We have a new boy in our home, and his name is Rigel. We will be showing him soon, and if all goes as planned he will be the father to many, many kittens. Rigel is a stunning solid blue. Pictures do not do him justice. (Rigel, by the way, is a giant blue star in the constellation Orion… which is fitting, because we think that he’ll be a giant blue boy…. and, of course, a star!)
Rigel came from our friends at the Hollis Hill Maine Coon Cattery. He is amazingly cuddly, loves being near people, and purrs almost constantly when he’s next to you…traits we hope he’ll pass on to his offspring (along with his good looks!)
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/meet-rigel/
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald
We let the Nutmeg-Talisker litter out of the nest today to take some pictures. Since they were born on January 1st we decided to name them after champagnes. Technically we should have named them after hangover symptoms, but Dry Heaves, Pounding Headache, Nausea, and Cotton Tongue just aren’t good kitten names. Well, maybe Cotton Tongue, but definitely not the others.
Chandon (girl) (Adopted)
Korbel (boy) (Adopted)
Bollinger (boy) (Adopted)
Tattinger (boy) (Adopted)
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/pudgy-lumps-of-kitten-ness/
Today we took some of the cats for their annual cardiac ultrasound this morning (just something we do as breeders to ensure healthy lines). Dunkin was sufficiently traumatized by the experience that she needed to find a safe place to snuggle up this afternoon.
It’s not all that horrible a process, but between the car ride, the cold table, a bit of a belly shave, the cold gel, and being probed it’s understandable that the cats would be a little wigged out. Still, they were true to their Maine Coon nature and were very cooperative, considering.
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Two week old kittens. If they’re not sleeping, they’re eating.
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Well, this was an interesting way to spend New Years Day. Nutmeg began giving birth this morning and squirted out four cuties in rapid succession (we don’t call her “Machine Gun Megs” for nothing). Then she started to have trouble with Number Five. Try as she might, it wouldn’t come out. We ended up taking her to the animal hospital where she had to have Caesarean section. The kittens are supposed to come out feet first (fronts or backs) but Number Five scrunched his arms against his sides and wasn’t going anywhere. He didn’t survive, nor did Number Six behind him (since Five was blocking the way). It happens, but it sucks.
After an exhausting day Nutmeg and the kittens are home and doing well. The kittens are especially appreciating the easy nipple access from Meg’s shaved belly. Meg is very protective of the kittens, as usual, but we lured her away long enough to get a picture of the kitten cluster.
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Normally when our vet x-rays an expectant mother she can give us a definitive count of how many kittens to expect. But things are so crowded inside Nutmeg that all she’ll commit to is “five to seven.” Looking at this, I can’t say I blame her.
As usual, the dark stuff is just poop.
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/count-the-kittens/
We’ve let the kittens out of the nursery and into the main part of the house so they can learn to socialize with other cats (and get more time with us, naturally). Needless to say, they are making themselves at home…
Abigail
Tipper has found her place in the sun.
Jackie-O
Bess is in Feisty Mode!
Bess is in Cute Mode!
Ladybird looks like she’s preparing for a career in modeling…
Not to be outdone, Tipper shows she can do Cute Mode, too.
Abigail vs. Chair. The Chair won.
Sometimes we play. Sometimes we groom. Sometimes we can’t tell the difference.
Oh, hi! Were you watching us? We weren’t doing anything…
Finally tuckered out. For now…
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/the-occupy-couch-movement/
We were taking pictures of the kittens for this year’s Christmas card, and briefly considered using this sequence. Cooler heads prevailed, but here it is for your enjoyment.
Yeah, posing kittens is easy.
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Well, the kittens are still a little young to be very cooperative when we take pictures (they want to look at everything except the camera) but we stuck to it and are proud to present the First Lady Litter….
Bess (Truman) Δ
Abigail (Adams) Δ
Ladybird (Johnson) Δ
Tipper (Gore — should have been First Lady…) Δ
Jackie-O Δ
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/posers/
They look less like sausage and more like kittens!
Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/one-week-later/
