Update: Pineapples are Big!

Dec 05, 2010

In a massive pile of kittens that all have similar markings, size sometimes becomes the easiest distinguishing physical trait. And without a doubt, Pineapple is the biggest of Clementine's bunch. And he has been the biggest since this litter of 7 kittens was rescued!

Often the firstborn kitten is the one that makes a claim to the prime spot on the momma cat. Even when their eyes are still closed, baby kittens make their way to their own spot and can feel, just by being near mom, where their "position" is. They will even shove their siblings out of the way - yes, even when they weigh a mere 200 grams with eyes still sealed shut - to get to their place for nursing. It's instinctive, but it's also quite amusing.

Pineapple likes to explore and climb. His preferred vantage point is on top of anything he can scale. As the biggest kitten, it's almost as though he is scouting for future adventures with his family, making sure everything is safe. His looks and size make him the teddy bear of the bunch. He is now available to pre-adopt! Email [email protected] for more information.

As you can imagine, fosters who take on the role of provider for a family of mom and babies get to witness some amazing things - kittens learning to crawl, eyes opening, mom opening up and becoming more outgoing as she realizes her kittens are safe...the list goes on.

What you may not consider is the great expense our foster homes have in caring for large families like this. Austin Pets Alive! doesn't yet receive enough donations of kitten food that can be shared among our hundreds of foster homes. It's also important that the same food be given to the kittens to minimize digestive distress, which can be deadly to baby kittens. Our foster homes are the only way APA! can save cats from the shelter.

If you would like to donate kitten food to help our foster families, we prefer Nutro MaxCat Canned kitten food, which is almost always on sale at PetCo or PetSmart. Donations may be dropped off at our facility at 2807 Manchaca near the S. Lamar intersection.