Ever had kittens?

[somethingelsethere]

In response to another thread, I just want to ask if you've ever owned a cat that has had a litter of kittens?
Interested to see how many people have..
Posting here for traffic and range of audience!

Not owned, but I grew up with farms all around and there were kittens. I remember two times a cat had given birth nearby - once under our garden shed and once in our garage (in the hay we had for our guinea pigs).

My take away from that is that seeing cats give birth isn't magical.

Cats aren't humans. This talk of it being a 'natural experience' is just sentiment. And usually motivated by a liking for money. There are loads of cats needing good homes - we should stick to those.

Although I'd never do it again, I did adore having kittens.
There's something very special about watching them being born and then grow up.
I actually had one from birth to death, which of course was awful, he had cancer, but he'd been born on my Dd's bed.
Mum cat was a brilliant Mum, I still have her, she's 10 now.
I have one of her kittens too, she's 8.

And usually motivated by a liking for money.
It's quite expensive to have kittens. Our previous litter set me back around £1K in total - and that's without any medical interventions with the birth itself.

Our cat had 4 kittens,we kept 2 and my mum took the other 2.
It was lovely watching them from being born growing into adult cats.

@forinborin

And usually motivated by a liking for money. It's quite expensive to have kittens. Our previous litter set me back around £1K in total - and that's without any medical interventions with the birth itself.

Not if you are selling kittens from a farm cat, sadly.

I didn't sell the kittens I had, the ones I didn't keep went to friends for free and other than extra food they didn't cost me anything.

My family got a cat when I was 4 years old so don't know the full ins and outs of speying etc. Dh is allergic to cats so not going to get one.

How do people get non rescue cats? Are there reputable breeders like with dogs?

I ask because breeding kittens seems to be a (Mumsnet?) no but puppies not so much.

There are pedigree breeders.
The cats are very expensive as you'd expect.
Dd is currently looking into them as she really wants a particular breed.
Mine are all mogs.

@SarahAndQuack
Ah, I see what you mean now. Yes, someone told me recently that the prices for kittens seem to be skyrocketing in the same way as for puppies.

@IHaveBrilloHair

I didn't sell the kittens I had, the ones I didn't keep went to friends for free and other than extra food they didn't cost me anything.

Vaccinations, vet checks, worming and flea treatment... no?

No, they went to friends who did that.

@IHaveBrilloHair

No, they went to friends who did that.

What about the checks and working that were done before they were old enough to leave the mother?

*worming

@forinborin

And usually motivated by a liking for money. It's quite expensive to have kittens. Our previous litter set me back around £1K in total - and that's without any medical interventions with the birth itself.

It’s only expensive if you do it properly.

If there’s no vet involvement, no checks, and the likes then its an easy way to make money. It’s one of the reasons pregnant cats get dumped so often when a problem happens. People are happy to do it when it makes cash, but not when it costs them.

Yes, not deliberately. I had two female cats, both young, the pandemic scuppered by neutering plans, one is an escape artist and she managed to get of my sons skylight window and go for a wander around my flat roof and met a boy. The rest is history. I kept 2 of them and the other 4 went to various friends Of mine. She’s since been spayed.

Wormed, flead, chipped, checked, though they were all v healthy when they left me at 12 weeks.
I've said that although I loved having them, it wasn't ideal.

I used to foster orphaned kittens, but never had a cat have a litter.

@IHaveBrilloHair

Wormed, flead, chipped, checked, though they were all v healthy when they left me at 12 weeks. I've said that although I loved having them, it wasn't ideal.

So that’ll have had a cost then...

Yes, but the the new owners knew that.

Never in over 40 years of having cats have we ever had kittens. Even from 10 years old (mid 70s) I recall our cats being neutered.

@IHaveBrilloHair

Yes, but the the new owners knew that.

So you did charge the new owners then....

Kittens can’t be both free to new owners and cost the breeder nothing if they are dealt with properly, hence people questioning your post.

Oh ffs, the point was, I made no money from them and the new owners were fine to pay for whatever was needed once they had them.

@IHaveBrilloHair

Oh ffs, the point was, I made no money from them and the new owners were fine to pay for whatever was needed once they had them.

You made out like nobody paid anything for them, as if kittens don’t cost anything other than food.

Which is only the case if nothing is done hence your post being commented on so you can save your ffs.

No, but my partner has done. I would love to have a few kittens, but the same way I would love to have a baby polar bear, very cute and cuddly, could eat you in the night.