The First 48 Hours

Sorry for the lack of update yesterday. Callie and Cole Luke and Leia kept me busy all day! For the first 48 hours, they wanted to be fed every two to two and a half hours, day and night. I suddenly have a much better understanding of what my friends and family who have kids went through when their little ones were newborns!

The first couple of days has been all about learning something new, both for the kittens and for myself. The bottle feeding was very awkward at first. The kittens weren't happy because the bottle doesn't feel like "mom", and I wasn't comfortable with it either. It took several feedings, and lots of adjusting the nipple before I was confident I could feed them without (a) worrying they'd get too much and choke themselves or (b) not get enough and go hungry. Good thing the kittens helped out by giving me lots of opportunity to practice I guess! There's nothing like trying to perform an awkward, uncomfortable task at 4am, knowing you hold two tiny, fragile lives in your hands.

A second important task when taking care of kittens this young is helping them "go potty". The mother cat normally handles this job by licking their bottoms until they poop or urinate. With mom gone, that responsibility now falls to me. It goes something like this...



...without the singing in my case.

This is probably a good time to mention to the non-family members reading this that I am one of those people who has a very low tolerance for visual "ickiness". It makes me nearly throw up just looking at poop, let alone having to rub a warm wet washcloth over a kitten's behind and risking the poop actually falling into my hand! The kittens don't seem too fond of this routine either, nevertheless, it is needed after every meal. Like the bottle feeding, this was a bit awkward the first few times I tried it, even aside from the ick factor. Apparently, I've gotten the hang of it. They seem to be pooping and urinating regularly now, which was not the case yesterday.

Today, I have noticed two things. First, their last two feedings have blessedly been nearly four hours apart. This is much more in line with what the shelter's foster care manual said to expect, and hopefully means a bit more sleep is in my foreseeable future. Second, I've noticed their personalities starting to emerge.

It looks like Cole Luke may become a typical lap cat. He's not as active as Callie Leia. After his feedings, he seems to really enjoy a little cuddling, and will role over on his back so you can rub his tummy.

Callie Leia is the stereotypical spitfire. She really lets you have it when she wants fed or is unhappy about something (such as the aforementioned poop stimulation routine!). When she's awake, she's always in motion. She's kind of her own worst enemy sometimes when it comes to feeding. She's so eager to get started that she tries a little too hard to find the bottle, making it harder to actually get it into her mouth! She also seems to enjoy a little cuddling after her feedings, but she tends to wander around on your lap and rub her head on your hands, rather than just lying down and relaxing.

Both kittens purred for me after their feedings today. That may have been the exact moment I realized I'm so very glad I got to foster them, regardless of the work involved, the lack of sleep, or their uncertain future. Whatever else happens, it gives me a warm feeling knowing I could bring a little bit of joy into their lives after they got off to such a rough start.

The kittens have now set a new "record" for time between feedings, so I should be hearing from them any minute! Based on the first 48 hours, I can't promise I'll be able to update this site every day, but I'll post as often as I can. In the meantime, here's a quick look at how small they are. This is Callie Leia (the larger one) lying next to a dollar bill. I shot it this afternoon, so this is after the half ounce she's gained in the last two days!