Long story short: on Friday I noted that one of Freya's kittens was not gaining weight, and then it started loosing weight over the next few days. The foster coordinator asked us to bring them all in to see the vet at their location. They told us it would be best to have a different foster look after them, who had experience with very young kittens and giving supplemental feedings. I had to agree, because I have no training with that, and this kitten was already doing poorly. It really disappointed me to leave them all there though, because of course they won't want to move Freya and the kittens again, so they'll all stay with the other foster until old enough to be fixed and adopted. We're still supposed to be given the first chance to adopt Freya, though.
I miss her already. Her sweet little prrrup when I came in the room, how she tipped her chin up and leaned into the brush, wound around our legs affectionately, squinted her eyes at us- if you know cats, you know- and even gave me little head-bumps when I bent down to pet her or peek at the kittens or give her the food dish. I couldn't help but think she really liked us, though of course it could just be that she is a super friendly cat who likes all people.
I hope she remembers us, if we do get to go pick her up again in about two months' time, as they said.
I am sad that I didn't ever get to see the kittens open their eyes, didn't even get any more photos of them past that one where they were on the red cloth- I was trying to not stress the mama by being too close all the time looking at the babies, as advised. I was planning on taking some individual photos when the kittens were two weeks old, starting to open their eyes, and hopefully Freya more comfortable with me holding them.
But never got that far.
And now I got news that the littlest one didn't make it, they tried but it wouldn't take the bottle and wasn't nursing at all anymore.
I'm supposed to get further ongoing updates, I hope Freya and her remaining kittens do well- those four were putting on weight rapidly- 15 to 20g per day!- and at six days old had nearly doubled their birth weights. I know they're better off in someone else's care right now, but I can't help missing them and feeling like I didn't do enough.
