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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

I hate waiting for kittens to be born!!!

36 replies

pugly · 06/02/2011 22:16

I'm like a nervous parent waiting, I sleep with the Mum and look for all the signs! Blush She's huge bless her and only young so don't want her to be alone, my last one had a couple breech and needed help, it was very scary! Wish she'd hurry up so I could stop worrying :(

OP posts:
kensworth · 07/02/2011 01:20

i am in the same boat our cat is due any time ...and i am up this late as the dog has just had puppies this evening. hope all goes well i will be thinking of you

Original poster
pugly · 07/02/2011 09:50

Yikes!!
Still nothing over night but had a little trauma when a young black & white cat launched itself at the window and scared the crap out of the Mums. Fingers crossed it will be today as I'm on a course tomorrow daytime.

OP posts:
kensworth · 07/02/2011 15:58

oh good luck let me know x

Original poster
pugly · 07/02/2011 20:49

Still nothing :( How's the pups? Are you a breeder?

OP posts:
kensworth · 08/02/2011 21:48

Nothing from the kitty yet maybe she's just a fat cat haha! we breed Irish and Gordon setters for showing every couple of years we have 6 !!!!!must be mad. What sort of cat do you have? Mines a slutty Russian blue with a long pedigree and morals from the gutter!!!!! This is her third litter and only once has she liked the stud cat more than the local toms but hey as long as they are all healthy I don't mind

Deafworm · 08/02/2011 21:58

we are waiting for ours to deliver too, I cant quite work out when i think she should be due but we noticed over a month ago so from what i have read online it should be soon, she is huge and young too, 19months old, they wouldnt spay her though as she is dainty and didnt weigh enough.

Original poster
pugly · 08/02/2011 22:59

Still no news here either! Mine are both dumped cats - I'm just fostering for Cats Protection, two sisters, one has 4 newborns and the other is the one I'm waiting on. They are such lovely girls and hopefully will get great homes afterwards. I always urge neutering obviously as I know how many cats are in shelters but It is amazing to experience, I guess fostering gives me the best of both worlds. Smile

OP posts:
Deafworm · 09/02/2011 08:04

sounds quite rewarding pugly. I have found it quite frustrating as she is 18 months now and has been in season quite a few times but she is a dainty little thing and they wouldn't do it till she hit 2kg for the anesthetic, i'm hoping this will do the trick and bring her weight up enough.

needsatrim · 09/02/2011 08:27

OOOHH good. You may be able to give me some advice ladies.
We have recently taken in what we think is a stray, young, unchipped no reports with local rescue centres etc. Anyway I thought he looked to have a very bizarre shaped tummy. One very expensive trip to the vets (fleaed and worming)later SHE is about 6 weeks pregnant. Feel all protective and can't facec shunting her off to somewhere else as she seems to have just fitted in here.
I have 2 other cats who are quite happy confined to the conservatory and outside while she settles.
I have got her kitten food, Tescos pouch one and some kitten biscuits, but am I taking on too much her?
My dc are 2 and 6 and ds is excited. Will I be able to persuade her to make a nest in the cupboard under the stairs? or they choose a place.
Any advice very gratefully received.
The local CPL have a 3 week waiting list so couldn't send her there so near to D day.

Original poster
pugly · 09/02/2011 09:09

Well done you taking her in! It is very easy for the first few weeks after birth but depending on how many they have it can soon become chaos!! When they are all running around the house, toilet training etc.. it can be very hard work keeping on top of things.

Be careful with your other cats as if the mum feels threatened she can attack or even kill her kittens, I would definitely get them used to each other asap.

You can put a box ready for her but she could labour anywhere - my first foster cat decided against the lovely comfy box I had for her and went for the cream carpet in my bedroom!!! Shock

Have the CPL offered to help rehome at all?

OP posts:
needsatrim · 09/02/2011 09:24

Thanks. Yes the CPL are going to take the kittens after 9 weeks so that is a good plan as I won't have to worry about them not being neutered. Let one of my cats in this morning and he was more curious. It was her that did all the hissing but there was no big fur or big tails so I took this as a good sign.
The lady at the CPL says as she is young it's probably her first litter so probably only a few.
I'm sure we will cope. Recently moved into this house and all the carpets are cream????
Oh well lets see how it all pans out.

Original poster
pugly · 09/02/2011 09:28

Well that sounds good (apart from the cream carpets!! lol) It will be lovely for the kids to see, although, mine left pretty rapidly after the first was born and Mum started tucking into the placenta! Grin

OP posts:
kensworth · 09/02/2011 17:30

Hi needsatrim well done on taking her in . I would keep her separated from your other cats as above mentioned as the only cats I have ever seen together when having kittens are litter sisters... Had them in the same box a week apart! And close off any rooms she may escape to have them in we have had them in my daughters room in the quilt if the box is big enough put a hot water bottle in under a towel the cold kills little kittens. Also if mum isn't happy she may move them yes we've had that too!! Good luck and keep in touch x

kensworth · 09/02/2011 17:32

Oh and no not taking on to much cat and kittens mostly look after themselves again confined to one room mskes it easier

Changeisagoodthing · 09/02/2011 17:35

Book a nice night out or even better a holiday. They will then arrive as you are about to leave the house.

needsatrim · 09/02/2011 18:05

Hi, my mum has one of those heated under pad thingys. Is that a step too far. I mean she would have soped in the wild surely.
She is turning out to be a sweet little thing. Went and sat in between the kids on the settee this afternoon, and she's only been here since Sunday.
Thanks for the advice, am sure will become like an expectant mum myself. Is it common for the mum to kill the kittens if she feels threatened? Am worried now as she will have only been her about 3 weeks when they arrive?

needsatrim · 09/02/2011 18:05

Would have survived in the wild, ffs

kensworth · 09/02/2011 21:13

Heat pads are good but expensive if you are not going to use regularly! Hot water bottle is a good cheap alternative. In the wild vast majority of kittens die law of nature that's why cat can reproduce so regularly!!!! Glad I'm not a cat cats can get pregnant whilst raising a young litter slutty creatures. I might tome back as my dog though...... Been sitting with her for 3 days since pups arrived must be mad but do it every time to try and keep them safe.no most cats will be fine and not kill babies just keep other cats away they may upset mummy you won't........you feed her she will love you so fickle cats. Relax don't worry it will be lovely

Deafworm · 10/02/2011 00:17

ssssh changeisagoodthing we are due to go away on wednesday, we have a lovely neighbour happy to look after her/them but dont really want to put her in the position of dealing with the birth!

Original poster
pugly · 10/02/2011 22:55

It'll be wednesday then! lol Still nothing here - she's gonna pop if she doesn't have them soon!!! Grin

OP posts:
Deafworm · 11/02/2011 08:18

shall i just add the cream carpets (forces married quarter so very strict on moving out) and the white sofa covers (thanks dh for that bright idea!)

i hope she goes soon, are there any signs i should be watching for to tell me shes getting ready or is it like people and shes just gonna go when she goes?

kensworth · 11/02/2011 09:03

OMG great colours but not that practical would'nt have lasted a day here before they needed replacing! Not much to look for .......maybe extra grooming lots of meowing but not that much to give the sofa notice!!! Cats seem to be a law unto them selves . God I'm still thinking I would love a house with cream carpets or carpets at all!LOL we have wood floors because of dogs but it would be nice to be civilised . No kittens here yet. Good luck

Deafworm · 11/02/2011 11:36

cream carpets are a nightmare, i hate them, they do occasionally make me giggle though as on closer inspection the shades in them match DH dessert (or is it desert, never could do that one!) uniform :o i have 3 children 5 and under i was not impressed on march in here to see cream everywhere, the walls are already magnolia in every quarter! as for the sofa, dh got his own way as they are replaceable covers and we couldnt agree on a set so made the deal that if we didnt like them we would change in 6 months time, then ikea kindly discontinued my sofa and all the covers for it :( im a fairly competent sewer though so my swatches for replacing the covers came today, shame the money wont be around for ages!

im just really hoping the cat gets it over with before we go away. im panicking that she will need help, is it really as common to need a section as google would have me believe? i dont think any of my mums cats ever needed intervention.

Deafworm · 11/02/2011 23:13

well something is happening but we are fairly certain on one stillborn, waiting to see if theres more to come

Deafworm · 11/02/2011 23:15

would it be obvious if she was in distress?

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