Hei, skogkatter • 13jun26

Well these two lads are apparently already ready for the Minnesota winter.

So. Much. Floof.

Grendel is in the fore and Grímnir in the rear.

Apparently, they come looking for cuddles whenever someone is in the room and are curious about the world around them.

When I reached out to the breeder, I had asked several times about food they feed the kittens to avoid that stomach/digestive upset that goes along with switching them over to another food. I have one in mind that ranks high on ingredient quality, but wanted to load up on what they were feeding the boys so I could transition them over a week or so.

Learning point: It turns out that the conventional wisdom has changed with feline diets. Instead of “keep cats and kittens on a small diet rotation”, it turns out that this is no longer the recommendation. They’ve discovered that it can cause food sensitivities and pickiness compared to kittens who are fed a variety of foods; not just brands, but textures and types as well. It teaches the cats, rather than encouraging “finickiness”, to enjoy what they have and they have fewer digestive issues as an added bonus.

Seven years ago, the conventional wisdom was the exact opposite. Minimize variety and texture so they always eat what you give them because there is no benefit with variety. In other words, meatloaf M-Sat and Sunday, too. If you only know meatloaf, you won’t hanker for something else.

So, I’ll take her word (as well as a little research on my part that confirms it) that they should be ready to go with whatever we feed them.

Seems almost sacrilege to think that way after all these years being told otherwise. But I will accept it, seeing as there is science backing it up.

And they are slightly delaying the vaccinations and checkup to 9 weeks instead of 8 weeks, which also makes some sense. A week difference is not a huge difference and it gives their bodies more time to develop to get a better baseline on.

The breeder has invited the family down there for a meet and to meet the boys, but there is just too much going on in the coming two months to break away. Plus, it is a longish drive (2.5 hours each way). I might zip down myself, while the kiddos are on a roadtrip elsewhere, but I haven’t decided for certain if that will happen.

I still have so much to do to prep this place for kittens. I can’t hardly imagine how I will get it all done and still keep on top of the other chores I have ready at my feet.


10 responses to “Hei, skogkatter • 13jun26”

  1. erroneouschoices Avatar

    How absolutely adorable 🥰

    1. michael raven Avatar

      It’s hard to be patient. 🙂

  2. lyndhurstlaura Avatar

    Good to hear of your ongoing journey towards adding the kittens to your family, Michael, and the importance of meeting their dietary requirements. May the time fly by! 😊

    1. michael raven Avatar

      It’s a reminder of how set in your ways you can get as a professional.

      Our vet seems to also be fixated on the single type of food philosophy. And he’s pretty young. It’s easy to fall into that trap of thinking once you become the go-to for information.

      1. lyndhurstlaura Avatar

        True. It’s important to not think you know it all but keep on adding to and updating your knowledge. Your new cuties are getting a thoughtful and caring new family! 🙂

  3. Philip Edwards Avatar

    ⭐️🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛⭐️

    1. michael raven Avatar

      Thanks Philip 🙏

  4. shredbobted Avatar

    Yep that’s a lot of Floof.

    Glad the breeder is taking the time to let them wean instead of just pushing them out the door. That’s the first sign of a caring breeder. And thanx for not going to a pet store.

    1. michael raven Avatar

      Never pet stores. Humane Society, rescue groups or responsible breeders only. Pet stores typically equal pet farms unless they only handle rescues. Pocket pets are okay too (including reptiles and fish with that).

      It might even be against MN law these days. I don’t recall the last time I saw a puppy or kitten in a pet store. It seems to have been phased out in the Twin Cities.

      1. shredbobted Avatar

        I’m so glad. The pet mills are terrible, terrible places. Awareness has grown, but there’s always somebody willing to make money by running a store that sells questionably raised animals to people with questionable skills at giving them a good home.

Leave a comment. Markdown use is permitted.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.