Family portrait

Babies are 3 weeks and 2 days old today, there is a lot of movement in the whelping box, their eyes do not seem so disturbed by the light any more, and it was a great sunny day today...what coule be nicer than making a family portrait.

It took us about an hour to make all the babies look in the same direction. This photo is the living proof ocicats have a healthy sence of humour.

The title should be: " Do you mean like this, mum?"



Of course they did it all the posible ways, but the one I wanted. I gave up in the end, but we had fun and some great looking photos came out as result.
Will try again tomorrow.

Before I go to check their weights and then collapse to bed, I feel the need to thank to someone who was with us from the very first steps we did in breeding, and especially through Ulla's delivery and babies first steps.
Her name is Serina Filler, but I love to call her our Fairy Godmother, and you can visit her blog here

Roses are 3 weeks old!

Babies are 3 weeks old today. They are all over 400 grams, and they are becoming real cats.

Looking innocent


Today was their social activities day. First Meke got carried away by his maternal instincts ( Meke is our neutered seychellois boy )and invaded the wehlping box, trying to prove to Ulla he knows better what babies need.

Meke decorated with Roses

Babies seem to be very fond of him, especially Sophia Rose, whom he bonded with at the same moment.


There was a lot of movement in the whelping box today from kittens too. They were having a free climbing, running and attack from ambush practice.
So after checking their weight I have unfolded a blanket on the bed and let them stretch their legs a bit. They were a bit confused at the beginning, but soon the whole bed became a playground.
I just loved the little dolphin like sounds they were making.

Of course adults were keeping an eye on them. Especially Harski who had them a bit confused for the squeaky mice.
Well, we cannot blame him as he has a fixation on them ever since he was a kitten when we use to buy them in big quantities in Austria.
As many squeaky mice moved to the cat toy's heaven under his paws, I kept an eye on him just in case he doesn't get carried away.

But everything went well, he is a soft boy in his heart, just trying to keep a macho appearance:)

How do you spell " cute "?

I am not sure, but this is what I have found in dictionary under that term :D

Try to concentrate on just one spot :D

Four Roses

Ulla comes from a line of Roses. Her mum was Tequila Rose, her grandma Fizz in the Rose, her grand-grandma Black Rose. As in Recknagel there is a tradition of naming kittens after acters mostly, Ulla's name is IsabellaROSEllini...so she is a rose too.



I still did not decide on baby names, as I feel I have to get to know the little ones a bit better, and I wanted to respect Marjo's tradition in picking names. Not an easy tasks to follow. I am looking for celebrity Rose names in hope to follow the line traiditon too.

How big we are :)

It took me almost 40 minutes to drain these from Webshots ( we do not really appreciate simple things, like fast internet connection until we lose them ) but I think it was worth it.

Let me present you..our little gentleman.





And milky bar , of course!

Babies are starting to play !

Little dumplings and cats wannabes as babies are known in our family at the moment are starting to resemble real cats.
They are starting to play, yet a bit unsure on their feet, but ready to attack Ulla's paw, climb on eachother, chew on Ulla's whiskers or actually chew on anything at the moment as their teeth are coming out. Their mouth look like a batman sign at the moment, if you concetrate on the yellow part. :D

We are having some internet connection problems, and I apologise for not writing every day. I am connected through the dial up at the moment...yes, the thing actually still exists....and not only in museums.

But I have had my hands full for some days and would probably not have much time to write anyway. I apologise to all who wait for their emails to be replied, I promise to sort it out his week as soon as I can.

Ulla developed mastitis, it happened so fast, in afternoon she was fine and in the evening, she already had a bump of madarine size around her lowest right breast. It spreaded all the way to inguinal aerea and did not look nice. I am grateful for the advice from girls on the NBA again, and to my dear friend who is breast feeding at the moment.
I did not dare to risk with homeopathy, as it was late at night and I could not get remedy for at least 24 hourse, and it really was all purple and hard as a rock, I waived a white flag and gave her antibiotics, penicilin with clavulonix acid.

I was up with most of that night massaging and changing cabbage leaves and compresses. Kittens helped their mum too, once the milk has started to pour they loved it. Especially the little purple girl, who was staying behind before but gained over 20 grams that day!

I was not sure if I was doing the right thing with letting babies suckle on it, but I let them follow their natural instincts as the milk looked normal in colour and thickness.

I am glad to say, 2 days later, babies are still gaining a lot and there is not sign of mastitis.
Ulla was such a brave girl, she let me do all I had and looked at me with trust, like I know it all. I wish, for her and babies sake, I did. But I am learning, thanks to the nice people who watch over her as guardian angels.

I feel a bit sorry for Ulla, she is really not having an easy time with babies at the moment. As their teeth are growing they are sometimes chewing on her breasts too with their gumms where premolars will come. Ouch.