Day 41 – Friday 20^th November

Today was a special day because Oolong had a visit from his new mum Louise.  I was also really looking forward to this visit.  I have spent a fair amount of time chatting to Louise over the last couple of weeks as we get on so well, and I was delighted to find her even more charming, kind and sincere in person.

It seems that Oolong was of the same mind.  The Teas were sleeping in the coffee table drawer again when we came in, so I scooped them all out onto the sofa.  Obviously it was Oolong in particular that Louise had come to see, so while I went to make some tea, I left him snoozing in her arms.

By the time I came back, Oolong was upside-down in Louise’s arm, having lovely gentle strokes, and he was absolutely fast asleep.  Louise very kindly said she would like to let him sleep peacefully whilst we had tea and chatted.  The trouble was now that Oolong was so warm and content, and relaxed with his warm secure strokes; all that Louise had seen of her new baby was a comatose kitten!  I used the best waking up technique I know with The Teas, and gently put him down near a plate of food.  Sure enough, he was soon filling his little belly, and playing with some toys, and showing off some of his best jumps.  I am thrilled to bits will all our confirmed kitten families so far, and Louise was certainly no exception, I just know that when the time come for Oolong to leave home and go to live with Richard and Louise, and their lynx point Siamese girl Kato, he is going to be absolutely spoiled rotten.  And I mustn’t forget daughter Sarah who is studying in the States currently, but is every bit as interested in the new addition.

My Sunshine Babies did their best to persuade Louise that red babies are the best EVER, and she had lovely time with them too, but we all know that Oolong is The One for her.

Day 40 – Thursday 19^th November

Now my revolting cold/virus/tropical plague is not helping me out this week.  And the adorable mobility of The Teas seems to have direct correlation with how bad I feel.  Every time I hear a kitten cry in what might be the ‘mummy, I need a pee’ sort of way I look to see if Phoenix is looking after this one – she does sometimes take them to the litter tray to explain – or if she is looking at me saying ‘This one is definitely your turn’.  So then I have to locate said baby, usually hang upside down in some sort of contortion to pick up crying baby, then sit next to the litter tray giving moral support while baby decides whether to pee, or get distracted by chasing its tail (yes China, I’m talking about you), or counting its toes.

I do have to mention that I am truly impressed with Phoenix’s mothering capabilities.  She loves her children, and has to know where each one of them is at any given point.  She is however, expert in the art of delegation.  I have noticed that unless she is having a family feeding session, Phoenix often has two or three kittens with her, and various or all of the boys are looking after the rest.  When she needs a rest, she takes herself to the top of the fish tank, or some vantage point where she can see all her children, and make sure everyone else is babysitting satisfactorily.

Day 39 - Wednesday 18^th November

Not everyone is going to appreciate today’s subject matter, but Kat will, and I think The Teas’ new families will have more than a passing interest.

Thank heaven I had persuaded Janette to come and keep me company again tonight.  She called me in from the hall to see a little red person having a pee in the litter tray!  I couldn’t wait for the act itself (as amazing as it was of course) to finish so that I could go and see which baby it was.  Well I was thrilled and delighted (sorry all other new parents), to see that it was Pekoe J  This just confirms my suspicion that she is the cleverest kitten ever born in the whole wide world. 

I did warn that this entry might not be gripping reading for everyone.  Now The Teas have started properly peeing for themselves, it’s possible to notice when they start crying and scratching around on the floor, pop them into the litter tray and suggest that this might be a better place for that sort of thing.  They are actually beginning to get the hang of it.  Of course, we are still going to have little accidents for a while to come, but this is a beginning, and a beginning is a very good place to start.

Day 38 – Tuesday 17^th November

Now, I will be the first to admit that kittens (especially my kittens!) are the best medicine for the soul ever, and will always make you smile, and usually make you feel better when you aren’t well.  For instance; when Janette was visiting recently having had a bad day, Pekoe sat for ages patting her face and playing with her necklace, and staring at her until she had made Janette smile.  However, I have a rotten horrid cold at the moment – the type which makes you dizzy and stops you breathing etc.  So when I was trying to do the evening round of litter trays and feeding, and getting everyone piled into the right rooms with the right suppers, I had to stand still for about five minutes while all the adults and all The Teas raced around my feet, tripped me up, ran into rooms they shouldn’t have been in and laughed themselves silly at me.  Oh, and the babies seem to have decided it’s their mission to eat the bath mat <sigh>.

Now when I had come home earlier this evening, I opened the porch door and through the clear glass interior door I could see various Teas playing such funny games with such intense concentration, that I stood still for another five minutes just grinning and feeling incredibly lucky to have them in my house.  Do these five minutes make up for the chaotic five minutes at bed time?  A thousand times over.

Unsurprisingly though, no photos today!  I will make sure there are some tomorrow.

Day 37 – Monday 16^th November

Everyone has enjoyed being downstairs so much that I decided to leave The Teas, Calcifer and Phoenix in the lounge while I went to work today.  I know, I know – I only just moved them into the kitten room, but Phoenix gets restless being shut in there for any amount of time.  Also, to be honest, I love having them hooning around the front room!

I popped home at lunchtime with my friend Lisa to see how everyone was getting on.  Fortunately I’d remembered the new hiding place when there were only two babies on the bed by the radiator, but I think Lisa was rather surprised at the other five Teas being fast asleep and squished into a small drawer!

We gave The Teas some extra lunch while we were there, and it is just so lovely to see them tucking in so enthusiastically.  I was doing sorting out of food and litter trays, so thanks to Lisa for taking today’s photos J