Animal Nursery Report

The three little squirrels are still terrified of me. They were used to Chris, of course, and she has more kittens and cats than I have, so she must have had as much of their scent as I do, but that doesn't seem to be the overriding factor. It's MY scent that scares them. The smallest, the male, is the least scared. The largest, a female, has twice nipped me, without breaking the skin. Now I don't give her that opportunity any more. I still wrap their heads with a corner of the baby blanket so they can't see me, at least at first, until they are already hungrily sucking away. Then I let them see me. Then it seems okay.

They're munching on Cheerios, walnuts, broccoli, and carrots in between bottle feedings. The two smaller ones are taking 12 ccs of formula per feeding; the largest is taking 14-15.

The male is an aspirator. You have to feed him twice as slowly as his sisters, lest he get the formula up his nose and choke on it.

They're about a third of their adult size. Tails already rather fluffy.

Kittens are doing very well. We spent about an hour snuggling this morning, on the sofa in the sunroom.

That sunroom, by the way, is even more important to us in Winter than in Summer. Sitting in its bright light, especially during these shortest days of the year, takes away my winter blahs (Seasonal Affective Disorder) almost entirely. I hardly mind winter now, as long as I can be in that room for at least an hour or so each day.