Death

I'm going to make this post brief, as Sean is on his way home to rush me to the vet's office.  At midnight Alpha, the little tortoiseshell kitten, went limp. She was still alive, but obviously in a bad way.  She couldn't swallow her food and didn't show much interest in anything but curling up and getting warm.

Oddly enough, Gryphon responded to her need.  While her siblings ran around and played on the floor, Gryphon hopped into the cat bed and curled his body around her.  She seemed to relax with the big cat so close.

This morning I thought she was dead - her body was completely limp.  But no - she opened her mouth in a pitiful attempt to meow.  I washed her gently with warm water (she had messed herself in the night), wrapped her securely to avoid a chill and called Adopt-a-Pet for authorization to bring her in.

Once the authorization was given, I turned my attention to the other kittens.  Three of them were up and active, meowing for breakfast and attention...but another kitten was stretched out limp.  I scooped her up and realized she was still clinging to life - she still had some activeness but not nearly what I was used to seeing with her.  

I called Adopt-a-Pet back and insisted on authorization to bring the entire litter back for examination.  Authorization was given.

I turned my attention back to the sickest of them - Alpha.  She wasn't breathing.  At some point while I was on the phone getting authorization, she had passed away.  Delta, the other female who had gone limp, is barely breathing - and the healthiest of the males, Beta, has grown ominously quiet.

I don't think Delta is going to survive...and I'm seriously worried about the rest of the litter.  Please keep these little kittens in your thoughts today.

EDIT:  As I was preparing the kittens for transport, I noticed Ayla acting odd.  She's normally a very graceful cat, but it took her three tries to get up on the bed.  My Adopt-a-Pet rep called me after I saw this, and when I told her she said to bring her in as well - AAP will cover her medical bills since she seems to have caught whatever the kittens have.

It's weird - Ayla wouldn't have anything to do with these kittens.  It was Gryphon who showed an interest, you would think he would be the one to get sick.  But he's fit as a fiddle, snoozing in the top perch of the cat tree.

EDIT:  Delta had a series of seizures on the way to the clinic and passed away in my arms.

EDIT: 20th of April. Just heard from the vet clinic...Beta passed away last night.  Now only Epsilon and Ralph are left.  Ayla and Gryphon still appear to be in good health, but I'm watching them closely.