6/13/01- Cassie had her kittens prematurely Tuesday morning, June 12th.  She lost two kittens before I realized she had delivered and the one that was alive was ice cold and almost dead when found.  He warmed up after being placed in the kitchen sink in very warm water for about 15 minutes. Cassie has been very distressed and has not taken care of the kitten properly.  I think this is due to the fact that she's five years old and this was her first litter.  She has been very unsettled and doesn't seem to realize she can't lie on this baby without crushing him.  He is being supplemented with KMR and is being put with Cassie periodically in the hopes that he will consume some of the colostrum which will provide him with the antibodies he needs to protect his immune system.  He is not strong enough to hang onto the nipple himself so I have been holding him to it for 20 minutes each time he eats which is approximately every 2 1/2 hours.  To stay warm he is currently residing inside my blouse. :-) He weighs 1 3/4 ounces on day one so is about half the size of a normal neonate being only five days premature.  
 
Here's the sweet little red tabby boy.  Please send up prayers for this baby and also, if anyone has any good name ideas, please email me! 

6/14/01-The red tabby boy is holding his own today!  We spent the night sleeping in the recliner getting up every two to three hours to eat.  I decided to put him with Cassie at about 10:00 this morning and have left him there all day.  She seems to be doing better with him and I have been checking them frequently to make sure he is okay.  She hasn't been lying on him like she was yesterday so I'm hoping she's getting the hang of what she's supposed to be doing.  I think he will thrive better with her taking care of him versus me taking care of him.  Thanks to all of you for the prayers and good wishes regarding this sweet little boy.  We will keep you updated! 
 

6/15/01- The baby is doing fine!  He has been with Cassie since yesterday and she seems to be taking very good care of him.  His tummy is full so he's getting enough milk and he's clean so she has been paying him the attention he needs.  It looks like this little one should make it unless there is some hidden internal problem that will show up and threaten his survival.  I'm hoping for the best and will keep you updated. 
 

*NAME* -  Thanks to all of you who sent in name suggestions for this little boy!  They were all wonderful so I had a hard time deciding which one seemed the most appropriate.   I have decided on "Miracle" since it really does seem like a miracle that this baby survived under the circumstances.  This name comes from Katrina Jones who lives in Buffalo, WY.  She bought a beautiful kitten from me in March of this year and has been wonderful about sending photos!  Thanks Katrina!!! 
 

6/19/01 -  Miracle is still doing fine with mom taking care of him!  He is fat and sassy already and I think he's going to have a mind of his own!  He weighs in at 3 1/2 ounces today so he has doubled his size in one week.  This is normal for a full term kitten so he seems to be growing as if he hadn't been born prematurely.  

 

6/23/01 - Miracle continues to do well!  Below are a couple of photos I took that I thought were cute.  He is 1 1/2 weeks old. 

 

6/26/01 -  Miracle is two weeks old today and growing very quickly!  He weighs in at 7 1/2 ounces so has gained four ounces in the past week.  His eyes are just about open, but not quite.  He seems very filled out and husky so is doing well at this time.  He's a very content baby and doesn't cry when being held so Cassie doesn't get too upset when I take him out of the kittening box to look at him. :-)  Below are photos I took today. 

 

7/3/01 - Miracle is 3 weeks old today and is really growing up!  He is toddling all over now and he seems to go on and on.  About the time I think he's getting tired and is settling in for a nap, up he comes and starts toddling around again!  He can see movement now since he will look at my hand or fingers if I move them in front of his face and he is hearing very well since he looks at me when I talk to him.  He weighs almost 11 ounces and below are the photos I took today. 

 

7/10/01 -  Miracle is one month old today and it just doesn't seem possible!  He is getting cuter by the day and is now purring nonstop when I hold him.  He will be out of the kittening box and running around in a few days! He weighs 14 ounces and is fat and sassy... 

 

7/17/01- Miracle is five weeks old today and has been out of the kittening box for five days.  He looks so tiny running around on the floor!  He really gets a kick out of "attacking" my hand when we're playing and acting very ferocious!  My scale is now too small to put him on so I don't know how much he weighs, but he's growing quickly.  New photo below. 

7/24/01 - Miracle seems to be going through a period of "touch me not"!  My two year old Maine Coon, Casey, was trying to play with him and Miracle told him in no uncertain terms that he wasn't game.  He is getting very vocal so makes his wishes known!  He is turning into a very handsome boy and below are photos I took today. 

 

7/31/01 -  Miracle is seven weeks old today!  He seems much more tolerant of Casey playing with him than last week so I think he's getting used to having someone "bug" him.  They enjoy playing tootsies with each other and Miracle has lots of energy to play.  Then he passes out for awhile before he's ready to go again! 
Below are new photos. 
 
8/7/01 - Miracle is 8 weeks old and went to the vet for his first set of vaccinations today.  He was a very good boy in the car and only "squeaked" a few times.  My vet was very impressed with him.  She commented about his wonderful thick coat and loved his color.  He checked out perfectly during his physical and didn't even squirm while getting his shot.  He weighs just over 2 pounds which is a very good size since he is really only about seven weeks old developmentally due to being born five days early.   He was a very good boy!  Below is the new photo I took of him today. 

Miracle is now on the Available Kittens page.  We have decided it would not be wise to keep him as we'd like to.  My seven year old Maine Coon, Cameo, was diagnosed with fibrosarcoma the beginning of March and he just finished his chemo treatments not long ago.  We have decided to try to keep the home environment as stress free as possible and that will be very difficult with a new "little one" running around.  We will be very choosy about who gets this wonderful boy! 
 

8/13/01 - We received a deposit in the mail today so Miracle is sold!  He will be going to a very nice couple who bought a kitten from us last year.  They live in California and their kitty, Jack, is spoiled rotten so we know Miracle will be too.  They have assured us they will send photos and updates often so we will post them here to Miracle's page so everyone can see how he is doing.  He will be with us until just after Labor Day so we will continue posting his weekly photos and updates until then. 
 

8/14/01 - Miracle is nine weeks old and getting big.  He has been with the younger kittens in the kittening room for a few days now and seems to be doing well with them.  At first I don't think he knew what they were!  He is now chasing them around and has decided he likes having siblings.  This will be very good for his development so he will stay with the younger kittens until he goes to his new home.  New photo below. 

8/21/01 - Miracle is 10 weeks old today.  He and the younger kittens have bonded very well and he is now part of the "tribe".  I find the younger kittens sleeping on top of Miracle and draped over him so he has been well received and I know he's enjoying having someone closer to his own age to play with.  He is such a handsome young man!  Below is a photo I took today. 

 

 

9/12/01- Miracle made it to his new home in California safely.  We've had an update from his new family that he seems to be making up to them quickly.  He is meeting his new friend, their one year old Maine Coon, Jack, under the door of his "private" room.  Miracle's new name is Sam since they felt it "fit " him and is also a shortened verson of Samir which I think was very thoughtful!  We will keep you updated as we receive news. 

9/13/01- We just received word that Sam and Jack are already the best of buddies!  It seems their energy is limitless and the new family can't get them to stay still long enough to get photos of them! :-)  We are so happy they have adjusted to each other so quickly and will keep you updated. 

9/26/01- I have received the first photos of Sam since he went to his new home.  He is doing very well and his new family loves him very much!  Below is a photo of Sam with his new best buddy, Jack, and the one of Sam by himself was probably taken at about 14 weeks of age. 

UPDATE- 11/2/01 -  I received new photos of Sam and Jack!  It sounds like they are busy playing and being naughty! :-)  I guess we could have figured this one out ourselves, right?  Below is a wonderful photo of Jack giving Sam his daily bath.  Sam is four months old.