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The litter tray

Help and advice needed re Young pregnant sisters in return for photos of cute little kitties.

12 replies

Sweetoranges · 21/05/2015 14:03

I have not at all reluctantly agreed to foster ahem two year-old sisters who are heavily pregnant. (Owner decided it was too much work when given the news - they were going to get spayed).

They are nearing the due date, a couple of weeks max.
As I have a dog and two cats already I have put the two in my spare room/study (1930 house). They have plenty of perches and view points. I have prepared a box with towels. But there is no cupboard. Will that do?

Anything I should know, be aware of?

(Had tons of cat and kittens when growing up but it was all outside with minimal help from us. My db had sister pg at the same time and one killed her babies and then went to help her sister with hers.)

They are so affectionate and so big bellied [grin

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Sweetoranges · 21/05/2015 14:04

Ups not at all

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RubbishMantra · 21/05/2015 15:38

Well, nice one for taking over their care. Smile

I would be keeping them in separate rooms when close to due date, it will be stressful for them to give birth/nurse kittens at such close proximity. Sisters or not. Could lead to killed kittens as you mention above.

Is there a reason why your friend waited until now to get them spayed? Tbh, I think owner's irresponsible, not getting them neutered, then asking you to take them on. Are they going back after fostering, or be rehomed elsewhere? And shall they be spayed?

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Fluffycloudland77 · 21/05/2015 17:28

I'd seperate them too, you can't be too careful.

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girliefriend · 21/05/2015 17:47

Thats going to be a lot of kittens, maybe 12 or more Shock are you going to be able to find homes for them all?!!

I am Angry that the original owners let it happen tbh, so irresponsible and no excuse for it at all, I have a girl cat and didn't let her out until she was spayed.

I think make sure you are feeding them lots, as much as they want. They may feel stressed if shut in one room, my friends cat ate one of the kittens but they were kept in quite cramped conditions Sad

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Sweetoranges · 21/05/2015 23:05

Ups posted too early

Plenty of rooms for them to explore and chose a place to give birth.

Will def keep them separate nearer the time.

Questions: will you prapere boxes around? How do you help them when the time comes? Do you?

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Sweetoranges · 21/05/2015 23:10

My post has disappeared.

It says thank you for your advice and I appreciate your anger and your concerns.

to answer some of your questions, it was not a friend who ask me to take them. They'd be rehomed once as first owner changed their mind. Second owner did not let them out and booked them to get spayed at the vet but it was too late. They did not feel able to keep.

I offered to foster them as I wanted them to be looked after. They'd have gone to a rescue otherwise. They would have been in a kennel there anyway.

Yes there may be a lot of kitties and I will find homes for them. What choice is there?

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NameChange30 · 21/05/2015 23:16

KITTIES! Grin Blatant place marking for future photos...
Also I agree the original owner was v irresponsible to let the cats out without getting them spayed, but I don't see how that's the OPs fault. Presumably they will be spayed as soon as is healthy after giving birth. And presumably the shelter will help rehome the kittens and will make sure they are neutered as well.

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Sweetoranges · 21/05/2015 23:19

Apologies if my post did not make much sense but was trying to retype fadt what it was lost.

Cats will be spayed asap. And so will the kittens. I work in a vet surgery, I've seen it all.

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BettyCatKitten · 21/05/2015 23:54

You deserve a massiveStar for caring for them and ensuing kittensSmile

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RubbishMantra · 22/05/2015 00:36

Absolutely OP's not to blame. But nobody's saying that anyway.

I too think oranges deserves a big fat Star.

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Sweetoranges · 22/05/2015 14:54

Thank you for the stars but I'm doing it with pleasure. Plus my dc get to witness this fab thing. Win win situation for all involved - if everything goes well. Hence your imput.

Anyone cares to tell me their experiences? Tia.

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girliefriend · 22/05/2015 16:31

We had a stray kitten (I would think around 9 months old) move in with us when I was a teenager and it became apparent that she was pregnant.

I remember she found it quite hard to jump when she was nearly due, even getting onto the sofa or bed was a struggle Grin when she went into labour she came to me crying. We set up a make shift bed on the sofa and put lots of towels down.

The labour itself was pretty quick and she was amazing given she was only a baby herself, she struggled a bit with one kitten. He was a big ginger tom (much bigger than the other kittens) but we just sort of supported the kittens head and she eventually popped him out! We settled them all into a comfy cardboard box and left alone for the first couple of days, she moved the kittens twice. The first time totally confused us as we couldn't find them! She had set up camp at the back of a cupboard under the stairs Grin

She needed lots of food but not a lot else really.

I would book them in as soon as the kittens are born to be spayed asap, the local tom cats were lining up for our cat the minute her kittens had been born. Needless to say we kept her in and had her spayed as soon as possible!

It was lovely having the kittens, she had 5 and they were all completely different!! We found them all good homes without too much trouble.

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