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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

My cat is about to give birth

70 replies

VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 11:26

Eeeeeeeeeeeeee! This is her 5th litter, yet she still won't let me leave her side (she's a bit odd). She began nesting yesterday morning and the contractions began about 10 minutes ago.

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SoupDragon · 28/04/2012 11:29

5th litter?! Shock

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 11:32

Yes, she's nine, she has really bad exema so has never been sterilized (too much risk of infection from the operation), we usually give her the pill when she's on heat but have been caught out a few times, including 2 months ago apparently!

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SoupDragon · 28/04/2012 11:45

I was midwife to a friend's cat a few years back. Truly amazing - none of that weeping, wailing and screaming you get with a human birth and then she lay there and breastfed her 5 children while fast asleep :o

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 11:47

Ooh she's started to push!

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Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 11:57

She looks surprised!

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JKSLtd · 28/04/2012 11:58

Wow would love to see that how lucky you are Smile

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 12:08

I am now tryin to eat a plate of pasta balanced on my knee, one-handed. I am not allowed to take my other hand off her tummy.

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SoupDragon · 28/04/2012 12:25

She has't snarled at you and hissed "you're not f-ing helping!" ? Blush

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 12:37

She's purring away happily, the first one is out, looks healthy and strong, it's either black or dark tabby (too wet to tell yet).

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FrozenChocolate · 28/04/2012 12:57

Photos please!

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 13:28

Second round of contractions have arrived! I'll try and get some photos when it's all over!

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SoupDragon · 28/04/2012 13:38

How many do you reckon there will be?

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 13:46

Two, maybe three, she's never had more than three in one go. With any luck it'll only be two! I now have two months to find good homes, eek!

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Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 15:01

Still only one kitten, no more contractions, tummy feels empty, could there only be one? Didn't know cats could have just one kitten.

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Nyac · 28/04/2012 15:04

How exciting. She must love you to want you as her midwife.

GobblersKnob · 28/04/2012 15:09

Yes they can only have one, unfortunately sometimes when only one is born the mother will fail to make enough milk as there is not enough stimulation, so do make sure you are weighing the kitten daily, if it isn't gaining correctly you may have to hand rear.

She may still have another though. Keep an eye on her in case she has any dead kits inside her, warch out for her straining or looking unsettled and keep an eye on her temp.

As they get older they do tend to have less, if she has bad excema then she is obviously not in tip top condition and having had so many litters will have been a massive strain on her body again meaning she would not be capable of producing more kittens. I really would try very hard to make sure she doesn't have any more litters.

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 15:19

Easier said than done preventing an outdoor cat from getting pregnant!

Little one seems ok, suckling away, mum seems relaxed, enjoying the attention!

Kitten is black (not tabby) with a little white patch on chest. Oh and it's a little boy.

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issey6cats · 28/04/2012 19:33

enjoy your kitten while i will be one of those people who works for a cat rescue and take at least five phone calls a day at this time of year with people desperate to rehome thier pregnant cats and the offspring where i work we had three pregnant cats come in today alone and have to find foster parents for them for ten weeks all funded by the rescue then try to find the money to neuter all of the kittens and the mom and chip them all sorry but im sure your vet could have found a way to neuter your cat and fifth litter at 9 years old, and an outdoor cat in heat can be kept in all it takes is a responsible owner emptying a litter tray

stinkyfluffycat · 28/04/2012 20:34

PHOTOS PHOTOS PHOTOS (please)

Sparklingbrook · 28/04/2012 20:41

I am a bit Confused at the vet not being able to spay the cat. 5 litters is a lot of kittens. Does the vet know about it?

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 22:17

Actually 4 different vets know about it, and all four have said they won't operate on her (we have 4 cats, the other three are neutered, chipped etc). None of them seemed to think 5 litters was a lot for 9 years.

Not sure what the litter tray has to do with anything, keeping an outdoor cat inside when she is in heat in our house just isn't an option, hence the pill, but it doesn't always work, hence the kitten.

2 of our cats are from centres (the other two are kitten's half siblings), and I have always found good homes for all the kittens so am a bit Hmm at one comment!

Anyway, kitten seems to be ok, mum's being good but wants me with her all the time.

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Sparklingbrook · 28/04/2012 22:23

Is there still only the one?

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 22:31

Yeah still just the one, I need to go to bed but am a bit worried about leaving them alone all night. Not much I can do though, will see how things are in the morning I suppose.

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Sparklingbrook · 28/04/2012 22:34

Will she be upset if you leave her?

Original poster
VikingVagine · 28/04/2012 22:38

She gets a bit agitated when I leave the room, but she seems ok now (have just come upstairs), I can't hear her meowing or scratching at the door.

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