4 days old

The kittens are 4 days old today.

They have fleas. I knew the mom had them because the shelter told me, and I knew that the fleas would spread to the kittens. I just hate to see fleas on such a small animal. They aren't infested with fleas - yet, but we've got to get on this problem quick! You can't use many flea meds on nursing cats, but the vet's office did suggest a spray today that will be safe for the mother and the kittens. I will have to spray a towel and wrap it around the mom and try to hold her for 5- 10 minutes; this should poison the fleas. The problem is that she may not let me hold her for that long. The shelter also gave me a syringe of worm medicine for her. They told me she wouldn't like it. I dreaded giving it to her because I didn't want her to be scared of me. But she was a real trooper. To my surprise, she lapped it right up, even the little bit I spilled on her blanket. Maybe she'll do okay with the flea removal process too. I think she's feeling pretty grateful to me because I am the bearer of the canned food.

I will have to spray a wash cloth and wrap it around each kitten. I plan to do this while the mom is eating a can of food, but I'm afraid the kittens will get cold and mew piteously which will stress Miss Dora.

In honor of The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee (I have fixed the link to that website on my blog), I have decided that Miss Dora and her kittens will have a last name too.

Their last name will be Jones. And in honor of my favorite new TV show (Madmen), I will probably name a kitten January Jones. She is not my favorite actress (I don't know much about her), but every time I see her name in the credits on the show, I always like how that name sounds. Cool! And she is also in my favorite movie, Love Actually.

I decided that Abbie will name two kittens, I will name two, and Paul will name one. We just need to wait and find out which are males and females. Paul has already started terrorizing me with his ideas for a name..............

Abbie and I sit with Miss Dora's family several times a day. We like to watch them root for a boob. Since their eyes are not open, they blindly search. Supposedly, they can feel the nipples with their nose and mouth, but sometimes, they completely pass up a boob that is free and clear. Sometimes, after we watch a kitten take 5 minutes to find and get settled on a nipple, Miss Dora will shift a little, and the kitten will lose his hold. Or another kitten will root him off and steal his spot.

When it is time to go, Abbie has to give each kitten one last pat before she will leave.