than me). Princess kept getting up and doing circles in my nieces art box (my sister wasn't home when it started so princess jumped into a creative art box and delivered 2 kittens there) I got princess to jump out the box into a new nesting box that was safe and carried the 2nd kitten into the box (the first was dead).
I had to keep princess still and Phoenix being the last to be born got stuck but Princess delt with it and cleaned them all.
Oh can I ask.... Why do kittens scream when they are picked up by humans?
Princess never picked any of her litters up as it seems she does not know how. My sister caught Princess with her mouth around Phoenix's head and apparently princess was hearting her (I don't know if that's true) but what was happening?
She was mostly likely just trying to move her. Some cats don't have the 'know how' to do what is needed. I had a cat years ago that was an amazing mum overall but she too couldn't figure out how to pick up the kittens and every time she tried they would squeal because she just couldn't get them right.
We are different from mum cat...we smell different & feel different & handle the kittens differently so, the kittens feel things are 'not right' strange, so then tend to cry out to let us and mum know something isn't right & they are uncomfortable or scared about it.
If Princess had an issue with you being with her baby she would not walk away from her when you went near. She would do just as she does with your sister. Princess can sense your sister doesn't like the kitten or is nervous around her and therefore has the instinct to protect her baby. She feels no threat from you so she is comfortable leaving you with her baby cause she feels her baby will be safe with you.
My sister told me that the other day she come home and phoenix was by her chair (the other side of the room) she got across the room but couldn't get back so my sister put her back. Since then my sister has stroked her every day.
I got to my sisters a few hours ago and Phoenix is looking well. Her weight has yet again doubled and she is looking very healthy. I sat beside her box and she attempted climbing out. It was a bit too tall for her so she got to the top and put her head over the edge. She even got up on all four legs and walked without trouble for a few steps before she layed down.
It is so amazing when you watch them develop before your eyes. She is only 15 days old but is growing soo fast.
Again though princess did just look like she was chewing on phoenix's head/neck. Phoenix didn't make a sound but I know she wasn't trying to move her because she was just about to feed her. When she moves phoenix when they are both laying down she uses her paws to sweep her along.
They are both doing well though and I know in a few days Phoenix will be up and walking like a pro.
Okay now I have witnessed the biting my sister was talking about.
Princess holds phoenix in her paws or arms and starts grooming her, then the hold gets tighter and she starts biting her head or neck (that's usually what she is grooming at the time) while her back legs are kicking at Phoenix.
Cats usually do this when you play with them. When they are on their backs and you play with their stomachs they start to attack your hand while kicking. This is what Princess just did but with Phoenix.
I'm not sure if I mentioned before but Princess has been extremely playful since she gave birth. Could it just be her playing?
My sister also said sometimes she will watch the box with her tail swishing then she pounces on Phoenix and Phoenix will usuall meow and climb out from under her. Princess doesn't attempt to attack her along with the pounce, its just a pounce.
Yup, that's playing. It's funny as every mammal seems to come with "I bite your head" as a game already in their skill set. If you watch any nature shows, you'll soon notice every species of baby does it!
Phoenix is growing very fast! Mum is indeed playing around! Phoenix is now 19 days and she has been walking for about 1 week now. She also started cleaning herself about a week ago too. I'm aware she is very advanced and I noticed that when I saw her on Monday (15 days old) and she was climbing up the side of her box. Yesterday I was there again and phoenix came out for a little wonder after mum literally dragged her out the box. Mum has been extremely playful and spends less time in the box. In fact if she goes in the box it is to pounce on phoenix or paw her or bite her (oh and she LOVES Phoenix's tail). Princess now hops about, runs up and down or attempts dragging the blanket from the box (with phoenix on it) like that little kitten she once was.
I know phoenix will be following soon as she is already playing. She bit me yesterday when she was playing with me. She now also bites and kicks with her back paws while using her front legs to lock your hand in so she can bite (exactly what I asked about princess doing when she lays on her back biting Phoenix). Phoenix then went on to bite her paw which made her groom her paw then bite her leg which led to her scratching her ear with her leg.
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Originally Posted by Phoenix
LOL....I love this....they are so much fun when they are learning all the new things. And it's only just begun. Enjoy it as soon she will be running up the curtains and getting rough with those little razor blade claws of hers.