Day Five and all the kittens are eating on their own. They are no longer just eating baby food, they have gone on to eating kitten food both wet and dry. There has been no vomit or diarrhea. No fevers or lethargy and I hope we have come out of the woods now completely. My heart is smiling and I am so relieved. No one has had to be given fluids in the last few days- are we really over this last scare?

I am smiling as I now report that for the first time since the others have passed away, the four survivors are now eating on their own! The only thing I can get them to eat is organic baby food and I follow up their food with fluids when necessary and their antibiotics. When they use the litter pan, I scoop it right away. If they vomit, I bleach it right out. I am mopping the floors daily, cleaning the litter pans three times a week and just loving on these babies as much as I can.

When I think of all they have been through, the poisoning, the exposure to distemper- it is a miracle they are still in this world. Now my next miracle (God willing) is to pay down my vet bill so my vet doesn’t take a contract out on my life! LOL

I am just so thrilled to see ALL of them eating now- this is day three of the exposure- two more days to go then three weeks of beefing them up with better nutrition and they will be on their way to neuters and a better life-

I am smiling, but I remain cautiously optimistic because I know this opportunistic disease is ruthless and we aren’t out of the woods yet, but perhaps, we are in a clearing?

Perhaps Prissy, the young maid in Gone With the Wind said it best; “I don know nuthin’ bout birthin babies!” Most cat lovers feel a sense of anticipation, excitement and confusion when it comes to an expectant queen about to deliver.

What do you do if something (heaven forbid) goes wrong during the birthing process? How do you assist a stray cat you barely know in giving birth?

It bears mentioning that queens have been having kittens on their own for centuries. If you doubt that fact, next time you walk around your neighborhood, count all the stray cats you see.

Outside strays don’t seek comfort when they look for a nest. They look for a dark, quiet and secure place (under a house or porch) or deep in a thicket appears to be the customary nest of choice. There are usually two or three emergency exits near the nest in case of danger.

But this time, your heart got the best of you and you have trapped or captured this pregnant queen and are waiting for the birthing while trying to gain her trust. You have to move carefully as she doesn’t know you, and confinement can add to the stress of a cat about ready to deliver, feeding her on a regular schedule daily will help to alleviate some of that stress.

Just in case, before the kittens arrive you should have on hand:
*Plenty of dry, clean soft rags (to wrap kittens in or to dry them off)
*A heating pad- pet pad is best (to provide warmth for the newborns and the queen)
*A pair of blunt scissors (to cut the umbilical cord if the queen doesn’t chew it)
*Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol (to wash your hands with inbetween kittens)
*Dental floss or strong thread (to tie the cord)
*Iodine to place on the end of the cord to prevent infection.
*Surgical gloves
*Birthing box already lined with soft rags or towels (use light colored towels to help spot problems quickly.
*Small flashlight (most kittens are born at night and queens prefer low light when in labor)
*Infant bulb syringe (used to clear the kittens mouth and throat)
*Telephone and your vet’s number in case of emergency.
*A second smaller box lined with towels in case mom rejects one, or all of the kittens
*Small nursing bottles or feeding syringes and kitten formula (with colostrum) already mixed up just in case.

If left on her own, the queen would likely choose her nest in your sock drawer, under your bed or in a remote place. To help her feel comfortable put her in a room away from house traffic that is dark and quiet. Provide her several “nests” within this room. Cardboard boxes make great dens. If there is a closet, clear the floor and put the box inside. Let her choose where she wants to give birth, this will prevent her from moving the kittens after they are born. Just be sure that they are out of drafts. Most mothers instinctively know to avoid cold spots.

Most of the time, the queen will deliver her kittens without problems. Your best move would be to get your queen checked by a vet during her pregnancy. This way you will have a general idea when the queen is going to deliver and how many kittens she will likely have. If she has been mated with more than one tomcat (typical for stray cats) when the first litter is ready, ALL the kittens will be pushed out. This results in runts, underweight kittens and sometimes even stillborns. This is why it is so important to get females spayed before they reach 6 months old; (the time of their first heat cycle). If you spay your females and you still want kittens- you can adopt one from a local shelter. Then it won’t matter that you don’t know “nuthin bout birthin babies,” because you know something about saving a life.

Speaking of life- four kittens who should have never hit the ground are still hanging on and fighting distemper- the others sadly have passed on to a much better place.

Two more kittens are showing signs of not feeling good- they are part of the toxic rescue. I am giving supportive fluids, antibiotics and they are eating Recovery. The vet says if they can make it past the five day mark, they have a chance of surviving this disease. One foot in front of the other is the only way I can get through the day.

Mid-90’s today and yet Mike spent the majority of the day wrapped up in a heavy blanket…signs of things to come I suppose. It is supposed to cool down tomorrow which means he will want me to turn on the heater for him.

Sullivan, Willow and Toad cannot understand why mom’s lap keeps moving. If I even get a chance to sit down, they are right on top of me claiming my lap and fighting for space. Such sweet kittens and as soon as I know it is safe, I hope to find them loving homes. They have had their first vaccinations and are waiting for the boosters.

I take McGee back to the vet in the morning to have his drain removed and have him evaluated. This experience seems to have left him ravenous. I have never seen him eat so much! I de-wormed him this morning to see if that might be why he seems to have an endless stomach.

One of the toxic kitties has joined Bentley and India tonight. She may have faded into the night but she has left a large pawprint on our hearts-

McGee came into the house on Saturday and he looked quite swollen on his face. I took him in this morning to the vet as a “drop off” becaus they are slammed with appointments and I will be busy with Mike all day. I suspect one of the recent strays tangled with him- the abscess was quite large and tight and I was unable to open it to drain it which means the vet gets to do it. I did start him on clinidrops but he could use prayers-

The vet said whatever got him, got him good and he now has a drain in his neck poor kitty. They put him on clyndymicin and a pain patch. 🙁

The kittens are doing okay today all except one. She just doesn’t seem to interested in eating today although I did get her to swallow a few syringes of baby food. It could be she is full of dry food as I leave kitten chow down most of the day for them. That is the hope anyway- I will just keep my eye out as she is to young to be vaccinated right now.

Tomorrow, Mike starts the radiation treatment. I wish I could switch places with him but since women don’t have prostates, I guess that won’t happen. “They” say that he will be okay for the first five treatments and then he will get hit with a mighty wave of fatigue and possible side effects (none of which are good.) He will have between 48-54 treatments and my heart aches for him as he has been through so much already.

We have a new kitty outside, he is of course a tomcat and totally drop-dead gorgeous yellow kitty- really light orange and what looks like yellow stripes- never seen anything quite like him before although he could have some sort of stained coat I suppose. I put him about 2 years old and he showed up last night, skin and bones and starving. I was able to feed him and pet him briefly before he vanished under the house. I am hoping he will come back and I can catch him and put him in the large cage and get him to the vet. Other than being skinny he looks healthy as far as no discharge from the nose and eyes. He scared me last night when he appeared in the moonlight- I thought at first he was a fox!

Well, Toad is crying at me feet, it is dinner time for the critters. Any one want to stop by and help me scoop litter pans? I would welcome the help!!

India started sliding downhill late last night and as we raced to the vet, I thought how odd that he wasn’t pitching a fit. Bentley’s brother, India is full of piss and vinegar and squeals at anything and everything and so his quiet mood added to my concern.

A new vet when we arrived approached me and told me the somber news that Bentley had produced two piles of bile last night that were quite ordorous. They decided to run a snap test and it came back positive: feline distemper.

Both Kittens, India and Bentley are now in a place free of pain and running happily toward a man who will add them to his growing family.

I just ran our hot water heater out of hot water so I have about an hour left before I continute scrubbing the new enclosure trying to eradicate this contagion. Bedding will be thrown out, litter pans cleaned and stacked in a corner and new ones put into play. Food bowls will be scrubbed and I will be holding my breath that none of the other kitties succumb to this horrible virus.

For those of you who haven’t been up close and personal with this disease, count yourself very lucky. I had it invade my home six years ago it took 8 victims before it was done and I shut down to kittens for two years. I still have the one kitten room door closed where the virus was thought to have spread. It spreads by direct contact with the contaminated animals especially in litter pans and food bowls. The incubation period is two to ten days so it may be that the kittens were somehow exposed at the vet’s office?

It saturates the white blood cells depleting them quickly, high fevers result, bile starts to be brought up and the diarrhea starts. It is impervious to all household disenfectantss except to bleach.

So I sit here in tears for the two who should have never hit this earth, and I pray that God will spare taking anymore. But time will tell….