Little Rose is one of the smallest kittens we have ever fostered. Rose is a Panleukopenia survivor. Some of you will understand what a miracle her survival is. The diagnosis of 'pan' is one that strikes dread into the heart of any rescue organisation. Unfortunately her siblings didn't make it, and there were many moments that we thought Rose might not pull through either. But here we are - on the 7th of February she will be three months old! She is happy and healthy and full of naughty kitten mischief!
When Rose arrived with us, she was three and a half weeks old and she weighed in at 150 grams. Just stop and think about 150 grams for a moment. That's half a block of margarine plus a tablespoon or two. Most kittens at 150 grams are in their first week after birth. They are rooting around with closed eyes and their mission is milk and sleep.
Rosie could walk and run and stare at her world with her wide blue eyes. And she had a firmly rooted suspicion that milk was actually poison - or it was for babies and not 'big' girls like her. She absolutely refused anything that smelled remotely like kitten milk. At 150 grams there wasn't a lot of reserve belly fat to sustain her fussy eating habits.
We eventually settled on a mixture of Royal Canin Mother and Babycat kibbles soaked in Nutribound. It had to be soft and warm and mashed and fed into her tiny mouth with the back of a teaspoon. At first the little madam spat out more than she swallowed, but eventually foster momma got the hang of it and Rose started gaining weight - very very slowly!
Now at 12 weeks, Rose weighs a whopping 700g! She is pure delight. She still loves lying on her back and playing. She is purry and feisty and full of tortitude, in keeping with her dilute tortie colouring.
Well done, Rose! You did it!
Rose has been adopted and are adored.
