Edited to add: 7:34 am, no kittens.
NO KITTENS (unless they came overnight, and as usual I’ll update this post when I roll out of bed in the morning.)
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A screenshot from the Nest camera. She loves hanging out on that rug between the room and the litter closet SO much.
Yes, the belly grows ever larger.
She still doesn’t look miserable enough yet, according to Fred.
The way she uses those mirrors to keep an eye on me just cracks me UP.
So at this point – unless she has them today (or had them overnight), I guess we’re going to get March babies.
Mimosa still isn’t anywhere near Canasta’s record yet – Mimosa’s been with us for 32 days; Canasta went 47 days. I don’t see how Mimosa could possibly hang in there for another two weeks, but of course when it comes to cats you can never say never.
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For Christmas, Basepaws was having a decent sale, so I got a couple of cat DNA tests – one for Jake, one for Charlie. I sent them in and waited and waited… and finally got the results, which I am sharing with y’all. First, Jake.
Jake looks like this, if you had forgotten. Most people think he’s got Russian Blue in him, and possibly… something else that I forget.
And the DNA results say…
Western
Siberian 17.86%
Maine Coon 17.2%
Broadly Western 15.49%
American Shorthair 15.17%
Ragdoll 13.25%
Russian Blue 6.21%
Norwegian Forest Cat 1.94%
Abyssinian 0%
Turkish Van 0%
Turkish Angora 0%
Eastern
Birman 1.84%
Peterbald 1.38%
Broadly Eastern 0.36%
Oriental 0%
Burmese 0%
Thai 0%
Persian
Himalayan 2.08%
British Shorthair 2.07%
Broadly Persian 0%
Persian 0%
Exotic Shorthair 0%
Exotic
Egyptian Mau 3.07%
Broadly Exotic 0%
Bengal 0%
Savannah 0%
Polycat 2.08%
(“Polycat” is another way of saying “We don’t know.”)
So in other words, Jake is more Siberian than anything else, has a healthy dose of Maine Coon, Broadly Western, American Shorthair, Ragdoll, and only 6% Russian Blue. As Fred pointed out, Jake is the very definition of the cat version of a mutt.
What about Charlie?
Charlie looks like this, and no one has really suggested what his genetic makeup might be.
The DNA test results say…
Western
Russian Blue 20.02%
American Shorthair 18.63%
Siberian 16.67%
Maine Coon 16.37%
Ragdoll 5.18%
Norwegian Forest Cat 5.15%
Broadly Western 4.91%
Abyssinian 0.96%
Turkish Van 0%
Turkish Angora 0%
Eastern
Broadly Eastern 3.21%
Oriental 0%
Peterbald 0%
Burmese 0%
Birman 0%
Thai 0%
Persian
Broadly Persian 3.48%
Exotic Shorthair 3.33%
British Shorthair 2.07%
Persian 0%
Himalayan 0%
Exotic
Broadly Exotic 0%
Bengal 0%
Savannah 0%
Egyptian Mau 0%
Polycat 0%
I would never have guessed Charlie to be 20% Russian Blue. I was unfamiliar with the American Shorthair (18%) so I did a Google search, and the cat at the top of this page looks, coloring and markings-wise, a lot like Charlie. The Maine Coon (16%) could certainly account for his size (he’s a BIG cat).
I’ll put these results on their Permanent Resident pages if you’re interested in referring back to them at any point (though I’m sure I doubt anyone’s as interested as I am.)
So we’ve had DNA tests on 3 of the 7 (you can see Khal’s here). Maybe next Christmas we’ll get more tests and test the remaining 4!
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) over the weekend.
YouTube link
No kittens! But Mimosa wants breakfast and I’d better hurry it up.
Former foster Franco Fondue (one of the Dippers kittens) is unfortunately being returned to Forgotten Felines. (Please be kind – it was a hard decision for his family to make, but Franco’s need to play was too much for their other kitty, and they decided it would be best for them both.) His description is below – if you are in the Huntsville, Alabama area or willing to come here and are interested in adopting this sweet boy, please contact Forgotten Felines of Huntsville at info@ffhsv.org
Franco Fondue was one of 5 kittens born to Molly Marinara. He is everyone’s friend – he was the most confident kitten in his litter, was the first to climb into his foster mom’s lap, and when he’s grabbed up for a kiss he just smiles, tolerates it, purrs a lot and patiently waits to be put back down so he can race off to play. He views new things with interest, and if there’s a toy tossed for the kittens, he’s the first one to run after it and grab it. He loves to boing up in the air after the feather teaser, is 100% sure he will solve the mystery of the track toy, and if you toss a ping pong ball, a rattly mouse, or really any toy at all, he will race right over to investigate. He loves a good belly rub (when he can slow down enough), enjoys a snuggle, and loved to pile up with a sibling or two to nap. He will do great with other cats, but truly needs one(s) who are not intimidated by his desire to play & wrestle & snuggle! He must join a home where another playful cat already is in residence.
“What?” I kind of have a feeling it won’t be tonight (which totally means it’ll be tonight, right?) She’s still eating voraciously, watching birds, playing a little, and greeting me at the door (and flopping down for belly rubs.) All is well; we’re just in a holding pattern WAITING AND WAITING.
Good night innernets. (Mimosa)
YouTube link
Time for breakfast ’cause there are NO kittens.
YouTube link
The only one not anxious to meet Mimosa’s kittens… is Mimosa. She’s like “They’re fine where they are, and where’s my belly rub?”
YouTube link
A quick video tour of the foster room setup, in case you were concerned that Mimosa didn’t have several options for safe, warm, enclosed places to give birth. Not that Mimosa cares, obviously.
Good night innernets. (Mimosa)
YouTube link
Good morning Mimosa! (No kittens, no labor – and I slept like a LOG last night. I woke up SURE that she’d had her kittens while I slept, but nope. I’m starting to think that those of you predicting March babies are right. Which I guess isn’t a big leap since March 1st is Tuesday!)
Mimosa’s all “Lady, you come on over here and get yer knuckle sammich.” #PowRightInTheKisser
Good night innernets. 🍉
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Previously
2021: Canasta and her newborns.
2020: Pablo sleeps like an angel on his bed of kittens.
2019: (It’s not a skill they’ll ever master.)
2018: “Paws up, y’all!”
2017: “I SAID BACK OFF!”
2016: No entry.
2015: (Please note, not all cats were present for this, because they have busy and fulfilling lives and sometimes don’t feel like coming down to help me out, because they are BRATS.)
2014: It’s a hard life, being this beautiful (that’s Orlando.)
2013: ::loonyface::
2012: She yawns at me and says “What babies?”
2011: Bath time for Corbie.
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: “What doin’, Skittyboo? What it do?”
2007: The first round of Hellcats were unfortunately faster and meaner than we expected.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Seems almost like they just mixed the two DNA tests up!
I thought the same thing!
I thought the same thing too!
Very surprised Charlie has more Russian Blue than Jake!
Jake’s got Maine coon in him? And *ragdoll*? Really? Wow, I didn’t see either of those coming. Is he much of a talker? That’s a Maine coon thing.
Watch, Mimosa has her kittens… on February 29. 😛 I know there isn’t one this year; I’m being fanciful. You’ll walk in tomorrow and whoops, kittoons have arrived and are either a day old or at least a year old, or possibly able to switch between the two ages at will.
Jake is definitely a talker – not all the time, but he’s usually got a “brrrp!” to share. And if he’s in the right mood and gets hold of a toy, he carries it through the house howling and howling.
I didn’t see Siamese in the listing. Would that be considered “Oriental”?
I’m on Mimosa baby watch and can’t believe those little ones haven’t wriggled out yet. Each video where she’s standing still you can see movement in her back and sides. It must be any minute (day) now!
I actually had to go look at the report. Apparently the “alternate name” for Thai is “Traditional Siamese” and under the “breed history” description it says:
Originating from Thailand (formerly known as Siam), it is believed that the breed
first made its way to Europe in 1884 when the British Consul-General Edward
Blencowe Gould brought a breeding pair of cats from Bangkok as a gift for his
sister, Lilian. Over the years to follow, fanciers imported more cats from
Thailand, gradually forming the base breeding pool for the entire breed in the
UK. As for the US, the first Siamese cat was reportedly given to Lucy Webb
Hayes (First Lady and wife of Rutherford B. Hayes) in 1878 by US Consul, David
Stickles.
I don’t know about mimosa but I feel miserable looking at that belly. I can’t imagine dragging that around, trying to sleep or walk with a belly full of kittens.
I was just looking at Canasta pix from when she was around Mimosa’s current size, and suddenly realized I hadn’t seen Mimosa in a Ham-mick (which Canasta loved and “stole” from Charlie). I wondered whether Mimosa tried and rejected it or it’s just a coincidence it hasn’t been in the foster room.
I had a Ham-mick in the room until last week, and she was 100% uninterested. Her napping spots are either on one of the rugs, or up on top of the cat tree. She doesn’t like soft, plush beds, she doesn’t care for the couch (she’ll come up onto the couch for petting for very short periods of time), won’t sit in the pie plate bed, ignores the basket with the soft bed in it, and she doesn’t care for enclosed boxes. She is very certain about what she does and doesn’t like. (Also has zero use for any of the track toys!)
“Maine Loon” – it was a typo.
Love that! That boy is a loony toon!
Oh, poor Franco. Sometimes it just isn’t a good fit. Here’s hoping his forever family shows up soon!