2 Part: Yoda's first vet visit; Playful

The important part is Yoda's vet visit, and we had the first appointment early on Thursday.

When we brought Yoda in, they were pretty much in disbelief over the size and age - but once I explained the circumstances it went over better. We always visit Clock Tower Animal Clinic, and although I've heard some dubious things about the male vet who works, we had the pleasure of being handled by a lovely and kind lady.

Four major things:

1. Yoda got weighed and is almost 14 ounces! That'd mean doubled in weight from when we originally got the scrawny kitten.
2. Yoda was vaccinated, and has a second appointment in 3 weeks wherein the second dose and possibly a rabies.
3. There were various blood tests run, and everything came back clear - no FeLV or other issues as far as we know.
4. Aaannnd... Yoda is a girl. Well, we think. Due to 'her' size, we can't really tell very well, but we're mostly sure that since we can't get anything to come out, it's probably a little girl. And that is okay with me.

Meanwhile, bouncy Yodadoo is having oodles of fun with her new toy. Although she ignored it for the first few days, she wore herself out last night after playing with it for at least an hour - and I even cought her clawing at the middle part. Yay!

And then Yoda went for a nap.

But today she was more interested in us playing games.

Hopefully more updates and news later!

Yoda's Deathwish

Yesterday, shortly after his escapade with Bistro's food... He did something I could only stand there and look at in horror like a trainwreck passing by:

He got into kittybutts cage (he can barely fit through the holes) and got in HER food bowl...

She is fully clawed, and has behavioral and territorial issues, which is why she lives in a very large cage mostly all the time... The fact he is alive is beyond amazing.

In a strange grace of kittygod, Kittybutt just stared at her from her high loft and did... nothing.

Furthermore, that ballsy little kitten has done it a few times each since.

I just don't even with this cat. I just don't even.

Yodadoo steals food

Yoda has decided 2 things:

Firstly: I can, and will jump off of you, down 4 feet to the ground.

This is absolutely terrifying and he seems to be entirely unphased by it. He is tiny, his bones are tiny, everything about him is minuscule. Would you let a newborn kitten tumble 4 feet? NO. Would I let Yoda? Ideally not. Alas, I have no choice.

Secondly: I don't want no stinkin kitten kibble, I want "big kitty" kibble so I can be as big as Bistro.

This is possibly more terrifying for one fact: Bistro is a 20 pound cat, dense as can be. Although she is declawed for her own safety, she is huge. And she likes her food.

 

As you can see, this may or may not end well - but what can I do?

On the up side, h e's at least pecking at hard food.

At 10.5oz this morning

He is still eating well, similar amount as to before - and still healthily gaining weight. He is over 10oz, and running around torturing Bistro all day and night.

He sniffed and pecked at some dry food this morning, but I don't know that he ate any. I am going to try a bit of an experiment with it, and give him less wet food while providing dry food all the time. I am hoping the dry food might get him more interested in drinking water.

Not much otherwise in terms of big updates, but I am plotting the idea of taking him out for a grand adventure which includes a camera with video recording capabilities. We'll see where that goes!

And the weight is in!

I'm a little late! Oops! Long Monday, as usual.

He HAS gained weight, he is up from 7.2 oz to 9.875!

Visibly, Yoda doesn't really look any bigger except his stomach, so we also picked up some deworming medicine today that is suited for 6 week olds and older. The problem is it specified 1/2 tsp per 5lbs, and well... He's still not even a pound, at 8 weeks old.

So I put about 8 drops in his food and am hoping for the best. He took a long nap after eating some of that food, and is now active as can be, so unless he didn't eat any he is acting good still. I am hoping for no adverse effects.

I also now have a scale at home, so I'll be able to measure him on my own from now on. I /am/ worried that he is so small still, but what can I do? He's a healthy happy kitty other than his petite size.

Maybe he is a midget kitty? Do those really exist? And even so... his small size is really ridiculous. 2 pounds is what he should be, but he is still barely over half a pound.

We'll see how it goes. 

Yoda Updates

He's still eating well, incredibly so - actually. I almost wonder if he is eating too much as his stomach is perpetually huge.

No real muscle growth anywhere else though, he is still skinny. Kind of like a starving Ethiopian child - so I am going to be trying to de-worm him in the near future to get rid of any risk that parasites may be causing issues.

I'm cutting back slightly on his nutritional additive beginning today because while I gave him a lot initially to see his reaction in growth to it, I'm satisfied that he will be just fine on the smaller dosage and normal wet kitten food - of which, he is eating half to one third of a 3oz can per 12 hours.

I have been randomly supplementing syringed water to ensure he is hydrated, and his little kitty poos and pees are seemingly regular - several of each per day. Poos are solid, but come out with no constipation complaints like he originally had.

He did manage to sleep on his own and has been left unattended more in the past day or two as I was busy in RL, and had pulled an all nighter and slept in my bed - leaving him in the playpen over night.

Other than him being cold (and again, we keep our home at 75-78 F, so not unreasonable) and shivering randomly after he has run about or when I pull him from the pen, I think he is doing rather well. He plays actively, is very friendly, and overall in good health. I've still yet to see him drink from his water dish, but that may be a bit out yet.

I intend on offering solid kitten food in the coming days again - he is teething so he bites on everything all the time, so I feel that he is about to the stage where he would be okay accepting it. I'll be offering moistened dry kibble alongside his normal wet food, and a bowl of dry kibble next to that - I'll see how he progresses from there.

I do wish I could let him run around more unsupervised, but with his two disgruntled older sisters, I cannot... So hopefully he is getting enough exercise. I think he is. I play with him several times a day. Furthermore, due to his size (not even half of my foot in size) I am really fearful of letting him roam free for unintentionally stepping on him.

He's also become a little typist kitty, often trying to talk with my friend and codesigner of our little store, Rachel. She loves him and kitties, so I doubt she minds... However, I do wish he'd stop trying to write blog entries on his own! =)