Growing Kitty Week Two

Quick tid-bit from me

Hey all! Sorry I have been a bit behind. I am sure most of you do not know but unfortunately, I suffer from an autoimmune disorder. It seems like once you get diagnosed with one they just keep on coming. Anyways, I have been down the last few weeks and have been trying to recover. I started some new things and I am feeling much better so hopefully I can get back on track! Plus, I have all my kitties that take care of me!

Thanks for bearing with me.              #snapchat ;)

-Amanda

---

Week Two

This week is week two and big things are happening. Ears, eyes and nose, oh my! The developmental changes in week two are significant and we are here to tell you all about it. 

Look at me grow

At week two the kittens grow at an amazing rate of around 10 grams per day. This is a lot for its tiny little body so it needs plenty of milk, sleep, and lovin's. Momma kitties need a ton of nourishment at this time to help support not only her nutritional needs but her kittens as well. She should be fed a high-quality food to ensure she is getting the most out of her food so those babies can keep growing.

Sniff, Wiggle, Sniff, Sniff

Kittens are starting to smell new and interesting things. Since their sense of smell is only a little on the working side, they will get hissy with unfamiliar smells as well as sounds. They are starting to recognize who their siblings are and interact with them more and more. Even an occasional hissy fit over their favorite nipple. 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed 

Hey mom, can you see my eyes? At about 10 days old the kittens eyes will start to open. Some will open sooner than others and maybe only one at a time. By the end of week two their eyes are typically wide open and can start to see objects, although still very blurry. During this time, their eyes are extremely sensitive so keep those bright lights away and let them adjust in a dim environment. Did you know that all kittens are born with blue eyes? Since their eyes are still developing they acquire that blue color. By about a month old their eyes should start changing to their permanent eye color and continue to develop until they are around 9 months old.  

What eye color does your kitten have?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

-Amanda

Growing Kitty Week One

Week One

We all know there are several stages a kitten goes through in the first few weeks of life but why are these stages so important and what happens during this time? In the next few blog posts I am going to explain the developmental changes a kitten goes through week by week until they are ready for their forever home.

Hello World!

From the time the kittens are born mom is hard at work. She is cleaning, feeding and keeping her tiny tots warm. Throughout this week she is very protective of her young and if bothered too much she will try to relocate them to a more peaceful location. During this time, we do not interfere to ensure mom's stress level stays low and she feels cozy and comfortable in her nesting area.

Puttin' On the Ounces

Kittens, when welcomed to this world, typically weigh a whopping 3-4 ounces. Of course, as far as Savannahs go, the higher the generation the bigger the kittens. In this week, the kittens will typically double in size to about 6-8 ounces which is a lot for their tiny little bodies. Within about 2-3 days their umbilical cord will detach and they are ready for takeoff.

Help Mom

When born, kittens are completely helpless and solely rely on their mothers to care for them. Their eyes are tightly shut making it a bit hard to see and their ears are folded so they cannot hear a thing. They react to their mothers body heat for comfort and rely on their  faint sense of smell to find their favorite nipple at feeding time. 

Happy and Healthy

In the first 24-48 hours of arrival the kittens will receive colostrum from their mothers. This is a very vitamin and nutrient rich milk that is crucial to the kittens development. Given the mother has had her vaccinations, this milk allows the kittens to receive the mothers immunity to harmful diseases until they are old enough for their first set of shots.

Potty Time

Another thing kittens are incapable of at this stage is controlling their bowels. Mom will lick their bellies to aid in digestion as well as their bottoms to help stimulate them to defecate. Kittens also can not regulate their own body temperature so mom always stays near to be sure they are all snuggled up.

A Whole Lot of Shut Eye

In order to for kittens to grow and develop as fast as they do, they need plenty of beauty rest. Kittens spend 90 percent of their time sleeping while the other 10 percent they are chowing down. Other than snoozing, fighting their littermates for a nipple is their top priority but Mom always makes sure there is plenty to go around.

What first week experiences do you have?

Until Our Next Cat Convo

- Amanda 

Sleepy Kitty

Our cats and their napping habits.

As a mommy to several kitties I am always catching them in the most unusual slumber. Some of them in the obvious places like; in the warmth of the sun, on the fluffy sofa, in their cozy bed, in our cozy bed, and my most favorite is in my lap.  But sometimes you look for them for twenty minutes but they are nowhere to be found because they have a secret bunker where they can slip into that deep sleep with no disruption.

Types of Sleep

Did you know that cats also go into REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep just like humans? Most of the time when cats are sleeping they are not in that deep, fabulous, no care in the world sleep but more of that, I'm asleep but not really asleep because I can freakin' hear everything that is going on and no one will be quiet sleep. They stay in this state of sleep for around 15 - 20 minutes while momentarily falling into REM sleep for about 5 minutes at a time. If you ever notice your cat sleeping but slightly shift their radar's or taking a slight peek around this is when they are in the "Dozing" stage of sleep. If your kitty has their eyes tightly shut or using their personal fluffy sleep mask this is when they are in the "DO NOT BOTHER ME I AM ACTUALLY ASLEEP!" stage.

Why so long?

Cats can sleep anywhere from 15-20 hours a day depending on their age filling their fluffy fuel tanks. Cats release an obscene amount energy when hunting their prey, or in our instance, their secret stash of catnip so they need all the rest they can get. Kittens and older cats require more sleep than the average aged cat. Kittens sleep more because their precious little bodies are growing and older cats have had their time of prime and have decided life is much easier when you slow down.

Getting Adjusted

Most cats are dawn dwellers but being as adaptive as they are, they easily adjust to our hectic schedules. They enjoy their human time therefore making time in their day for us. But if you are having kitty soft paws in your face at 4:00 in the mother lovin' morning then try having some extra play time during the day especially before bed time. You may also give them a small snack before bed because they also like to go to bed on a full belly.  FUN FACT: We have a friend that as soon as he has eaten he is ready for bed before we even leave the table. We always tease him and tell him his eyelids are attached to his stomach. The more he eats, the fuller he gets and pulls his eyelids down, it’s pretty comical. But kitties do have a method to their madness when it comes to their sleeping habits.  Hunt, Eat, Clean, Sleep, Repeat!

Caution

If your fur child is sleeping more or less than usual you might want to consult with your veterinarian. There may be an underlying medical problem that needs addressed. Always take note of unusual habits your cats may have. If there is something different or concerning contact your breeder for advice or of course your veterinarian is always there to help. 

Whether in my lap or in their bed I always enjoy watching the cats sleep. You can actually distinguish when they slip in and out of that deep sleep. You can see their paws twitch and nose wiggle while in the land of catnip or their radars activate to be sure no danger is near.

We are always finding our kitties in the most peculiar places and positions. 

Tell us about some of your favorite sleepy kitty stories or share your photos with us on our social media sites!

Until Our Next Cat Convo 

- Amanda