I weighed Rey at 6.30am this morning, with bated breath…..
The scale showed…..
201 grams
Phew!!
Yesterday, at around the same time, she was 189g, and so there is an increase of 12g.
Good enough!!
The yardstick is 1/2 ounce per day, which is 14g, but I’ll take 12g as “good enough”.
I decided not to weigh the rest because they seem to be doing fine.
Also, while Minnie doesn’t mind me handling her kittens, I think she tried to tell me that she knows how to take care of them. When I picked up Rey many times to put her to Minnie’s nipple, Minnie would quickly groom Rey (as though “rubbing off” wherever I had touched). Once, she even disallowed Rey to suckle by pushing her away (maybe Rey had just suckled and I was oblivious to the fact).
So, message received – I should not intervene. I was just worried about Rey being the smallest and she always lost to the rest when all four want to suckle. I also don’t think every single nipple is producing milk as the kittens only go for the nipples in the midsection.
But 12g is indeed, good enough. I hope I won’t have to intervene from now onwards.
Here are this morning’s photos:
Rey is the one at the back with the long tail.
The coming together of the new Greystoke siblings. Minnie’s official surname is now, Greystoke. Yes, as in Tarzan and Jane’s.
Minnie Greystoke, Smurfy Greystoke, Rey Greystoke, Rio Greystoke, Robin Greystoke, Lynx Greystoke!
Grow, strong and healthy, Greystoke Kitties!
Minnie’s morning toilet break and chilling time. Smurfy is at his favourite spot at the far end, next to the big rock.
Minnie, back.
Rey suckling when the rest are asleep. I hope this arrangement continues because she has been losing out to the rest and Robin, Rio and Lynx have a habit of hitting others.
Smurfy wants to play.
Just be patient and wait for about 8 more weeks and you will have 4 robust siblings to play with!
Meanwhile, Smurfy is a very, very good boy. In fact, I’d say he is the most well-behaved of all our males.