Three Profiles--Day 14

This is the latest I have posted.  It's almost 11 P.M  but the picture was taken late this afternoon.

Three profiles; the two silvers at the top of the photo and one of the dark babies at the far bottom.  Little Silver Boots is the only one to show his feet ever.  I think he is also the largest of the babies.

Another Cold, Wet Day--Day 13

Day 13.  The babies are probably between 14&16 days old.  If all goes as planned half of their little lives with their Mama are over.  I have not stated it on the blog, but we are planing on removing the babies from the nest at a full four weeks, 28 days.  At that point they will be bottle fed and handled often to socialize them.  If we wait any longer they will be climbing out of the nest and will take on Mama's feral attitudes.  We want to socialize them and prepare them for good homes.

We now have a photo with one of the baby's eyes wide open.  Since day one I have thought that the silver babies were larger than the dark ones but I also thought it may be the lighter color that made them look larger.  Now I really think they are larger, especially when you compare the size of their heads.

Snuggled in on a Cold Day--Day 12

Today is a cold, windy, rainy day today.  Every time I've checked them they were snuggled tightly and there was little movement.  I've started talking to Mama every time I open the window.  I want the babies to know human voice.  One less thing they have to be frightened of.

Showing in the photo are two dark babies and one silver.

At Last, All 4 Feet--Day 11

I was happy a couple of days ago when I saw that the silver kitty with one white, front paw actually had two white, front feet.  Then this afternoon (Easter Sunday) all four feet were shown and he has four white feet!!  Silver Boots.  The first baby named.  Silver Booties if it a girl.

Eyes AND Ears Opened--Day 10

Today was the first day that I got a picture with squinty little eyes opened.  When their eyes first pop open they are all the way opened but they quickly go to a yikes-the-light-hurts squint. Since Mama was off the nest I took the opportunity to make some little noises to see if they would respond.  Clicks and squeaks from me didn't work but a fingernail tap on the windowsill did.  The little heads bobbed up and actually didn't wobble too much.  They didn't seem to be able to follow where the sound was coming from. According to my kitty progress site these kitties are right on in their development.

Little Faces Looking Up--Day 9

My friend Rosie had requested a photo of the silver babies' faces.  Well, I did get one of them this morning.  I don't know if the face we're seeing is the the silver with white feet or the one with grey feet.  Kitty feet aside, he has a sweet face.  The face to the top of the photo is a dark baby.  Just a split second before I snapped the photo his eyes were open.  That wide-open-but-I-can't-see-a-thing stare

Mama's Schedule--Day 8

Another good picture of the babies this morning.  Two days in a row now Mama has been off the nest at about 8am.  Babies fed, sun is up and the day is beginning to warm, she's hungry so off to Warren's she goes for food.  Now I know what time to catch just the babies.  This photo shows nice ear markings on the top silver baby.  Toward the top of the photo I think I see hints of little white feet.  Just like Mama and Daddy.

Yesterday was a special day for Mama and me.  She has been showing signs of being more comfortable with me but yesterday was the nicest.  When she looked up at me in the afternoon it put her face in the warm afternoon sun.  With her head in that position she slowly, drowsily closed her eyes and fell asleep with me looking at her from a few feet away.  Now, let's not get silly here.  She's feral through and through.  I know if I ever tried to corner her and touch her she would shred my arms in an instant.  But now we do have a peaceful understanding allowing me a glimpse into her room with a view.

Mama Off the Nest--Day 7

It has been a couple of days since I've been able to get a photo of just the babies.  I caught this while Mama Snowball was probably visiting Warren for her breakfast.  Now you can see how much they have grown.  It is cold this morning, 36 degrees with frozen water in the bird bath, so Mama won't be gone for long.  What I like about this view is being able to see the markings of the darker baby...those striking white-lined ears and the white around the eyes.  At first I thought they would be black cats but now I see their stripes coming through.  Daddy Boots still reigns!!!

Cold, Cold Night--Day 6

Well, Mama and babies have survived a very cold night.  The hint of cold came yesterday afternoon when we had some brief snow flurries.  This morning we awoke to frozen water in the bird bath.  Yesterday when I tried for a photo for today's blog Mama was all curled up with the babies under her and her head tucked down into her belly to keep herself and her babies warm.  This morning it was still cold when I took the photo above.  She had let the babies come up and move around.  They are really growing now and I think I see hints of eyes opening.

What a Day and Night!!! Day 5

I thought the rain would never stop yesterday. It rained steadily and heavily all day and in to the night.  Thankfully it has eased up this morning.  It addition to everything being soaked the temps are in the low 30's.

Mama and babies are snuggled very tightly but they look dry and I hope they are warm.

Mama cat is eating well.  Neighbors Warren and Brenda are feeding her at their house.  She goes there to eat about three times a day.  It is good that they are doing this because if I had to feed her here her food dish would likely attract raccoons and coons can be a danger to tiny animals especially if the raccoon finds the kittens unattended.

Photo is yesterday during the storm.

Day Four--They are Moving and Crying

Yesterday when they were nice and dry and warm in the afternoon sun I found them clumsily moving around in the nest and calling for Mama.  A couple of times one of the was actually able to move enough to tumble over a nest mate.  One of the silver babies tumbled into such a position that bright sunlight hit his face and he squinted really hard.  My site for info on kittens says that short haired kittens open their eyes at 5-8 days.  They should be in that area now.

The silver babies seem to be a little larger than the dark ones, or they are fluffier.  I can't tell which.  They are also more active.  One of the dark ones, or maybe both, have really pretty white fur on the edge of their black ears, and pretty distinct marking on their faces.

Damp Nest--Good Mama--Day 3

This photo was taken yesterday morning, the morning after a bad weather night when I was afraid that mama might run from all the thunder.  After the worst of it I found her still there, then in the morning I found her curled tightly around her babies keeping them warm.  Also, look closely at the nest.  The outer edge of it is a little darker due to dampness.  Since the storm and during it she has kept her back to the damp part so that her babies are protected from for the cold and damp and are snuggled in dry leaves.

I have learned that I must set my camera for center spot focus to get my little subjects in focus and not the needles of the shrubs.  I also have set my camera for smaller size photo so it doesn't take so long to download to the blog or to limit myself to one photo.

Day 2 How Tiny They Are

I'm posting a photo of the kitties from yesterday. It shows them all alone in the window well with the whole well showing.  It will give you an idea of how tiny they are.

We had heavy rain and wind last night with some lightening and thunder.  After a series of loud thunder bolts I was afraid that Mama would abandon her nest but she didn't.  I took a quick look at the nest to find Mama curled around her babies.  All of them looking a little damp but not wet.

Room with a View Day 1

Yesterday was a warm and sunny day.  Mama spent a little time away from her babies so I was able to get a couple more pictures of them.  I'm posting one photo that shows them all alone in their window well.  It will give you some idea of how small they are.  Then I zoomed in for another close-up.  The one little silver on seems always to be asleep on his back with his face up. 

We had storms coming for the night and they did come!!  Thunder, lightening and driving rain.  I checked them last night.  I was afraid the the lightening and thunder would frighten her off the nest, but there she was, curled up around her babies.  The babies and Mama looked a little damp this morning.  I'll have to wait until Mama is taking her afternoon outing to check them out.