Welcome all, it’s furinally Furiday!!! Me thought it would neeeeeeeever get here. It’s been a crazy week. But furst, didn’t ya’ll think our fly fishercats and doggies were pawsum? We really do wanna fank all of ya’ again fur purrticipatin’. This was our furst year ever purrticipatin’ ourselves. We had so much goin’ on we didn’t have da chance to enter any of da events, but we had a wonderful time hostin’ fly fishin’. There was so many cute inter-purrtations. You know we told ya’ll dat any foto of ya’ playin’ an inneractive game of ____________ was good enuff. We were so purroud to have some doggy entries, and we thought they were just as pawsum as da kitties. Anyways, we just wanted to share our thoughts on this. After readin’ some of da comments yesfurday, we didn’t want any kitty/doggy to feel slighted.

So,Why has our week been crazy? Me knows you wanna know. Well ‘member when Raena came to live with us and awnty Ellen sent her a pawsum Made with Luv ‘nip’ mat and she actually reacted to da nip? You know dat’s not normal. Kittens aren’t normally “nip” reactive till ‘round 6 – 8 months of age. Now let me tell ya’ there’s no real answer as to why dat is, but it’s purretty much common knowledge dat kittens just don’t respawnd. Da respawnse to catnip is caused by da scent, so it would seem dat ifin a kitty has a nose they could respawnd. But alas…  Anyways, dat silly Raena did respawnd!!! Sure nuff, she started rollin’ ‘round and wallerin’ all over dat nip mat. And then mommy gave her da Made with Luv toys dat awnty Ellen had sent with special nip blends included, and OMC  Raena couldn’t get enuff. Mommy’s respawnse was, “Well now, you’re gonna be an early bloomer little one.” Yep, an early bloomer is all mommy said.

Can you believe it? Mommy had told me dat me wouldn’t have to share da Yeowww nip toys till Raena was old enuff to know not to slobber all over ‘em. And here she was, wantin’ to play with da new Yeowww nip rainbow we got from Timmy and furmily fur Christmas. Don’t even get me started on how it was way to big fur her to be carryin’ ‘round. Then there’s those special times when mommy puts a little nip on one of da scratchers fur me to roll in and eat a bite or two. There me was rollin’ in utter joy, and here come Raena stickin’ her nose in my nip business. Me just can’t get away from her. Anyways, while all this was happenin’ she started getting’ mean and bitin’ like she meant business. Well now, we don’t allow no bitin’ in this house. No bitin’ lessen it’s food or treats or da occasional toy. What’s a girly to do, but tell mommy. Yep, me went and told on Raena. 

     You sure did sissy. You tattle tale. Dat wasn’t very nice of you at all. 

Wasn’t nice of me? Well you bit me!!! Dat wasn’t very nice either.

     Maybe not sissy, but mines mouthy hurt and I’s didn’t feel so good. I’s didn’t mean to hurt you. I’s really sorry.

Yeah sis, me knows dat now, and me accepts your ‘pawlogy. Mommy ‘splained dat you were teethin’ and dat made your mouthy hurt and sometimes made you run a fever. She ‘splained dat there’s a lot of confusion ‘bout what age kittens get their adult teefies and so me asked her to tell everypawdy what da feline medical journals say. Mommy, will you tell everypawdy why Raena be teethin’ and what we do to keep her from bitin’ us?

Sure baby. Sometime around 3 – 4 months of age, the incisor teeth start coming in. Then between 4 and 6 months the canines, premolars and molars erupt. A kitten should have all 30 adult teeth by the age of 7 months. Of course there are always exceptions due to health and environment and the health of the mother. But as a general rule, teething begins around 3 months of age. Whether it’s painful or not is debated. I can tell you from personal experience, it’s painful for the kitten. They usually start biting or chewing hard objects. A kitten that didn’t previously bite, may now lash out. They sometimes run a fever. So just like with human babies who are teething, your fur babies are in some pain while teething also. There are a few toys on the market that your kitty or doggy may find appealing and satisfactory, but a thick box will also do.

You should also keep an eye on the baby (milk) teeth to make sure they all fall out. It’s not uncommon for a tooth to be retained. The reason for this isn’t clear, but could cause future problems. If you see any of the following symptoms, please see a VET to have the teeth looked at and removed if necessary.

• Bad breath

• Abnormally positioned permanent teeth

• Swollen, red or bleeding gums around the baby teeth

• Overcrowding

Now, kittens should learn about biting from their mothers and/or littermates. This doesn’t always happen and sometimes there isn’t a mother, or biting starts later. To deal with this and train motherless kittens (which was my specialty when I fostered), I gently bite the tip of the kittens ear when they are biting me and then say firmly, No or No Biting. Only apply enough pressure so that the kitten notices. They will immediately stop biting and may shake their head or look at you in horror, but it is effective and humane. Water bottles, squirt guns, air spray and yelling doesn’t work. Pinching the area works as well, but because of fingernails and amount of feeling in the fingers, I recommend the biting. Just because you know the exact amount of pressure you are applying. And of course the tip of the ear is the cleanest part of the kitten.

Fank you mommy. Me really purreciates you ‘splainin’ it to me and everypawdy else. Me was thinkin’ Raena was gonna be mean or somethin’, but she’s only bein’ normal, and fankfully it won’t last furever. 

 I’s really like chewin’ on boxes. 

     Yeah? Well I’s just glad to hear mines mouth ain’t gonna hurt furever and dat mommy ain’t gonna bite me again. Who knew I’s could break skin thru da sheets?. I was just so…so…and she just looked so…so… Well I just had to bite down. I’s had no idea she could jump like dat. Or dat blood was dat color. And I fur sure never ‘spected her to bite me back. I won’t ever be doin’ dat again. 

And dat’s why she did it Raena. Me thinks me ‘members her bitin’ me too. She even bit me once when me bit me’s sis Lexi. She said somethin’ ‘bout sissy not havin’ teedies and so she was defendin’ her. Well me learned real quick dat bitin’ with intent was off da menu. Anyways, Raena be teethin’ so she’s all over da place. Me can’t believe we’s in fur months of this. Strap in and get ready cuz we’re all in fur da ride of our lives. Me’s gonna try to get in a nap befur Raena starts up again. We’ll be by to visit with ya’ shortly.

     You furgot sissy. It’s Furiday and we’s joinin’ Rascal and Rocco fur da weekly Pet Parade. Hop on over and check it out. 

Till da next time……………………………..Be Blest!!!

Dezi: Vibrant Blue 

Raena: Navy Blue

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

Deztinee and RaenaBelle