M!

The kittens are being boring* on the Kitten Cam today, so let's focus on M for a while.  Here she is, being pretty and calm amidst kitten crazies.

Show us your good side, M.

Trick question - all your sides are good!

It's a tough job being a mom to four kittens who are becoming more active and playful by the day. M knows there's times she just has to sit back and watch, and let them be crazy...

... times she has to let them attack her tail to practice speed and agility...

... and times she has to jump in and show them how it's done!

Get him, M!

(*They're sleeping off camera, which is fine... even though it's more fun for us viewers when they're awake and playing!)

Kitten Cam Highlights

It's fun to check in on the kitten cam every now and then, even though most times they're just sleeping. When they're active it's very entertaining, especially when they're all on screen acting crazy at once!  Yesterday we got a few special appearances by M herself.  Here are some highlights:

M teaches Vlad the proper way to use a litter box.

Vlad poses for the camera while Randy takes a bath.

...And Randy is still bathing.  Meticulous kitten!

M came out from under the table to enjoy the sunshine!  She's looking right up at the window, which is kept open so they get plenty of light and fresh air. Since M has lived outside her whole life (except for this brief stint indoors with her kittens), I'm sure she especially enjoys this access to the sights, sounds, and smells of the great outdoors.

A couple of kittens nurse while M looks right at the camera.

It's so dark, it must have been stormy outside!  Kittens didn't care about the weather, and kept on playing.

I Spy... Kitten Paws!

They like to sleep under the table in the corner, since that's M's preferred vantage/napping point, so I turned the camera angle enough so we could see them.  Luckily three of the four kittens have white paws, so they're somewhat visible!  (That's M's head poking out the left side, and Randy's little white paws.) On top of the table is a comfy cat bed and the second level has a blanket on it, but for whatever reason they prefer to just sleep on the floor.

In Case You Missed It...

The kittens were awake earlier today, promise!  Here are some screenshots, just in case you didn't catch it live.

Scratcher placement is key.  Here we get a closeup of Randy, demonstrating proper kitten scratching technique.

Oh no!  Kittens discovered that they're being watched!

Elektra shows us how to lay down and scratch at the same time.  She's such a talented little kitten!

Vlad takes a snack break, while Randy watches Hugo investigate the toy box.

Kittens everywhere.

Vlad is still eating, and Elektra picks out a toy.

Vlad hangs out on the scratcher while Hugo pounces on her tail.

Kitten Room Makeover

The kittens are getting bigger and more active, which means they were very upset at being confined in their pen.  So, over the weekend I took it down.  Now they have a whole room to sprint across unimpeded.  M still has plenty of places to hide away and she seems very content watching her kittens romp around.

Extreme Makeover: Kitten Edition... MOVE! THAT! KITTEN!

Randy Meets Harper

Harper is just so curious about the kittens, and she really wants to meet them!  Supervised meetings are a good way for Harper to get to know her tiny house guests, and for the kittens to start getting comfortable around dogs.

Randy was curious about Harper, who was a little taken aback at actually getting to meet a kitten nose to nose.

They're going to be good buddies, I know it!

Photos by Jason Putsché Photography.

M's Kitten Watch, on Kitten TV

Kitten cam is now live!!!  Simply scroll to the bottom of this main blog page, or visit the channel directly: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/m-s-kitten-watch.

And here's a cute photo, because no post is complete without one:

Secrets

Elektra, what secrets are you telling to your mom?  Are they about your brother Randy?  (Psst.. he's standing right behind you, better whisper extra quietly!)

Kitten Photo Shoot: 1 Week Old

Remember that post from a few weeks ago that featured a guy holding a giant camera pointed at a tiny kitten?  That guy was Jason, of Jason Putsché Photography, and I'm very excited to say that I've seen the  photos from that shoot... and they are adorable.  Which isn't that hard to imagine, considering the adorableness of the subject matter.  Without further ado enjoy these photos of M, and the kittens when they were just one week old!

M is such a good, loving, pretty mama.  Always purring and kneading when her kittens nurse, and keeping an eye on them to make sure they're all doing ok.

Randy Frost, a pretty stoic little dude, with very white whiskers and a thin white stripe down his nose.

Elektra King, a most adorable kitten since birth!

Vladimira Scorpius squirmed and yelled the whole time.

Hugo Drax didn't seem to mind being held, and cuddled right in to get comfy.  Luckily he fit perfectly in the palm of my hand.

Hopefully you all enjoyed seeing these photos as much as I did!  With the help of Jason and Ella of Jason Putsché Photography, we'll be capturing these little ones as they get older... so you can all look forward to more pictures of Randy, Elektra, Vlad, and Hugo!

Surprise!

I am a bit embarrassed to say this, but it must be said.  (And there is a lesson to be learned.)  I sexed the kittens when they were just a couple days old... and I got it half wrong!  Elektra King is a girl, and Hugo Drax is a boy, but for the other two... new re-introductions are in order:

Re-introducing... Randy Frost!  Yep, this big tuxedo is actually a boy!  Randy was a good masculine switch from 'Miranda,' and he can keep his last name.

Re-introducing... Vladimira Scorpius!  This brave, fierce little thing was a girl all along, and so she of course must keep her super tough name and still be Vlad for short.  It fits her!

For past posts I changed the labels, but won't change the content.  And the lesson learned?  Let future kittens get a little bigger before determining whether they're boys or girls and giving them names!