Yesterday moved past in a continuous blur of feeding every few hours in between all the usual daily chores. I am feeding them in the same manner as the lambs, no set routine, just tiny sips often. Now that they are hydrated the kittens are starting to look about three weeks old. One even played a little at nappy time. Both the bigger ones are now actually sucking on the bottle, I still have to start them off but we are making big strides in the right direction.
The marmalade-cat kitten is the biggest and the loudest. Boo watches it with barely disguised adoration. I close to the door to the cloak room when I am not in there and he lies outside the door with his nose pressed to the crack listening.
The littlest one almost died twice. I came into the room the first time to find him quite still with his head thrown back and his mouth wide open, eyes glazing over, barely breathing. Shallow. So like a mother cat I roughed him up, massaging his belly, stroking and getting him moving. It took a while, but both times he seems to rouse. I fed him only water until he began to pee properly.
I checked with a local cat breeder and she said that RAW cows milk is so much better than pasteurised boxed goats milk. And of course raw goats milk would be better than raw cows milk. But I don’t have a milking goat. So raw cows milk it is. The raw is the important word. Cats, like many people, often develop lactose intolerance to ultra-pasteurised milk.(When the enzymes necessary for digestion have been killed off plus most of the nutrients). And cats, like people, have a much easier time digesting raw milk. So I am feeding them diluted raw cows milk with no problems at all. All systems are go.
By 2.30 this morning the little fella had begun to purr when he was brought to my knee for his feed. He is on warm diluted milk now. Though it is still more of a force feed and only drops at a time. But I feel he is improving.
Boo would spend all day in there, if I let him. Once when I popped out to get a rag, I found that he had jumped over their barricades and was in with them because the marmalade kitten was getting itself in behind a dresser and it worried him, he was making darting movements towards its disappearing tail, not sure what to do. But he is too big for that and was told to jump back out and stay out while I rescued the little worm of a cat.
TonTon busied himself with the real chores while we coaxed the little scraps to eat.
He is not a cat-dog. He much prefers to be outside with his big animals.
In the night as I was up already, feeding the wee kitties, I thought I would take some shots of the sky. This being the challenge for this month and all.
Just to prove that there are lots of stars here.
Today I will do some study on taking shots of the moon. The moon is my objective after all and it is a different set of equations to the stars I think. Plus it is a big light in my night sky, like a search light. I had another trouble with the star shots last night because LuLu the little cat was following me around the yard, rubbing herself on my legs and the tripod legs. Sigh.
Good morning. The coyotes have been close by since the early hours of this morning. Yipping and barking and running along the creek. After one kitten feeding time I went out with the torch to the boundary and the dogs and I shouted at them. As I write Ton is barking himself hoarse making sure they know not to come too close. It is still dark. Predawn.
With their playgrounds (the fields) being harvested, they are on the move again. Their territory lines are being busted up. Plus the big machines dislocate all kinds of other tiny mammals and birds, the field mice and the ground squirrels, the pheasants and quail. The coyotes are having a literal field day. I don’t want them getting emboldened and drifting into my fields. Today, I will very slowly walk the chickens in their ark back closer to the barn. It is easier for the dogs to guard them when they are closer. Our corn is still up. Lots of cover for predators.
Have a lovely day, it is going to be another busy one here, but just maybe I can take some time off and get down to pick those apples. Thank you so much for all your kind and informative comments yesterday. Your combined knowledge has helped save these wee kittens. I think I should rename that post “How to hand rear kittens – please see the comments of the Fellowship”.
My arms and hands are tired. You know, that tiredness that gets into your little bones. And now it is time to get dressed and begin the chores.
your friend on the farm, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
59 responses to “Stars and Stars. Kittens and Coyotes.”
Hi Celi
The kittens are so tiny and precious….thank you for working so hard to save them all.
Great photos! And how wonderful that you are gaining ground with the kittens. I am really allergic to cats, but I adore them from afar! Good boy Boo! Take care of those babies.
You DO have a firmament full of twinkling . . . how clear and beautiful without artificial city lights . . . and I do hope all three kitties come good with the best ‘babysitter’ Boo checking them continuously ., . . but every time you mention coyotes I do think about the arc and those chickens . . . surely those critters woould know how to dig under and cause havoc . . .
yes they certainly could, we will have to hope that my good pack keeps the bad pack out. So far I have not had any problems with them, which reminds me I had better go out and shut the chooks door or they will lay all over the place tomorrow. c
Fingers crossed! You did well yesterday as 2500 manned firetrucks and max available police stood by here with all parks/ national parks closed around the state and each known ‘firebug’ was watched ~ well, it did get record hot but did not blow overly . . . and until tomorrow all is safe with the world . . . [Oh, Boo must have had his paws crossed also 🙂 ! Huge pat!!!!]
Thank goodness, i was wondering how it was going, the last thing you need now is another fire, i know aussie is forged (annually) in fire but it is rough that this year is setting itself u as another dangerous summer. c
No matter how well you think you know a dog, there’s always a surprise yet to uncover. Of course you know him better but this paternal side of Boo has got to be at least a little bit of a surprise. It will be something to see how their “relationship” changes as the kittens mature. Great shots of the night, Celi. I experimented a little while in Michigan but wasn’t nearly so successful. Have a great night & morning.
I was cooking dinner just before and suddenly there was a kitten in the kitchen, it was rushing as fast as it could on its shaky legs ahead of a very upset Boo. He was desperately trying to turn it back to the cloakroom. I put it back in its bed and he breathed an obvious sigh of relief as he lay back down by their door. Poor boo.
Boo seems like the youngest boy child of a large family – he’s observed kindness and understand even the tiniest life is precious. Perhaps the kittens will sleep with him eventually.
Yes all those helpful comment yesterday – you will have to begin a special manual of How to care for everything”
The sky picture is beautiful – we have a good view of big sky here – gives a sense of calm and perspective no matter the day.
Beauty in your spirit Celi – nature returns beauty to you in kind
What an excellent manual that would be too! c
There is a donkey rescue here in east central Wisconsin: http://holylanddonkeys.webstarts.com/index.html. That area is known as the holy land, towns are St. Cloud, St. Anne, St. Peter, Mt. Calvary etc. They might possibly know of a rescue in your area. I have a mini donk gelding, Winston, who is an absolute sweetheart, loves having his head hugged. He shares a large area with two Nigerian Dwarf wethers, 2 Rouen ducks and four assorted hens. They do all have their own “houses” but they share a yard and get along well. We also have a lot of coyotes around here as well as owls, hawks and raccoons but I’ve only ever lost one chicken to a predator and I believe that was a hawk. I have to think having Winston on site helps. Besides, just hearing that bray makes me laugh.
Thank you for the contact, I will look into it, though i have to be sure I have room.. c
You are both doing great job dear Cecilia, how nice how lovely kittens… You know how much I love cats… Thanks and Love, nia
I think you are the most energetic woman on earth! Kittens are hard to resist, especially ones that need extra love. Boo is the best daddy ever, it gives me the warm fuzzies to hear your stories about how loving and protective he is!
The stars are beautiful. 🙂
Boo is such a great surrogate and you just have to love him for it. Celi, again your photographs could stand alone and tell the story. Each day I visit with you I find yet another reason to look forward to the big move… and those stars are the icing! Be well, get rest when you can, and good thoughts for those three little kittens!
Last nights stars were extraordinary at 3.30 in the morning, i am kicking myself now for now getting the tripod out and taking a fee shots, so tonight I am going to leave it set up when i go to bed. c
That is a very good idea! Who wants to be fumbling with it at 3:30 AM in the dark. 😉
Looking forward to tomorrow’s post!
I love seeing the stars. That cluster in the middle, like a long triangle on its side, looks like Taurus, which we see in the southern hemisphere too.
Awwww. So sorry you lost this little soul :*(