Day 105 - May 2, 2006

Such a very bittersweet day for me today because my darling Guinness has left me. I am not sure who is more devastated, myself or Graham. It was actually so bad that when I took May back to the train station, I had been planning on waiting with her until the train arrived, but I was so upset seeing Guinness looking so tiny in her carrier that I had tears falling and could not remain at the platform with May. Fortunately, May is a breeder herself (Mazpahs Siamese & Orientals) and she knows exactly what it is like when a baby leaves home, particularly when one is going such a long journey. I do know though that Guinness is going to have the most wonderful home with May and she is going to be spoilt rotten.

May is such a lovely lady who raises her babies in the exactly the same way that I do, they are her children and Guinness has gone to a home where she will receive the same love and care that I, myself have given her and I am so very grateful to May for offering my baby a home full of love, warmth and security. I just hope that Guinness will behave herself, and that she eats properly and that she won't swear at May's cat family. I have also been worried about the long journey she will have back home but chances are, May will have her out of that carrier and on her lap, giving her lots of attention. I also gave May a little "Guinness Picnic Bag" so that on the journey home, Guinness could eat, drink and also go to the toilet if she chooses to. I am sure that all will be fine and I know May will keep me updated on her progress. This is the first kitten I have ever sold on the Active Register (for breeding) and whilst it is incredibly nerve wracking to know that a kitten I have bred will be the foundation queen for another breeders Oriental line, I can honestly say that I would not hesitate to home more kittens for breeding to May. She really is a superb person and a wonderful breeder, I myself would not hesitate to bring in a baby from May's home. I just hope that Guinness will live up to the great expectations that weigh upon her tiny shoulders and that she will do May proud, but I know that May is going to love her regardless of anything else. Let's just hope that May's son, Ross is also impressed as I'm currently trying to produce a lovely show/breed quality baby who will share a home with Ross and his family.

This means, I suppose, that we have come to the end of yet another Schimmel kitten diary and my home is like a morgue at the moment without my babies running around. My 7 new babies are still too young to get into mischief so it's just not the same. The Pints have been such a fantastic litter, full of such joy and all three of them were simply terrific babies. We are just heartbroken that they have now left us but already, we have had wonderful reports from Teresa who shares her home with Delilah (formerly XXXX), and Elaine who shares her home with Caffreys (and Ned Kelly) so I know my babies are in wonderful homes and settling in just beautifully without any problems at all. There's really not a great deal left to say now I guess, other than to thank my wonderful vet, my husband and our daughter for all their support and help, and my heartfelt thanks goes to those of you who took the time out to say some prayers when I was going through a rough time with Guinness and was worried sick about her, doing constant feeds. As usual, last but certainly not least, many, many thanks to my fantastic new kitten families. I hope and pray that your new family members will give you many, many years of joy, happiness and love.

Day 101 - April 28, 2006

Both entries start of exactly the same today because this is such an incredibly sad day for me as our babies have now reached that stage where the time has come for them to join their families in their new homes. As usual, it has come around far too quickly for my liking but I know that their new families have been eagerly anticipating this day for a very long time. I have had so much fun with both of these litters, and just like the litters before them, I have also learnt an awful lot, particularly with regards to diet and kitten weaning. It is oh so very quiet in our home now with only Guinness remaining (she will be collected next week) and already we are missing these little people so very much, even though XXXX didn't leave me until 6:30pm. I suppose that I really should get on with it and let you all know how the leaving went but even this part is the same for both entries as Elaine took Ned Kelly home as well as Caffreys. Elaine turned up at approximately 10:30am to collect her new family members and I am certain that this upset Graham because he is so attached to Ned Kelly. The boys were reasonably well behaved while we sorted through all of the paperwork and they didn't interfere too much which was a very good thing. Elaine remembered to bring back the bed that she took home last week so that her girls could get the boys' scent, and I remembered to give her back Aiden's coat which had been left here a week ago as well. I am sure that Aiden will be delighted when he arrives home from school to find the boys in their home. Neither of them were particularly bothered at all when they were placed in the carrier, on their own bedding which Elaine left him for them last week. I am just so relieved that they will have each other for comfort and security, not only as they travel home, but also when they are with their new family. Caffreys has been such a delight, he is a big boy with beautiful colouring and a wonderful personality. He is such a snuggle bunny and his blue eyes are so appealing that you can't help but pick him up and kiss him. Ned Kelly is also a ray of sunshine and no home should ever be complete without and Oriental Red. To lose yet another Red boy from our home is so sad because they are such special creatures in their mischievous, loving ways. I know that Elaine is going to love this boys to bits and they are going to such a great home, but even that does not stop me worrying about them. And thank you so much Elaine for the beautiful flowers, they are lovely. Even though they are both big boys, I look at them and I remember them when they were tiny little beings and I wonder if they are really and truly old enough to cope with the stress and trauma of going to a new home. I do know that this is just me being silly and I go through this with every single baby that leaves here and our Pints and our Bush Rangers will be more than capable of settling in with their new families. I must admit to having tears in my eyes as I write this entry because having our babies leave us, is so very upsetting because they are part of us and I have spent 13 weeks with them, the most important 13 weeks in their lives and now they are in their new homes and no doubt, are already starting to forget who I even am. The thing is though, that this is exactly how it should be because in reality, I am only "looking after" the babies, they are on loan to me until they reach this age. All I can do is hope and pray that they will be very happy with their new families and they they will settle in quickly.

Now for XXXX, as I had said before, such a very pretty girl with such a soft coat and such beautiful eyes. It's going to be very difficult walking around the home and not seeing her, and not picking her up for cuddles. XXXX has now gone to live with Teresa, Gary and the boys and she is going to be spoilt rotten. Teresa already has her favourite foods ready and waiting for her and even though there are no other kittens at Teresa's homes, although we are hoping for a nice little girl from Toussaint or Sambuca that will then be company for XXXX. She is such an incredibly sweet girl, one in a million and I am worried that she will be lonely and I am anxious for her, but I do know that she will get lots of attention in hew new home, and if I were to think with my head instead of my heart, I would say that she won't actually have any time to be lonely because I know full well that Teresa and her family will not give her the opportunity to miss her brothers and sisters. Oh my goodness, whatever else Teresa does, she must please find a better name for my baby girl than XXXX. As you can see by the photos, XXXX refused to look at the camera. There are no photos of Guinness today as it is not her "Special Day". As Guinness will be leaving me as well on Tuesday, this kitten diary will be stopped here, but on the day that Guinness leaves, there will be one last entry. In the meantime I will have my darling Guinness just a little while longer which I really will make the most of. Please check back on Tuesday for our final entry and the closure of the diary.

Day 100 - April 27, 2006

A very important day today for all babies because today is "Fingy Nail" cutting day. Now, none of the babies have ever had their claws clipped before however obviously they can not go to their new homes unless they look their absolute best, so this includes not only some combing sessions, but also the cutting of claws. Now we do call them Fingy Nails because if the babies could speak in English (as opposed to Oriental and Siamese) they are far too young to be able to pronounce Fingernails, so we compromise with a bit of baby speech which works well for all involved. With the babies, I always make a habit of gently stroking their paws from a very young age because babies who are used to have their paws touched generally do not mind at all then when they have their claws cut. The trick is to do it on a regular basis. When they are in their new homes, their new families should get into the habit of cutting the very tip of each claw once a week. The best time to cut their claws is when they are snoozing, nice and comfortable on your lap and it is so easy. I have just done 4 babies in the space of about 3 minutes. So anyway, let me tell you how the babies coped with Fingy Nail Cutting Day........................................

Guinness actually escaped having her Fingy Nail's cut because she's leaving a little later than everyone else and if I were to cut her claws today, I'd only have to turn around and do them again on Monday so she got to continue sleeping undisturbed. XXXX and Caffreys made it very easy for me as they were both sound asleep on one of the office chairs so at least I didn't have to traipse all over the home to find the babies. XXXX was so very good and she actually woke right up just as I was about to cut the first claw. She was not bothered at all though and was perfectly happy to lie there, watching what I was doing and she didn't pull back even once. The only problem I had with her was the fact that she and Joe Byrne were a bit tangled up on the chair and when I had to do her 2nd front paw, it took me a little while to work out which one it was and even then I had to manouver that leg out from under Joe Byrne. Caffreys was rather funny as I cut his because Caffreys wanted to stick his big nose in as close as humanly possible to the nail clippers to see just what was going on. I guess that it really was unfortunate that 2 of his claws actually sprang back and hit him in the face! I did have to giggle at the look of surprise on his face and I am certain that he has no idea that they were the tips of his own claws. After I finished the first paw, he deemed it much wiser to sit back a little and to keep his nose out of the way. Both of them however were just so incredibly good about it and neither of them were bothered at all. This really bodes well for when their new families cut their claws in a week or two's time.

Day 99 - April 26, 2006

Today's entries are quite short as the babies leave on Friday and I just have so much to try and do before they are ready to leave, not just with the paperwork but also preparing kitten packs, making sure I don't forget anything. The photos again are of the kids playing out in the cat run because they have been spending a lot of time out there and really enjoy it.

I have come to the conclusion that if it were not for Guinness, it's entirely possible that the other babies would not get fed. The reason I say this is that Guinness is the baby who decides when she is hungry because she comes up to me, tells me she is starving, I then prepare a meal, she goes and tells the other babies it's chow time, and then I am surround by babies who were not even in the vicinity until Guinness told them about food. None of the others ever come and hassle me for a meal so if Guinness wasn't hungry, chances are no one would eat. They do all have fabulous appetites though and I hope that their new families are prepared for just how much these little babies can actually eat.

Day 98 - April 25, 2006

Caffreys decided today that he was feeling rather warm so he thought he would counterbalance this by climbing into the fridge! I had been in the kitchen, accidentally left the door open and I had opened the fridge to take out some mince to warm up for the babies' lunch. I took the mince out, put it on a plate and when I turned back to the fridge, here was Caffreys in there having the time of his life, sniffing everything that he could see. Fortunately, the only food kept in the small kitchen fridge is kitten/cat food and there is no food for humans in there thank goodness. I am sure that he has decided for the remaining few days here that he will do something he shouldn't every day. It was the ornaments yesterday, the fridge today, goodness only knows what tomorrow will bring. He's not the only one though because after dinner last night, the babies were hooning around the downstairs part of the home and I went to pick up one of the water bowls to take it into the kitchen to empty/clean/refill it, only to be just in time to rescue an ornament which was a Christmas present! Guinness took it upon herself to jump up on the work surface, climb from there into the wall unit and then her ultimate aim was to push mummy's present all the way from the front of the shelf to the back to see what would happen. I was not impressed but because it was Guinness, instead of getting told off for her actions, she was picked up, given a kiss and placed back on the floor <sigh>. XXXX on the other hand is being so incredibly sweet and loving, almost as if she knows her time with me is soon going to end. She has been enjoying lots of snuggles on my lap while I work and she keeps speaking to me during the day to pick her up and cuddle her. She really is such a darling girl and I'm going to miss her an awful lot. None of my upstairs are Chocolate Points at all and XXXX is such a beautiful girl with lovely colouring and I'm really going to miss seeing her pretty face in the home.