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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that letting your cat have a 2nd litter a few months after the first is cruel?

26 replies

emms1981 · 21/02/2015 13:51

My mil said yesterday that my bil and sil's cat has just had more kittens, she only had some a short while before Christmas. I said what the same cat? That's not right is it? And she said well they are a good size Hmm both of my cats have been done so I've never had kittens but this doesn't seem right to me Sad

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 21/02/2015 13:53

Have they got homes for them? It's bloody irresponsible.

AnotherManicMonday · 21/02/2015 13:54

Poor cat Hmm

ghostyslovesheep · 21/02/2015 13:55

it's wrong to let any cat have kittens - unless you are a proper breeder and know what you are doing

pet cats should be spayed

googoodolly · 21/02/2015 13:55

Absolutely it's cruel. I hope they all have homes to go to, at least.

championnibbler · 21/02/2015 13:56

It is cruel.
The cat badly needs to be spayed.
un-spayed (is that a word?) females can have up to 3 litters a year and often have 2.
the general consensus among vets is that its bad for a female cat to have more than 1 litter.
certainly, its bad for the poor kittens who have to be homed or may wind up mistreated or as strays.
there are enough unwanted and mistreated pets in this country as it stands.

ghostyslovesheep · 21/02/2015 13:58

I bet they flog the kittens for £50+ on Pets 4 Homes or Gumtree

Flossyfloof · 21/02/2015 13:59

Cruel and unnecessary.

Original poster
emms1981 · 21/02/2015 14:00

I'm glad its not just me then :( they are pretty white cats with blue eyes so I'm going to go with it being "greed" mil says "they sell for lots of money" it raged me the first time round.
My 2nd cat is a recue and I can tell just looking at her that she's had kittens at some point her tummy is saggy and you can tell she's given birth poor thing.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 21/02/2015 14:03

I think you're right. It sounds like greed to me.

championnibbler · 21/02/2015 14:04

people are so cruel and greedy.
i'd be livid too if i were you.

girliefriend · 21/02/2015 14:04

It is cruel and irresponsible when there are shelters full of cats needing homes.

It will also stress the mum cat out, the last cat I know who had two litters of kittens in quick succession killed one of the kittens Sad

Nomama · 21/02/2015 14:06

Ye gods! White coated, blue eyed cats.... did they check how many were deaf before they sold the first litter? 72% of all white coated, blue eyed cats are 100 deaf!

Unbelievably stupid thing to do!

MamaLazarou · 21/02/2015 14:06

My cats have big saggy bellies and neither of them have had kittens, OP. Some of them are just shaped like that.

But you're right - it's wrong of these people to breed from their cats for profit.

Artandco · 21/02/2015 14:22

I don't this saggy bellies is a sign of pregnancy in cats, it's usually they have been overweight and lost weight. Growing up we had various rescue cats and they had excess skin often, all male!

MagpieCursedTea · 21/02/2015 14:28

Very irresponsible and cruel Sad

My two rescues have developed saggy tummies that they didn't use to have when we first adopted them. I put it down to their love of food and napping in their old age!

silveroldie2 · 21/02/2015 14:46

ghostyslovesheep "it's wrong to let any cat have kittens - unless you are a proper breeder and know what you are doing - pet cats should be spayed"

This. I would add all pets to that, not just cats - with rehoming centres stuffed to the rafters with unwanted animals.

SorchaN · 21/02/2015 14:53

It can take a cat quite a while to get her condition back up after having kittens, so yes, I'd think that two litters so close together would be rather unfair on the cat. I agree that pet cats should be spayed or neutered.

disneymum3 · 21/02/2015 15:01

It is cruel if the cat had time to be spayed between litters.

But sometimes it can't be helped, my next door neighbour's cat had 2 litters last year. One after the other. She didn't sell any of the kittens she gave them away for free as long as there where going to good homes. After the cat had the first litter, my niebough enquired about getting her spayed, was told to bring her in when she had finished feeding. So as soon as the cat had finished feeding, she took her in to be done but was then told she couldn't have her spayed as she was pregnant again. It turned out that the cat had gotten pregnant whilst still feeding her first litter. She has since been spayed so can't have any more.

RabidFairy · 21/02/2015 15:29

OP YANBU. I agree its cruel.

Disney I disagree that it sometimes can't be helped; your neighbours cat should have been spayed at the first opportunity, never mind after the first litter. As for in between litters, was there a male cat in the house? Did they keep her in? They knew the risks and they didn't act responsibly IMO.

We had 3 kittens from two litters, a slightly older female and two brothers. We got them neutered at the same time before any accidents could occur.

mytartanscarf · 21/02/2015 15:35

It is cruel. My cat had kittens last year and I gave them away to friends but ideally she shouldn't have had kittens at all.

MrsHathaway · 21/02/2015 15:47

Agree with pps that all pet cats should be neutered - to reduce cancer risk as well as prevent pregnancy. The benefits are less clear-cut for other animals.

There's really no excuse. If you can't afford the neutering, you can't afford a pregnant animal.

MrsHathaway · 21/02/2015 15:50

And I could have sworn you can spay a pregnant cat.

Pipbin · 21/02/2015 15:56

There is a poster who has spoken about this before. She has neutered pregnant cats. A nasty business but as said above, there are too many unwanted cats in the country already.

mytartanscarf · 21/02/2015 16:08

You can terminate a cats pregnancy? I tried with mine (she turned up pregnant and decided to move in with me!) but I don't know about spaying

I spayed my girl after the kittens weaned.

I know I shouldn't say it but kittens are just - aww!

ItsCarnage · 21/02/2015 17:51

Iv seen a my female cat in estrus (horny) stage and im not surprised they get pregnant so often and quickly.
My cat isnt spayed yet but she hasnt been let out and wont be until the summer, she will be spayed by april.
Pdsa do spaying for free now so there is no excuse for all the uneanted kittens and yes they are adorable.