How To Tell Kittens Age? Pictures Anyone?

[orange&white]

I've tried very hard not to be mad at my dog today. I brought the kittens bodies in and cleaned them before burying them. I showed them, one at a time, to my dog and spoke very softly, but sternly and solemnly, and told him that he had killed the kitten and that made me very sad and that he was a bad dog for doing that and for disappointing me. Dogs seem to understand things when you're talking to them, but I doubt that would actually stop him from doing the same thing again.

My dog is cool with my senior cat. They often sit in the recliner together and are always in the same room. He is also cool with Shilo (though when I bring Shilo inside, I hold him on my lap...wouldn't dare put him down). Charlie (dog) walks up to Shilo's outdoor catio and they sniff each other, then Charlie goes on out in the grass to do his business. No barking or prey drive. On the other hand, the kitten I adopted (Farrell) is still confined to my bedroom because something about her makes Charlie more aggressive when I've tried introducing them with him on a short leash.

Sorry for going on and on about this, but I suppose I'm in some stage of grief.

 

[surya]

I'm sorry. I saw my sister's dog kill a kitten when I was young and it was very traumatic for me. I feel like I failed two kittens recently, I should have saved and I think the only thing that is going to make me feel better is to rescue some more babies. Thank you for the good that you are doing, like helping baby Shilo.

 

[orange&white]

Shilo just passed the 2 pound mark today. 32.3 ounces! I decided that since I was off for the 3-day weekend to go ahead and use the wormer I bought. It was a 3-day course, mixed into one of his meals each day. Seemed to make him lose his appetite on days 2 and 3 and he's a little constipated it seems. He ate about 70% of normal those two days, but today he's back to eating like a 300 pound linebacker. Still looking for a poop though. The main side effects listed are nausea and vomiting. He did not have either of those so I think we're good.

Also, I renamed him Dasher because he is a door dasher. He is going to be one of those who wants to be on the other side of any closed door or gate...and he's very fast! Plus I was having a hard time remembering the name Shilo. Whoever adopts him will give him a different name anyway, I'm sure.

 

[orange&white]

Dasher is at 39.5 ounces today. Hard to believe he was at 17 ounces just a few weeks ago. When you see them every day they look "the same", but he's twice the cat he used to be.

He will be going to the shelter either Friday or Saturday. He's "all grown up" enough to be neutered and adopted. I hope he will be adopted by someone who will enjoy his scrappy, feisty personality. He is also a cuddly purr-bucket when he calms down enough. I told my boss today that Dasher is a "man's cat", sort of rough and tumble, compared to the little feral I adopted in the winter who will probably always be a bit shy and skittish.

Wherever he goes, I hope his owner(s) treat him gently and with great kindness and love...and lots of toys...and trees...and tunnels to keep him out of trouble.

It's kind of hard not to get attached. I'll miss him.

 

[surya]

It's hard not to fall in love with the babies. They get you when you look into their eyes.

 

[orange&white]

He's napping and purring away on my lap right now. I guess the biggest worry is that he ends up in a home where people don't "understand cats". Plus, he's gotten comfortable here and now he's going to be uprooted and abandoned again until someone adopts him. I'm a lousy foster...I want to keep them all.

 

[tabbytom]

Keep! Keep! Keep!

 

[orange&white]

I really can't afford to keep him. I'm still trying to rebuild my emergency funds after losing my little terrier to CKD in January. Two cats, two dogs and an occasional foster is my limit.

 

[tabbytom]

Then you don't worry so much and hope that a good and loving home will take him.

 

[orange&white]

The shelter put up this picture today. I'm 80% sure it's Dasher. The 20% unsure is that Dasher didn't have a white sock marking on his left paw. The photo may be a lighting illusion, maybe? Or my memory is even worse now than the bad memory I have always had, and he did have a white paw. Anyway, the intake date and birthdate are a match, and it sure does look like him.

 

[surya]

He's a very handsome boy. I find the orange kitties tend to get adopted quickly.

 

[orange&white]

Last Sunday they did another free adoption day for any animal. Seems like they do those often here. I know during kitten and puppy season it's "name your price" even when they aren't running a special.

I expect he'll get a home...I just hope it's a good loving permanent home. So much seems to depend on pure luck for the kitties.

 

[tabbytom]

He's a cutie!

Maybe the flash from the camera accentuated the white spot on the leg this make it more prominent.

 

[surya]

These are my kids for the next ten days:

 

[orange&white]

He's a cutie!

Maybe the flash from the camera accentuated the white spot on the leg this make it more prominent.

I know they must get 10-20 kittens a day, but to have two almost identical kittens with the same birthday turned in on exactly the same day would be pretty coincidental. I did trim his little claws the day I took him in...seems like I would notice a white paw.

 

[tabbytom]

I know what you are feeling. Just hope that he goes to a warm and loving home.

 

[tabbytom]

These are my kids for the next ten days:

They are so cute!

 

[orange&white]

Well, now I don't think that's Dasher.

The shelter posted another orange kitten who I don't also don't think is Dasher (unless some other kitten scratched his face up in the last week). The intake date is right, but the birthdate is off. This kitten is closer to the orange on orange tabby with no white.

Dasher has paws like this one (plus rectangular "worried" looking eyes):


Actually, that may be him and the veterinarians reassigned his birthdate.

Larger photo at: Meet Batman

 

[tabbytom]

Do they know that you named him Dasher? And do they name the kitten as they post? Maybe you can call them and check?

I'm worried for you for worrying so much that makes me worried too

 

[orange&white]

Yes, I turned in a little write-up sheet with his name "Dasher", guess-timated birth date, and my experience about his personality, foods he likes, meeting other cats and the dog, etc. The intake lady made a comment, "Oh. You named him already. I'll have to talk to them about that." My interpretation was that it was not "my job" to give him a name.

Batman does suit his playful personality. He loves to climb and jump and dance around (when he's comfortable with the environment). I think that is him, but it looks like he's not eating. Hard to tell from just one photograph.

Don't worry. I am a worrier and not really cut out for this "saving ferals" business. I get too attached.