Schimmel Siamese & Oriental Cats are Oriental cat breeders based in Oxford, UK. We sometimes have Oriental and Siamese kittens for sale. We also have 2 Oriental Stud Cats and online kitten diaries.

Kitten Diaries

Amaretto

August 2004

Birth

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Amaretto's 1st Kitten Diary - August 2004 to November 2004

Day 41 - September 14, 2004
The Gumnuts had a lovely time exploring the house yesterday afternoon due to my negligence! As you know, they have lived in the back room here with me for the past week or so. That way, they were perfectly safe, they could see and hear (through glass doors) all normal household activities and could even venture into the cat run if they so desired. Anyway, I was sitting at my desk, fighting with my computer as I was printing off pedigrees for the Potters as they're leaving me this weekend, when I decided that I should open up the back room door and allow the Potters and our other cats access into the cat run for a little while. The only problem was that I got so engrossed in the pedigrees I was doing that I actually forgot I had opened the door and when I turned around 10 minutes later, there wasn't a Gumnut in sight!!! I didn't actually think they would go walkabout as they are still so very young. You would think by now that I would know better!!! After a very quick look, I soon found them, walking about in the dining room, all apart from Snugglepot who was on his way through the door and into the front foyer, just in time to greet Mo as she came home from school and she was rather stunned to see a Gumnut now in the midst of the general population. I decided today that I would have the door open again for part of the day because it will certainly help with the Gumnuts socialisation. I wasn't actually planning on giving them house access until next week however, it went so well yesterday that I thought I may as well carry on with it. Banksia Man (remember he is a she) was not really interested in company from the other cats and kittens today so she climbed into her carrier and went to sleep. Cuddlepie, on the other hand, was extremely fascinated by Miss Piggy (aka Hermione) who stuck her head straight in the food bowl the minute she walked into the kitten room. Snugglepot, within minutes of the door being opened, went straight over to the radiator and started to pull the clothes that were hanging on the radiator onto the floor. How quickly they learn!!



Day 40 - September 13, 2004
Our babies still won't venture outside into the cat run. The door leading into the run has been open for days now with no barrier and the furthest they will all go is right to the edge, they then look down at the step but don't go out. I'm not sure why but I guess they are still quite young and I'm sure it won't be long before they realise the fun of the outdoors in the cat run. I've now seen both Snugglepot and Banksia eating dry kitten biscuits which I witnessed up until now, even though Mo told me she had seen them eat it. Cuddlepie is the only baby that I haven't yet seen near the kitten biscuit bowl so I'm hoping that he has already started eating them but just not in front of me. Their weights are all very good and they are such happy, purry little babies which is really wonderful.


Day 39 - September 12, 2004
I tried the Gumnuts on some different food today which they seemed to like. They had a treat of salmon for one of their morning meals and from the sounds they made as they ate it, I am guessing that they thoroughly enjoyed it. Then for one of their afternoon meals, they had some Gourmet Gold cat food (remember that up until now the only brand they have eaten is Denes.) and the Gourmet Gold was popular with Snugglepot (who will eat anything) and Banksia, however, Cuddlepie wasn't overly fussed on it. I am under the impression that Amaretto doesn't like the babies using the large hooded tray in the back room because I was on the telephone to someone this morning when Banksia had gone into the hooded tray to go to the toilet. Halfway through the motions, Amaretto went in after her, dragged her out and put her in the small litter tray. Poor Banksia didn't know what was going on. I put her back in the hooded tray and explained to Amaretto that the babies are grown up now and probably don't really need their small tray any more.

Day 38 - September 11, 2004
There's not a great deal I can tell you for today's entry as we weren't here today. The babies had their meals a lot earlier today than they normally would as we went to football on Saturday which meant feeding them 3 meals before we left the house and then 2 more after we had arrived home.

Day 37 - September 10, 2004
Snugglepot is definitely going to be our mischievous baby. He is the one who will sit in front of the doors and as soon as he sees one of them opening, will dart straight through which means dropping whatever is in our hands and tearing after him. Of course he thinks it's a wonderful game. He also is the one who will scale my legs to try and reach places to explore that he shouldn't really be. And if ever I hear squeals from any of the Gumnuts during play, you can guarantee that Snugglepot is the cause. Cuddlepie on the other hand, is an incredibly sweet and loving baby, quite a lot shyer than the other 2 and much more cautious when he explores. He is also the baby who is in charge of "bath time" and it's not unusual when the babies are sleeping in their carrier to see Cuddlepie lovingly grooming the other two. Banksia Man (or should that be Banksia Woman) just goes with the flow. She is a follower in the respect that wherever Snugglepot goes, Banksia Man will go as well. She's also very curious about everything and she seems to be the baby in this litter with the imaginary friend (every litter has to have one). Overall, they are absolutely just the sweetest babies with the most beautiful little faces in the entire world and everyone who met them so far is totally in love with them, ourselves included.

Day 36 - September 9, 2004
I could have sworn I had missed a diary entry but when I went to do today's entry I found that I hadn't so it looks like I have indeed lost the plot again. The Gumnuts are doing very well, still not eating dry food though that I can see, so I changed their wet food today to include mashed up dry kitten biscuits. Unfortunately, the Gumnuts weren't appreciate of my their new culinary menu and showed the disapproval by eating only the smallest amount and then walking off in a huff. Rather than have them not eat, I've been mixing the Denes in as well so they are getting quite a concoction. The Gumnuts had their first meeting today with the Potters, as well as the adult cats in the house and Snugglepot was not impressed with them at all. Snugglepot growled at, and took a swipe at, both Hermione and Ron which was so incredibly funny. The Gumnuts were in their carrier, Snugglepot was in front, protecting the other 2 and as soon as any of the Potters stuck their head in, he let them know straight away that he was having none of it. It was amusing as Snugglepot is so very tiny in comparison to our Potters and yet it didn't bother him at all, there was no way he was letting anyone into his "home" and had no qualms about showing anyone who dared try. It just goes to show that size doesn't matter!! Speaking of the Gumnuts though, today's newsflash!!!!!! Banksia Man is a girl! Oh dear, another poor baby with an identity crisis yet again!

Day 35 - September 8, 2004 (5 weeks old today!)
Oh dear! My babies are growing up and this is becoming more and more evident now that they are with me all the time. I have now seen Banksia Man use the litter tray, although how he managed not to smack his brother in the mouth, I really do not know! As poor Banksia Man was going to the toilet, Snugglepot was standing on the outside of the tray, constantly poking him in the eye and whacking him on the head the whole time he was trying to go the toilet. When Snugglepot was bored with that, he then started chewing the actual tray! I still haven't seen any of the Gumnuts eat dried food yet but as they have only just turned 5 weeks old, I'm not really that bothered. Snugglepot has now learnt how to reach "mummy's chair" which is quite nice. He figured out that my legs, are actually attached to me and if he scales my legs, he can then reach my lap, and then my shoulder and then is able to sit on the back of the chair before climbing back down the front of me. I do recall saying how I couldn't wait until the Potters were out of the back room so I could get some work done in peace and quiet and then I had a short break once they joined general population and I did miss those few days where I didn't have babies climbing up my legs to sit in my lap. Fortunately, the Gumnuts are still too young to figure out there are loads more exciting things to explore on mummy's desk. Out of the 3 babies, Cuddlepie is the quieter one in the respect that he will wait to see what his brother's do before trying the same thing himself. He is definitely a follower and not a leader but he is ever so cuddly and has the most beautiful little eyes when he looks up at me.