To let my cat have kittens

[Mittens1969]

This is a more lighthearted thread than my two previous ones, but I'm fully expecting to be flamed by some posters on here, especially those who work in cat rescue centres.

I've had cats all through my life, I have 4 furry friends atm. I've finally given into temptation to let one of my cats, a 1 year old black and white female, to have one litter of kittens before having her spayed.

We used to let our cats have a couple of litters of kittens when I was growing up, and we never had any problems finding homes for them. I've never done this with cats since I've grown up, I've had a number of cats and I've always had them spayed/neutered.

But this time I couldn't resist. And I already know it won't be hard to find homes for the kittens and I intend to look after them for as long as necessary. I'll have 2 DDs who want to keep them of course.

So that's my AIBU basically. I would also be interested in suggestions from people who have done this.

My foster kittens ripped up my carpet and kept using underneath as a litter tray, they also shredded the wallpaper off the walls, we had a flea infestation and the mother cat became incredibly territorial and aggressive.
We've had to completely redecorate the room they were in and they cost us an actual fortune.
It was also very stressful as we had a few health scares and I had to get up in the night in the beginning, I couldn't leave the house for more than a few hours in the beginning and it was very tying.
It was an amazing experience but I've got to be honest t was incredibly tough.

Thank you for deciding to spay, Mittens. Those of us on the front line will be grateful.

Once you've started fostering and become involved in rescue, and seen all that goes on, you'll understand why some of us feel so strongly about this stuff.

You are selfish and irresponsible if you do this. Wake up. There's a cat crisis with overpopulation due exactly to people like you, who thought it 'might be nice' to let their cat have kittens.

Healthy cats are being euthanised in this country due to lack of homes.

Go and work one day in a rescue centre.

Why have you posted this? What's the point? What are you hoping to gain? Is it just to be goady as you seem to expect the negative reactions, or were you generally hoping people would say 'ooh what a great idea, go you!'

Read the RSPCA report about cat overpopulation. Understand exactly what the consequences are of cat breeding.

Oh blimey. Didn't rtft. Massive apologies OP I see you've already decided not to. So sorry!!!!!

Hooray! So glad you changed your mind. Well done OP it's really nice to see someone taking the advice offered on here.

@RunYouJuiceBitch, actually I thank everyone for their input, very robustly given but honest.

I'll get in touch with Cats Protection to ask about volunteering.

YABVVVU. Don't even think about it. You only want kittens for your benignity. Put your poor cat first. Don't do it to her. Rescues are o rerun with cats and kittens needed adoption.

@choochooo, that's ok, I've been guilty of not rtft myself in the past!

One of my colleagues was telling me she was going to let her male bengal kitten mate to make money from the kittens. After some very sting words from me, she changed her mind. My Persians were rescued in bad condition from a kitten farm, I dread to think how many litters they had. It's completely stunted them both. They have no idea about normal 'cat things'

@Toddlerteaplease, that's really awful, it's great that you've given them a forever home. How horribly cruel.

Good work op! I must admit I didn't think you were going to back down,.

I've fostered mummy cats if you want to know anything feel free to pm!

I've never seen any unwanted feral cats around here

Until I started volunteering in cat rescue I had no idea about the feral cat problem. They aren't on streets generally speaking. They are in back gardens and normally quite hidden from view until the numbers get totally out of control.

Driving round East and North London I barely go past a street that I haven't had to deal with a feral cat colony in at some point. There are literally hundreds of thousands in East London back gardens alone. Probably millions. I recently trapped and neutered 56 in a small block of 20 or so gardens. And that's not unusual. I personally probably trap 20 plus a week. And I am one of three trappers in this small area alone. And between us we are still only dealing with the tip of the iceberg. My list of jobs to do very, very long indeed and constantly growing.

So for those idiots that keep comparing cats to humans and pretending that cats have human emotions.

Would you force your 15 year old daughter to go outside, be gang raped by groups of men carrying infections that may kill her if she catches them. Make her go through with the pregnancy and give birth, again risking her life. Let her watch some of her children die as she's just too young to adequately nourish them. And then after she's gone through all that and by some miracle survived take the remaining children off her and give them to someone else?

Because that's the reality of letting your 1 year old cat outside to get preganant.

And yes the comparison to humans is of course ridiculous but those people who think their cats will miss being a mother or want a litter don't seem to understand that cats and humans are not the same species so maybe explaining it that way will make more sense to them.

Well said CatchingBabies. Hopefully you've given the morons claiming that it's cruel not to let her have a litter something to think about. It's far more cruel to subject them to all that. Glad the OP's cat is getting spayed.

Also I'm a human and I don't want babies, quite happy without them thanks.

@Excited101, I wouldn't have posted on here if I'd been entirely comfortable with what I was doing. I'd always spayed/neutered my pets before.

My DH is relieved, too, it has to be said. He said to me, I told you it wasn't a good idea. Actually, no he didn't. He just leaves those decisions to me, he just didn't comment.

Definitely unreasonable, the cat does not 'need' kittens. Shelters are overrun with unwanted cats. This would be a very selfish decision in my opinion.

@Sunshineface123, Please rtft! I'be booked her in to be spayed now.

That should say I've, lol!!

I went to see a kitten today. The mother was far too thin and looked miserable. The owner said 'she's always been a miserable cat, that one'. They are keeping one of the kittens, probably to make money out of that litter too. I am definitely for spaying cats as soon as possible, but aborting the kittens? I think not.

I am definitely for spaying cats as soon as possible, but aborting the kittens? I think not.

Why not?

I agree, why not? If it's fine to abort human babies why not kittens? If the cat is heavily pregnant, I can see why you might think that, but in my cat's case, it would be very early stages. And she might not even be pregnant.

"am definitely for spaying cats as soon as possible, but aborting the kittens? I think not."

What a bloody stupid thing to say.

So glad you've decided to spay. It really is the kindest thing. Just think how upset she would have been when you took her babies away to give to your friends.

I've fostered a mother cat and kittens before - it was very rewarding, but also very hard work. Would love to try fostering a pregnant mother cat next time.

There is a difference in animals who have been mothers. They are usually more settled and nurturing. (Farmer. I know animals)

Sorry, but that is such a load of shit. The most aggressive cat I have ever had was the only one who had a litter of kittens (this was when I was a kid so not my choice in letting her get pregnant). She hated the kittens and was always quite aggressive and would suddenly bite/scratch for the rest of her life. I have had three other female cats who have been spayed and never carried a litter and they were all lovely and affectionate.

People like Abby and Heebie are so thick (and cruel) that it makes me want to weep.