The diary of Zenit and Zoogin


 Lilit had her first litter in the end of December 1999. The father of the kittens is Opiom De La Mer De Kara. He is born in France and lived in Denmark until about a week after Lilit was mated, and then he moved to Finland. The first kitten was born the 27th and the second and last kitten was born the 28th of December.
From the birth of the kittens and until they moved to their new homes we regularly wrote news about them. You can read this "diary" here.
December 28th 1999

See the pedigrees of the kittens

 Lilit has given birth to 2 fine kittens, both males. The delivery was not quite easy, but a caesarian operation was not necessary, and we are very happy that there was more than one kitten. 

Both the mother and the kittens are fine, but as many cats not having kittens before Lilit seems to be a little bored. She wants company all the time - and in fact it is a very understandable desire, isn't it? 
January 4th 2000

Lilit with her kittens

Lilit with the kittens on her beloved zebra blanket

 Lilit's kittens are extremely well, but Lilit herself has been a little uneasy. Among other things she has rejected the kittening box with the lambskin we had bought for this special purpose. It happened on New Years Day, and she might have been scared of all what happened the night before. Now she and the kittens have been installed in a large show pen with an old - but apparently much appreciated - wooly blanket. This is much better. 

The two "old" cats have given the kittens a pretty good reception. They don't exactly take part in nursing the kittens, though Lilit should like some help from especially Djingiz.  But both of them are regularly inspecting the kittens with kind interest. 

Ofelia was not at all scared because of New Years Eve. About midnight she was sitting in a window enjoying the fireworks. Djingiz kept more in the background, but he didn't seem to be frightened. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY !!!
January 13th 2000

 

See the first photos of the kittens

 

 The kittens are so sweeet!!! And they can already do so much!!! They are still sleeping and eating most of the time, but they have also started playing/fighting with each other, and they are trying to wash themselves. They are stomping about on high legs, but not always perfectly balanced.
They are affectionate as well. If they are awake when we are coming into their room they come "running"  towards us, and they often are lying on the back with all four paw up, so we can stroke their little bellies. While they purr.

We and the new owners have agreed that the kittens are going to be called Zenit and Zoogin, but we still don't know which one is Zenit and which one is Zoogin.
January 24th 2000



More photos of the kittens		 Time passes much too quickly, now the kittens are almost 4 weeks of age. 
They can do so much, are running very quickly and are making funny jumps. They are playing quite a lot with each other and with their mother, and are little by little beginning to play with toys. They are still having only their mother's milk, but we will soon introduce them to their first real meal. 

It has now been settled that no 1 is Zenit, and no 2 is Zoogin - but now we are not quite sure if Zenit is a male or a female. It is good luck that the names goes with both sexes.

Both kittens love to be in hands, and when we enter their room they are meowing loudly to be picked up. The new owners have been here to see their kittens. Zenit is going to a family with a girl aged 3 years. When she and her parents were here yesterday the girl was more afraid of Zenit than Zenit were afraid of the girl - in fact neither he nor Zoogin were the slightest bit scared. 
February 5th 2000 The kittens are almost 6 weeks. We are now certain - almost - that Zenit is a female. Fortunately the new owners think it is ok. 

The kittens are so busy now. When they are not eating or sleeping they play their wild games. Long ago they jumped over the fencing of the play pen we had arranged for them, and they are now all over the room. They are running very fast, are trying to catch the other one, are fighting for fun, are trying to catch their own tail or the tail of the other kitten or of their mother. They climb in the scratching posts, but not yet to the top of the big ones. They are very good at playing with their toys, and today we noticed for the first time that one of them was defending a piece of toy.
Lilit enjoys it, much of the time she is playing as if she is a kitten as well. From time to time she also finds time to cuddle.

Both kittens are eating kitten food now, and they are growing quickly. They are good at using the litter tray. They used the little litter tray meant for kittens only a few days. They preferred the big one for the adult cats, and Lilit and some times also Ofelia tried to use the little one, not always hitting it.
February 16th 2000 Time still passes much too quick, now Zenit and Zoogin are more than 7 weeks old.

They still haven't jumped over the barrier to the kitten room, so to our - and probably also Lilit's - satisfaction they have still limited liberty of action. Lilit is a good mother now and enjoys being a mother. She seems to prefer big kittens to the very little babies. Sometimes she is only watching the activities of the kittens, at other times she is playing with them. The two small ones are still allowed to suck milk, and then they are purring as loud as they can.

Ofelia and Djingiz find the kittens pretty wild. They certainly don't want to play with them! And if the kittens get too close they sometimes spit. We attempt to give time to both the small ones and the big ones, so none of them feels they are neglected. 
February 20th 2000

New photos of the kittens

 Now the kittens are out of the kitten room! 
Zoogin went - or jumped - down the stairs to the kitchen immediately, Zenit came a little later and watched her steps a little more careful, but altogether they are probably ready to go all over the house, if they are allowed to.

We don't have to stride the barrier to the room, but now we have to drag our feet, so we don't step on a kitten at full speed.
March 8th 2000

...and even more photos

 

 Now the kittens are all over the house - and we have had the first worries about them. 
Zoogin has had trouble with his stomach. He was lively and happy all the time, but was vomiting. Our vet feared that it was intussusception, but fortunately it was not. Maybe he ate something not meant for kitten food, and it has irritated his stomach or bowels. He now gets a protective diet and is fine. He hasn't gained weight the last week, and we are happy that he was a big kitten before the problems started.

Apart from this both kittens are more wild and playful and impudent as ever. They poke their small noses into everything, and they vandalize pot plants and everything else. They are gorgeous! 
March 23rd 2000 It is two very fine young cats we have, but only for a few days now. In only a few days they will move to their new homes. It is very consoling that we know their new owners are also counting the days. They count the days with great expectations, we are a little sad. 
Zoogin was soon very well again, and for some days he gained weight very quickly. 

Lilit has for some time been weaning the kittens. She use to go when the kittens try to get some milk from her, and sometimes she puts her paw on the head of the kitten (mostly Zoogin) that tries to suck. And a few times they are allowed to suck while they are loudly purring, and while Lilit looks very impatient.
March 29th 2000

The latest photos of Zenit and Zoogin

 Zenit went to her new home 5 days ago, and it all went very well. She soon felt at home, and she has even been lying comfortably on the lap of the 3 years old daughter in the house.

Zoogin was very quiet and a little sad the day Zenit left us. Now he is as he use to be, and in a few days he will also be leaving us. 
April 9th 2000 Now it is a little more than a week since Zoogin's new owners came to take him to his new home.

It is rather quiet here now. We humans miss the kittens, but the cats don't seem to miss them. To the contrary Ofelia and Djingiz seem to be happy to have their full freedom to act again. Not even Lilit seems to miss the kittens, she only some times need somebody to join her wild games. The two "old" ones can't fulfill her wishes of how often the wild games shall take place as the kittens were able to.
To News 2000