Kitten news - Tasha
19 April 2008
My last update for this litter...
Xander, Xarek and Xaria made their show debut today, and were all very successful - see the News page for details. OK, I admit it, Xander and Xaria are both staying here for now!
Both Xarek and Xavi leave home tomorrow to go and live with their new families. I always hate parting with my precious kittens, but knowing they are going to good, loving homes makes it a lot less painful. Having been the best of mums, Tasha is now happily reverting to her usual kittenish self. All her babies seem to have inherited her sunny disposition and are typically sweet and loving Russian Blues. I am so proud of all of them.
14 April 2008
My last photo of Xia while she still lived here... she has now gone to her new home where I am sure she is going to be doted on.
Having assured her new owner that Xia much preferred dry food, Xia decided that all she wanted for lunch was our crab pate - the first time she has ever tried taking human food, so it would seem that she is a little gourmet in the making!
5 April 2008
Last night the babies managed to squeeze the adults off my knee, and I ended up with all five of them lolling across along my legs (propped up on a footstool to maximise available lolling area of course), gently snoring with their ears all pointing heavenwards, and their little silver noses gently quivering with each breath.
They start to leave home next week, and I'm really not looking forward to it at all.
29 March 2008
The babies have now had their second vaccinations, and were as unbothered about the process as they were the first time round. They are into everything, and their habit of galloping across the house has earned them the new nickname 'thunderpaws'! When they aren't rushing around or playing with their favourite toys they have taken to cuddling in with Great Uncle Oliver in his favourite cosy corner, much to Oliver's obvious delight and pride. He always enjoys the company of kittens. I have been persuading Tasha that she doesn't need to stay with them absolutely all the time, and have noticed that she is reverting to behaving like an overgrown kitten herself, little love. One of the boys is going to live with his Auntie Lula (Tasha's litter sister), and we are just sorting out the last boy's future. So all's well in the Dushenka household!
22 March 2008
Here they all are, with their great-grandmother and great-great grandmother. Stella and Bella are definitely in their element, baby-sitting for mum, and the kittens love having even more adoring older females doting on them! Xia's new mum visited today and Xia is obviously feeling well pleased with herself - huge purrs and she has been sitting smugly ever since.
15 March 2008
There isn't a single corner of the house the
kittens haven't explored now, although they still all come back to bed with
me and their mum at night. Xavi was the first to join the guddle of
cats on my knee, squeezing in between his great-great grandmother and
great-grandmother, and cuddling up to great-uncle Oliver. Watching
them chase each other across the living room with their squirrel-tails slung
along their backs is just a joy! From left to right in the photos you
can see Xavi and Xarek enjoying the late afternoon sun, then Xander, Xaria
and Xia.
8 March 2008
Now nine weeks old, the kittens have been for
their first injections and microchipping. There were lots of firsts for them
today, as it was their first time out of the house, first time in a car,
first time meeting dogs (at the vet surgery)... They took it all in their
stride, wowing their audience and remaining their usual sweet selves even
when it came to 'needle time', calmly letting the vet do all the necessary
and enjoying the obligatory cuddles afterwards. I think my vet rather
enjoyed himself as well! Then it was straight home to a plate of chicken,
demolished in two minutes flat. Xander and Xaria-dumpling are both
definitely spoken for now, but it's not going to be easy to part with any of
them.
2 March 2008
I'm a day late with the update this week - we were
busy last night with the official 'kitten-warming party' last night, with
various colleagues
coming round for a kitten cuddle. Tasha thought
this was an absolutely superb idea, and made a point of purring, kissing and
cuddling everybody! The kittens thought it was pretty excellent as
well, playing hide-and-seek, chasing after squeaky toys and trying out
everyone's knee for size. My Xaria now has a new nick-name - Dumpling
- which is what comes of eating everything in sight. Xavi is the first
into everything, Xia is anybody's for a nice bowl of crunchies. Xarek
looks so elegant but is as nutty as the rest of them, and Xander tries very
hard to maintain his dignified poise but can't quite manage it when there is
food in the offing. Honestly, they are such a bunch of foodies!!
We had our Sunday morning in bed today being bombarded by purring babies -
my blue heaven.
23 February 2008
Tasha's kittens all look so beautiful - I can't believe that they are 7 weeks old already! They decided last week that the only place to sleep was on my bed, which makes getting up in the morning even more difficult. Weekend lie-ins are now obligatory, with mum and kittens all enjoying cuddles and tummy tickles. They continue to hoover their way through all the food I put in front of them, including dry food, and are already using mum's litter tray, rather than just the little kitten trays.
From left to right the photos are of Xander, Xarek, Xavier, Xaria and Xia.
16 February 2008
The babies are growing up fast now - I'm greatly enjoying watching them charge around the place with their tails slung along their backs! Their 'posh' names are sticking well, so Big Boy is now Xander, Calm Lad is Xarek, Wee Man... well officially he's Xavier, but he does still get called Wee Man sometimes! My 'frog-eyed sprites' have transformed into very pretty girls, Xaria and Xia. I wish I could keep them all.
9 February 2008
At five weeks old, all five babies are happily eating some solid food, and appear to have litter-trained themselves overnight! Tasha is still very much a 'paws-on' mother as you can see from this week's photograph, and is still given to outbreaks of thunderous purring. I am really happy that she is combining the role of perfect mother with her usual role of cute, crazy baby!
2 February 2008
Now four weeks old, the kittens are becoming proper little scamps - cute devils.
It's very difficult to get a group photo of them because either they are all little silvery bundles of perpetual motion, or they are fast asleep! It took a while, but I finally managed to catch them all together, thanks to their mum - here they are, some asleep, some very much wide awake.
Tasha now takes the occasional short break from her maternal duties, but only if I am baby-sitting for her. She really is a model mother, obviously revelling in all the attention she and her beautiful babies are getting.
26 January 2008
All five babies are tumbling around together, playing with their mum's tail and coming over to say hello every time I check on them. Some mornings it's really difficult to leave them... Initial names (Big Boy, Calm Lad, Wee Man and the Frog-eyed Sprites!) are gradually being replaced with their 'posh' names, which all begin with the letter X. However, I am going to check that these names definitely match with their personalities before making the final decisions.
19 January 2008
Two weeks old, all eyes open and the babies are all learning to walk. One particularly determined little individual already tries to climb out of the box to say hello! They definitely purr when they are feeding, and love having their soft little tummies tickled.
12 January 2008
Tasha's babies are now one week old, and showing the first signs of eyes opening. Tasha is a very happy mum, and has me wrapped around her paws, hand-feeding her when she is feeding her babies!
Her purrs are as thunderous as ever, and I am sure I heard one of the kittens make a rusty effort at a purr themselves last night.
5 January 2008
Tasha's kittens have arrived - easy as shelling peas, clever girl. Mother and babies are absolutely fine. Tasha has enjoyed some of her favourite luxury mini-can tuna, the kittens are all feeding well and have the plump tummies to prove it, so I'm going to get some sleep now - if I can manage it through Tasha's thunderous purring!
PS - three boys and two girls - I think!
30 December 2007
Tasha's appetite has expanded along with her waistline - exponentially - and she absolutely adores having her belly rubbed gently. Even her roly-poly girth hasn't slowed her down though, with my Christmas presents this year including a dead mouse presented to me by my crazy baby! (Not that the mouse could have been very bright - I mean, what mouse would choose to sneak into a house containing SIX cats?!!)
Tasha with a toy mouse
18 December 2007
Tasha has yet another new pet name - Tasha-the-Tanker! She is in wonderful condition, eating well, and quite exceptionally happy, even by her standards - all soft purrs and kisses. We are feeling quite hopeful.
Tasha-the-Tanker
1 December 2007
Crazy baby Tasha has been off visiting a handsome boy known as Dippie.
All paws and fingers crossed for early New Year news...
Dippie