Testimonials
By Melba Olsen in Plainview, TX
May 10, 2006
Baby orphan kittens! Little bitty baby orphan kittens! FOUR itty bitty teeny tiny 6 day old HUNGRY baby orphan kittens, in my flower bed! What do you do.....what do you do?
This is the situation my husband Richard and I found ourselves in about 7 weeks ago. The mama cat was dead, the kittens where still plump from nursing, and one of them, a fuzzy cream colored baby, was still latched on in desperation. There was an unpleasant odor in the air, and as I picked up the kittens and snuggled them into a towel in my arms, the smell permeated the kittens hair.
The first thought of ours was to take them to the vet to get some kitten milk, and to get advice from the doctor. Unfortunately, the vet was out of any kitten food, and none of the others in town had any either. We knew to keep them warm, so we fixed up a box and a heating pad in the bottom. Richard immediately left for PetsMart in Lubbock, 45 miles away on a search for milk and bottles, as I gingerly watched over the tiny babies.
Unfortunately, because the kittens where so small, they could not latch onto even the smallest nipple provided with the bottles. Using the medicine syringe at least got some milk into their throats, but it was the beginning of very stressful nights and days to fallow. We found advice online about orphan kittens, and how often to feed them, and how warm to keep them, but none of it told how to satisfy the kittens need to snuggle and nurse. That syringe was no substitute for mama.
Enter Karen Song, and her wonderful Lil Orphan Nannie Bottle Boots and blankets! We heard about her new invention through the Humane Society in Amarillo (we had taken the kittens with us to care for them so as not to miss our son's tennis tournament in Amarillo). We went to Karen's place of business to see what these Bottle Boots were. Of course, the most important thing to her was the welfare of the kittens, and she immediately showed us how to hold the Bottle Boots while snuggling the kitten in the matching blanket.
MAGIC! Instead of crying steadily, the kittens latched on and nursed happily. Even the inconsolable one, the cream colored one who loved her mama best, finally latched on to the bottle in the boot and ate her fill. I had feared she might not survive, since I had found no way to satisfy her snuggling needs, let alone her need to nurse. The miracle was the Little Orphan Nannie Bottle Boots and blankets.
I enthusiastically purchased one set for each kitten, and this was a wise thing to do. Feeding time became much smoother, faster, and happier for the kittens. The eagerly waited for their Bottle Boot of milk, and snuggled down on our laps with little help from us. At first, we had to gently squeeze the baby bottles, but later, as their sucking strength increased, the only needed cuddling as they nursed. We fed them every 2-3 hours at first, then gradually decreased feeding to 3 times a day (yes once in the middle of the night). I can not say enough about how the Bottle Boots saved the day and made it a pleasure to feed all four kittens at once.
My Kittens are now 7 weeks old, are totally litter box trained and have adapted to our work schedule of playtime/eating time/out of their (BIG) box time. Three of the four are totally weaned to kitten milk in a bowl and dry food, not even wanting a bottle when offered. Our most playful kitten still wants to nurse, but does eat dry food also. They all continue to sleep on their snuggle blankets, and will snuggle up to their empty Bottle Boots at times (mainly nuzzling and purring).
Thank you Karen, for helping so much with your invention that helped us raise up these people loving, well adjusted kittens! They love everyone who picks them up! Your Nannies made all the difference in the world to their happiness! Babies love your invention.
Melba Olsen
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