Do you want to be my friend. Serial part 7

This week was filled with excitement: emotions, joy, astonishment and also some worries. When kittens have opened their eyes there is a feeling of connection, there’s expression in their beautiful little faces. Of course their sight is blurred, but I like to think that they are looking happily at me.

Liefje is a very strict mother; she keeps her kittens under close surveillance. She has some very tough rules and when we don’t follow them, we are faced with an emotional mother.  

We should recognize that her first litter can make her very nervous and insecure, and we have to avoid that at all times. So we have a lot of reassuring conversations.

We have to weigh her babies every evening and Liefje does not like that at all. She follows us, protesting loudly and she tries to get her baby. After weighing the baby we show it to her and before laying it back in their bed, we let her smell her baby. The poor baby has to endure his mother’s though washing regime afterwards.

She is a very satisfied and proud mother of two and likes to show them to the other cats and of course to us. A soon someone enters the room she gets out the play pen to meet the visitor.  After work Ivan almost immediately visits Liefje and her baby and after a short conversation he gets a baby in his hands. Liefje keeps a close eye on her baby and she meows loudly how to hold her baby. When she is satisfied she returns her attention at her other baby and peace is restored.So there is quality time for both of them.

Since a few days one of the two isn’t growing as we like him to do. We like to keep a close eye on them and when a kitten isn’t growing about 10% of his birthweight every day we observe his development and take action when necessary. Firstly we support the baby with a few feedings a day. But the day before yesterday we decided to bottle-feed the baby every two hours. That is a very exhausting undertaking but it is very important to prevent weight loss.
This is also a very emotional period, because a baby almost always resists bottle feeding. Kittens are as the French say ”gourmands” and they just do not like kitten milk, they always prefer their mothers 'milk. Furthermore you have to try to hold a very tiny and fragile and resisting baby without injuring it. When you succeed you will have to convince it to have a sip. Fortunately a resisting baby always protests loudly and thus opens his mouth widely and so you are able to have a try. You have to bear with the baby there’s surely nothing better than its mother’s milk. Well Liefjes’ sun does not like kitten milk at all and keeps resisting loudly.
Fortunately Liefjes'sun is growing very well, he has gained ten grams today.

He is a very active baby and is trying to walk. His body is not ready for walking; the proportions seem best suited for drinking. His short tiny legs are not made for walking yet and there is no coordination of movement. But he does not care; he is walking or rather waggling. He proudly goes where he’s never gone before. But most of the day the happy family is together, just enjoying life.

A lot has happened and Liefje likes to report  what  has happened with her and her two gorgeous kittens. Enjoy this video.                            

She likes to see you soon.