BELLA'S KITTENS

Wednesday 8 February:
Was it 4.30 or 5.30pm I forget now, it seems so long ago? We already had everything ready to go with us to the vets including carriers, hot water bottles, covers, towels. She finally started properly with a discharge. We rang the vet to organise her going in and off we went on yet another journey for Bellissima and her kittens.
Arrive at the vets and they start work quickly on Bella. Examination and then straight under anesthetic for her Cesearian section. Four wonderful kittens were born but despite great efforts of a wonderful vet nurse, the largest boy who we named at birth "kick Start" didn't make it. We brought home, healthy and kicking, 2 female and 1 male kittens and a very tired mum. My daughter, Vicky drove whilst I kept an eye on mum and her babies on the back seat. I rang ahead to Tim for him to prepare their bedroom in ours, make sure it was fitted out correctly and nice and warm. Bella is very tired and not too happy about having her kittens yet, so we start to help. Mother's replacement milk especially for kittens had to be prepared. The right temp? - Yes! - a small syringe (minus needle of course). Gently taking each kitten, one at a time, weighing and gently allowing them to take 1ml of liquid. Gently rubbing each one with their mother's scent and placing them back on their hot water bottle (with fleece cover) near their mum. Not putting them into her tummy yet as she wasn't very happy with them yet.
2 hrs later: we are up again helping out again, this time they take a little more liquid, they are all doing well, including mum, although, she still is feeling tender and so we give her some attention and place kittens back on a nice warm hot water bottle after wiping them all with their mothers scent. We keep this up all night, mainly Tim as I'm not too good after the accident on the way home from the vets on the A1.