It's kitten season again!

[ginnyinWI]

My new fosters are a mama and her four newborn kittens. I got them at less than a day old. The mom is semi-feral, used to being fed by people outdoors. But she came inside to have her babies, and the shelter took over from there. Fostered out to me. They are eight days old today and their eyes are beginning to open. Mom's name is Greta; haven't named the kids yet. She is learning to trust me but still flinches when I reach out to pet her. If not with the kittens, she stays under the bed! She lets me handle the babies, and hopefully she will come around all the way before we are through.
She looks like a pretty young cat herself--maybe this is her first litter. She didn't seem all that familiar with kittens--how to lay down with them, etc.-- but has been a good mama.

One day old:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tv4nRx][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/Tv4nRx]fullsizeoutput_8f7a[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Six days old:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Sdyvd7][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/Sdyvd7]fullsizeoutput_9041[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Eight days old:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Tv4HdP][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/Tv4HdP]DSC08729[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

[PsychoBabble]

1. Thx for pics!

Nice to get reconnected w life, after so much dealing with the ideology of death from T/GOP.

[Lindsay]

2. The kittens look like they're growing nicely.

Thanks for fostering, and best of luck in getting the mama cat comfortable with people.

[JHan]

3. that first pic is so beautiful, she's a lovely cat

[Freddie]

4. Orange babies!! 💕💕

Orange boys (genetically most likely) are the best. My 2, both at the Bridge now, were not related but they loved each other and us. We have 2 great cats now (a tuxedo and a solid gray) but I'd take in an orange one in a heartbeat if DH let me. Looking for names my orange boys were Freddie and Riley.

[ginnyinWI]

7. Yup, two orange boys.

The dark tabby is also a boy, and the lighter tabby/torbie is exactly like Mama and a female.

I have an orange boy (3 y/o) of my own and I agree, they are the best! He met my sister-in-law today for the first tie and put on quite a big show, looking a her upside-down and being kitten-cute, really flirty and so friendly.

I know I have posted his pic in this forum before, but here he is again:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/SdDHpm][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/SdDHpm]IMG_20170104_221043404[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

[classof56]

9. My orange boy is named Julius. Guess why??

He is now almost 16, has been through some serious physical challenges, but is the best, sweetest, most loving companion we could ever ask for. Can't make it through a day without his "lap time" with my spouse. Will never forget how he mourned the loss of his friend and my favorite companion, our 13-year-old doggie named Cammy. Broke my heart, and Julius's too. Have never replaced Cammy and I'm pretty sure I'll never replace our Orange Julius. My heart breaks to think of it, but have a feeling they'll reunite at the Rainbow Bridge. Hope some day I'll join them!

Blessings.

[Laffy Kat]

5. Mama and babies are beautiful!

You're going to have a marvelous, wonderful handful with the kits.

[Throck]

6. A thread to love.

[shenmue]

8. Squee alert

[classof56]

10. Very sweet!

Thank you for caring and for fostering. You are a blessing to us all.

[japple]

11. Ahhh, bless little Greta and her kittens. And bless you for

fostering this little family.

[KT2000]

12. Mom is beautiful!

and she has a couple gingers in there too. I bet mom-cat will come around. What a sweet sweet face she has!

[IcyPeas]

13. lovely

it's lovely of you to foster this family. Greta has those pretty round eyes. The kittens are adorable.

I know from your other thread recently that you watch Shelly at TinyKittens too. She has taught all of her viewers so much about feral cats. I used to believe that you could never socialize a feral cat. Boy was I wrong. It's amazing what she does for the reputation of ferals. And she just takes her time and works patiently with them to win their trust. She does it inch by inch but then will push them a tiny bit sometimes out of their comfort zone, but she seems to know just when to do that.

Good luck with these babies.

..... still watching Evolene..... any day now..

[ginnyinWI]

14. I'm still watching, too!

I have picked up several tips from watching Shelley.

My mama cat is slowly getting better every day. She usually stays in the kitten box when I come into the room, but stays on the alert. Tonight (day 8) she seemed glad to see me, and even put her head down and looked up at me in a relaxed way. Still waiting for the first purr! But yes, I do think she'll come around.

[littlemissmartypants]

15. The owl blanket ! That fat kitten belly !

Wrap them up. I want them all.

Thank you for sharing this, ginnyinWI.

♡lmsp

[Warpy]

16. Reach out with one finger

It's how people pet young kittens and if Greta has ever had a home, she'll know that one finger pet is a nice thing.

HRH was horribly head shy when I got her, she'd been abused in her former home. I had to start with a one finger head pet and work up. Eventually she started to butt my hand and ask for pets, but it took a long time, poor baby.

[ginnyinWI]

17. I do that.

I slowly move my hand toward her face and stroke each side of it, and then scratch around her ears. Today I heard a quiet purr! This only happens if I catch her in the box with her kittens. Then she'll stay there and let me visit.

I've read that stroking the sides of the face is a "how do you do" for a cat. I also do this when working with other cats at the shelter and it let's you take the measure of them.

[Warpy]

18. Good. I hope you can manage to tame Mama cat down a bit

so she won't have to be neutered and released back on the street. It would be lovely if she turned out to be adoptable. It sounds like there's a lot of hope, a truly feral kitty wouldn't let you anywhere near her new litter.

[ginnyinWI]

20. right.

The fact that she ran into someone's house to have her kittens shows she's got some trust in people. Smart kitty did what was best for her babies. And she's got a good set up now: warm private room with a nice clean nest for them, plus all the food she wants and a window to look out of.

[CountAllVotes]

19. awww !!!

I'm a sucker for kittens and kitties!

You've got a lovely batch o'cats there!

[radical noodle]

21. Ah, you're doing a great thing

for both Greta and her furbabies. I think Greta will be fine eventually since she is cool with you handling the kiddos.