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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Who wants to wait whilst my kittens are born!

908 replies

Kittenwatch · 13/11/2025 02:42

My girl is having her kittens! First one is here squeaking and healthy!

Second is imminent.

I think she’ll have 4 🤞🏽🤞🏽

OP posts:
Thread gallery
110
Kittenwatch · 14/11/2025 09:38

ObelixtheGaul · 14/11/2025 08:49

Which one did he choose?

One of the pure black ones who has a little white speck on his nose. Toastada is the name apparently. I prefer that to Ragnar!

OP posts:
Puppylucky · 14/11/2025 09:55

Interesting @DarkRootsBlue . My experience of The Litter Tray is that posters there are much kinder and wear their feline care experience more lightly. I've certainly never seen a pile on like this over there.

ObelixtheGaul · 14/11/2025 10:06

Nomakeupday · 14/11/2025 09:17

I'd imagine if there were 100s of abandoned children in every town and most children were abandoned by their parents once they get out of the cute baby stage many people would feel that way. Thankfully most people care for their children better than they do animals.

Unfortunately, people want kittens, just as it's harder to find adoptive parents for older children, it's harder for rescues to re-home their older cats. I say this as someone whose last cat was an older rescue.

Yes, people should go to rescue centres, but if you really want a kitten, you'll struggle because they are usually rehomed quickly. Rescue centres I have been involved with are often confronted with potential owners who only want kittens. These are the people who will be on gumtree when they can't find the perfect kitten at a rescue centre.

As someone who has never had a cat from a breeder, and wouldn't, I 'm still not naive enough to imagine that OP's friends who will be rehoming the kittens would be at the rescue centres if they couldn't have her kittens, and I am genuinely surprised at the number of PPs with experience working with rescue centres who think four cats would have been rescued if it wasn't for OP's irresponsible actions.

You could argue than any post of kittens is promoting breeding, because it promotes the desirability of kittens over older cats. You'd not have batted an eyelid if the OP had posted pictures of the one kitten she plans to keep when it was 12 weeks old, without the backstory.

At least we can see the mother, we've been shown the environment in which she gave birth. Most of the cute kittens we are bombarded with on Facebook reels and posts we have no idea where they have come from.

Breeding is still legal in this country. Perhaps it shouldn't be, but it is. And whilst it is, perhaps driving posters like OP away from openly posting about it isn't actually the best thing. If it's going on, I'd rather see it instead of only seeing the cutesy results that don't tell any of the story whatsoever.

Posts like this don't encourage potential breeders any more than the myriad of cute kittens reels, pictures, memes and videos do. The myriad of kitten reels, videos, etc, foster the desire for kittens, yet I imagine a post of a kitten wouldn't have garnered anything like the negative response.

When people post their pictures of their adult cats on The Litter Tray, are you all demanding to know where the cat came from? If someone posted pictures of their beloved Burmese, would there be this big pile on about pure bred cats? Would you all be hounding the poster to know where the cat originally came from? If someone tells you it's a rescue, will you be treating them to the same level of disbelief OP has been subjected to? Yet pedigree kittens seldom turn up at rescues.

TeaAndTattoos · 14/11/2025 10:10

awww kitties congratulations to you all they are gorgeous.

Millytante · 14/11/2025 10:23

Nomakeupday · 14/11/2025 08:43

To be clear, I am not here to be a keyboard warrior. OP is here to share the happy and rewarding process of breeding from her cat on the internet. This encourages irresponsible owners to do the same and creates unwanted animals and those encouraging her reinforce the idea that this is a safe practice for cats. The reality is many cats bred in this way don't make it past a year old and many mother cats bred from die.

Phew. I’m glad I read this, as now at least I realise that your comments here have all been satirical. I had thought you were just being OTT alarmist!
.

eyeses · 14/11/2025 10:28

The judginess of some people who work in animal adoption organisations, and their apparent need to express it forcefully and repetetively is one of the things that significantly reduces the number of people adopting from them.
Second only to them actually preventing adoption by people who would be good matches but don't fulfil ridiculous criteria.

Not all rescue workers I'm sure, just the ones who Must Be Heard repeating themselves.

I do often wonder how far up their list of priorities homing the animals comes, compared to, for example, the opportunity to wield power over the lives and choices of other humans, and feel all self satisfied doing so.

Sadly it gives a bad name to people who's prioriy is genuinely the welfare of the animals in their care.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 12:57

Nomakeupday · 14/11/2025 08:43

To be clear, I am not here to be a keyboard warrior. OP is here to share the happy and rewarding process of breeding from her cat on the internet. This encourages irresponsible owners to do the same and creates unwanted animals and those encouraging her reinforce the idea that this is a safe practice for cats. The reality is many cats bred in this way don't make it past a year old and many mother cats bred from die.

So you are here to be a keyboard warrior then.

Millytante · 14/11/2025 13:01

eyeses · 14/11/2025 10:28

The judginess of some people who work in animal adoption organisations, and their apparent need to express it forcefully and repetetively is one of the things that significantly reduces the number of people adopting from them.
Second only to them actually preventing adoption by people who would be good matches but don't fulfil ridiculous criteria.

Not all rescue workers I'm sure, just the ones who Must Be Heard repeating themselves.

I do often wonder how far up their list of priorities homing the animals comes, compared to, for example, the opportunity to wield power over the lives and choices of other humans, and feel all self satisfied doing so.

Sadly it gives a bad name to people who's prioriy is genuinely the welfare of the animals in their care.

I think you are spot on. This head prefect attitude is very hard on those dedicated souls who work in rescue operations etc who are there for the love of animals.

Nomakeupday · 14/11/2025 13:40

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 12:57

So you are here to be a keyboard warrior then.

Which part of the thread suggests to you that the OP is acting responsibly? Obviously having done her research as a breeder, she will be aware that it is likely some of the kittens may die, or that mother cat is probably going to want the kittens to leave. Would someone aware of that encourage their child to become attached to and name a one day old kitten as theirs? Would someone that really cares about their cat think, I know keeping a kitten will likely make my cat unhappy, but I'll do it anyway? Would someone that had researched cat reproduction want to lock their loved cat in a room with a tom cat? Disagreeing with someones actions that are likely to be detrimental to living creatures doesn't make me a keyboard warrior.

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 14/11/2025 13:49

Absolutely correct @eyeses. My husband had a kitten when he was very young and that was only possible as a result of a friend who had a cat who then had a litter of 3. He got one of the females and she became his best friend through chronic illness. The two were inseparable. He'd have stood no chance trying to adopt a kitten from a shelter.

Superhansrantowindsor · 14/11/2025 13:51

I don’t think people are being keyboard warriors. This is AIBU. If you want everyone to agree, post elsewhere.

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 14/11/2025 14:00

Oh come off it. The reason for posting in AIBU was a light-hearted "Hey guys, would I be unreasonable to ask if you want to wait with me while my kittens are born?"

This thread has observed one of the biggest pile-ons that even PPs have noticed the OP would get no such backlash if they'd posted in The Litter Tray boards.

DarkRootsBlue · 14/11/2025 14:14

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 14/11/2025 14:00

Oh come off it. The reason for posting in AIBU was a light-hearted "Hey guys, would I be unreasonable to ask if you want to wait with me while my kittens are born?"

This thread has observed one of the biggest pile-ons that even PPs have noticed the OP would get no such backlash if they'd posted in The Litter Tray boards.

‘Chat’ would have been the obvious place if OP had never heard of the Litter Tray. OP chose to post in the most contentious forum, knowing that she would get comments about how irresponsible she was. Her vet had even warned her about it.

Puppylucky · 14/11/2025 14:55

A kitten "likely may die", what else likely may happen @Nomakeupday ? Maybe the sky will fall in just to really ruin the OP's day!

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 14/11/2025 15:08

DarkRootsBlue · 14/11/2025 14:14

‘Chat’ would have been the obvious place if OP had never heard of the Litter Tray. OP chose to post in the most contentious forum, knowing that she would get comments about how irresponsible she was. Her vet had even warned her about it.

So OP is a victim and now you're victim-blaming. Yep, these boards are contentious alright.

OSTMusTisNT · 14/11/2025 15:24

OMG they are adorable and all safely delivered 😀.

(See the PETA extremists are out in force with the usual bollocks, 'don't ever breed anything', 'always get you pets from a rescue centre' blah blah. No, lets allow responsible pet owners to chose for themselves - Mummy cat looks pretty damn thrilled with her babies.)

redboxer321 · 14/11/2025 15:29

Mummy cat looks pretty damn thrilled with her babies

I despair for the human race. But, more so, for the other animals with whom we share a planet. Happy to be labelled a PETA extremist if those who aren't PETA extremists write and presumably believe the shite posted above.

PrizedPickledPopcorn · 14/11/2025 15:58

Nomakeupday · 14/11/2025 13:40

Which part of the thread suggests to you that the OP is acting responsibly? Obviously having done her research as a breeder, she will be aware that it is likely some of the kittens may die, or that mother cat is probably going to want the kittens to leave. Would someone aware of that encourage their child to become attached to and name a one day old kitten as theirs? Would someone that really cares about their cat think, I know keeping a kitten will likely make my cat unhappy, but I'll do it anyway? Would someone that had researched cat reproduction want to lock their loved cat in a room with a tom cat? Disagreeing with someones actions that are likely to be detrimental to living creatures doesn't make me a keyboard warrior.

Edited

Which part of the thread suggests you were asked for your opinion? You were asked if you wanted to keep OP company while the kittens arrived, not be judge and jury of something which she did some weeks ago.

There’s plenty of experience on the thread- which has been shared- about cats who chased off their youngsters and also cats who settled happily with their kitten.

Leave OP to manage it herself. And let the rest of us enjoy the kittens.
As you are quite right, it would be irresponsible for us all to do it so let us enjoy the fucking photos!!

Or alternatively, spoil our fun so we decide to go and experience it ourselves.

Fgfgfg · 14/11/2025 16:17

Puppylucky · 14/11/2025 09:55

Interesting @DarkRootsBlue . My experience of The Litter Tray is that posters there are much kinder and wear their feline care experience more lightly. I've certainly never seen a pile on like this over there.

I recognise at least one name from the litter tray.

SquigglePigs · 14/11/2025 16:26

Kittenwatch · 14/11/2025 09:38

One of the pure black ones who has a little white speck on his nose. Toastada is the name apparently. I prefer that to Ragnar!

That's a fabulous name! Hope he gets a lot of joy from his little fluff-ball. They're adorable!

Puppylucky · 14/11/2025 16:36

@Fgfgfg - yes so do I, but they aren't the majority.

Southeastlondonmum2 · 14/11/2025 17:03

I don't truly think the comments are a "pile on". I am sure we animal lovers are very happy that mum and kittens are all doing well. But. We must all be alert to the fact that non neutered cats (male and female) add to the huge pressure on many animal rescues. Those of us who foster cats and kittens from rescues are all so aware of this. The expense is huge as well. Each to their own I guess but no young mummy cat needs to have babies

YorkshireGoldDrinker · 14/11/2025 17:13

Southeastlondonmum2 · 14/11/2025 17:03

I don't truly think the comments are a "pile on". I am sure we animal lovers are very happy that mum and kittens are all doing well. But. We must all be alert to the fact that non neutered cats (male and female) add to the huge pressure on many animal rescues. Those of us who foster cats and kittens from rescues are all so aware of this. The expense is huge as well. Each to their own I guess but no young mummy cat needs to have babies

So why is it that animal shelters that often complain of being 'inundated' with lots of stray kittens refuse to let anyone adopt one?

Southeastlondonmum2 · 14/11/2025 17:17

And I, am and my many lovely rescue friends, are not "PETA extremists". Just people who take in random cats and kittens at our own expense and help find them decent new homes however long that takes.

Southeastlondonmum2 · 14/11/2025 17:20

I agree some are too strict but they have the expertise to know what homes are right. People have to have the right resources too afford the cost