29 August 2002
Oh dear! Dudley came back home today! Apparently he had a very smelly and very liquid accident on Sally's bed at 5 am, so as he had been gone for less than 24 hours I asked her to bring him back so that I could take him to the vet and if necessary start him on a course of antibiotics. A new kitten should be 100% healthy, and I didn't like to start him off in his new home with a tummy bug! The vet said that he wouldn't have known he was ill - no temperature and no squidgy tummy, though it was slightly soft. To be safe, he has started on a course of Zaquilan and is on a very light diet. I think he possibly had a slight bacterial problem lurking, and the stress of moving house just tipped it over the edge. How embarrassing! Anyway, we were all going down to the photographer in the morning to have mug-shots done for my photo album (really nice studio shots on a special 'smooth' background colour), so poor Sally reluctantly handed him back. Dudley waited until tea-time to do something squidgy for me, and it was indeed pretty evil. If he firms up overnight (once the antibiotic has kicked in) he can go back to Sally as she has taken 2 weeks off work to settle him into her home and I really don't want to waste that. As he's not 'ill' apart from the wobbly tummy this should work fine. It's not ideal from my point of view as I'd rather he was fully healthy, but in this case as Sally wants him back I will compromise (I'm not cashing her cheque yet though!).

I am gradually getting somewhere with weaning - I'm sure some of them are sneaking food when I'm not there as they have full tummies and are very heavy. However, Nine is determined not to wean by herself and just screams at me for food every time I go into the kitchen - I have to give her a special feed with the syringe each time - she feels very light and is only gaining weight very slowly. I don't think she's unwell at all, just determined not to start eating for herself. When they're active they're VERY active, and when they sleep I just want to lie down among them. This afternoon I went to see them and suddenly realised there were only seven. Short panic and then Libby showed me that the missing one had found one of the individual nests.

30 August 2002
There is a movie for today
Dudley is much better this morning. I had put only Ellis with him as I didn't want him to pass on his bug to Katy and Pooh, who are due to go to their new home today. I have plenty of time to sort out Ellis if he catches the bug from Dudley, and it is important to keep stress at a minimum. At 3.30 pm, I put Dudley in his carrier, and Katy and Pooh into theirs, and we all got into the car to head for Didcot. Katy and Pooh's new mum and dad seemed to have bought out the local pet shop - every conceivable toy was there for them, and a very smart scratching post. Katy wasn't very sure about it all, but Pooh was his usual self, winding around everyone's legs and purring when he was picked up. 'Looks like we've got another Macavity' was the verdict on Pooh (Macavity was their previous cat, who recently died. They have had Siamese for 30 years).
Libby's babies are doing well - there are obvious weaning successes, and ones who also are clearly hanging on in the hopes that they won't have to graduate from suckling. I think I just have to be patient and let it happen in its own time. As long as nobody fades through lack of food, they will be OK - I just have to make sure that the non-weaners get their cereal mix regularely to keep them up to the mark.