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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

Guilt over cat abortion

124 replies

Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:15

I seem to have adopted a cat from a friend of a friend Hmm

I thought she might be pregnant when I got her two weeks ago, looking at her today she is clearly pregnant. I phoned the vets today to discuss spaying her and obviously aborting the kittens.

It was all very rushed and they said they had an appt tomorrow morning I could have to spay her. I booked it but now I'm feeling terribly guilty about aborting the kittens Sad

I can't feel movement in her stomach but she's quite big and very pink nipples. The vet is going to examine her before the spay and decide if she needs a c-section depending on how far along she is.

Am I doing the right thing? I'm half thinking if she is quite far along then cancelling the spay and having the kittens although I can't keep them all. What would you do?

OP posts:
neonrainbow · 12/04/2017 22:15

I think it will be very irresponsible to continue with the pregnancy and you're doing the right thing.

Patriciathestripper1 · 12/04/2017 22:20

Sad oh that's really sad

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:21

Do they just put them to sleep like normal? If they're big enough to survive I mean

OP posts:
Patriciathestripper1 · 12/04/2017 22:21

If she is quite far along then she will know it and do will her body. Please don't kill them.

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:22

And do you think she knows she's pregnant? God I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight

I'm hoping the vet says she's barely pregnant but I know she isn't, she vaguely looked pregnant two weeks ago, so minimum she's 5 weeks maybe? That's about half way isn't it?

OP posts:
ThreeFish · 12/04/2017 22:23

Oh how sad. I'd be guided by the vets advice.
Can you spend time rearing kittens and finding them homes? That's something to consider.

Onlyaplasticbagdear · 12/04/2017 22:24

I don't understand why you wouldn't just let her have them? And then obviously get her spayed after.

AtlantaGinandTonic · 12/04/2017 22:25

My sister had a similar thing happen. She waited around too long to spay one of her dogs (she had a brother and sister from the same litter) and when she got round to spaying the female, found out too late that the dog was pregnant.

CosmoKlit · 12/04/2017 22:26

Call, cancel, and find the kittens homes.

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:30

Cosmo and others, thanks I appreciate the advice. I did discuss it with the vet on the phone and said I wasn't sure his advice was that I couldn't be sure they would go to responsible owners and then those kittens would go on to father/breed even further adding to the problem of even more cats.

OP posts:
Justmadeperfectflapjacks · 12/04/2017 22:30

I would rather have the trouble of finding good homes than the guilt you will feel looking at your cat every day knowing what you did to her (and them) tbh.

Awful. . Just awful. My dcats are 5 today and wouldn't be without them. . Give them a chance ffs.

Onlyaplasticbagdear · 12/04/2017 22:30

If it was me I'd get the kittens spayed/neutered too. Or give them to a rescue who will ensure they are spayed and will vet the owners.

CornflakeHomunculus · 12/04/2017 22:31

You're absolutely doing the right thing OP.

Cat rescues will soon be overflowing with unwanted kittens, it's senseless to actively choose to bring more into the world when the vets are happy to do the spay at this stage.

Vanillagirl00 · 12/04/2017 22:33

Give them to a shelter- they will find homes- most shelters have high demand for kittens, and will make arrangements to ensure they are neutered. Our cat was an unwanted kitten (abandoned) and has given our family so much joy. Spare them- you can always get the cat neutered when they are born.

MaitlandGirl · 12/04/2017 22:33

Go through with the spey - there are more than enough cats in the world and if you can't guarantee this litter will go to responsible owners it would be crazy to let her have the litter.

NameChange30 · 12/04/2017 22:38

How old is the cat? It's not good for very young cats to have kittens.

I would make a decision based on her age, the stage of pregnancy, and the vet's advice.

But I don't think you should feel guilty about going ahead with the abortion - there are far too many stray and unwanted cats.

If you allow her to have the kittens I think you should get them neutered before they go to their new homes. Maybe you could ask a rehoming charity for advice/help to rehome them.

Can you afford the cost of special food plus flea and worm treatment and vet check-ups for them all? Bearing in mind the kittens shouldn't be separated from their mother until 8 weeks at the absolute earliest and preferably later.

BarbarianMum · 12/04/2017 22:39

Can you afford to have this cat and all the kittens neutered? If not, go with the spaying. There are so many unwanted cats around. No one who wants a kitten and who would make a suitable owner need go without.

LadyDeadpool · 12/04/2017 22:41

Just Cosmo etc Do you not feel guilt looking at your cats and thinking of all the cats in rescues being PTS through lack of a good home?

Only Perhaps you could do the hard work of finding a rescue with space for those kittens? There aren't many if any at all.

OP abort them, don't add more kittens to a world that has too few homes for them, please.

Broken11Girl · 12/04/2017 22:42

What a difficult decision OP. I'm not sure what I'd do tbh. Brew Cake Wine

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:42

Cat is about a year and a half. We do have a rescue near us which has a waiting list for kittens. I don't know if they spay beforehand.

I think it's going to come down to how far along she is and if it involves them actively having to put the kittens down.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:43

How far along would you feel movement?

OP posts:
starzzzz · 12/04/2017 22:44

No, no no no no! Bad advice here people! Please do terminate her pregnancy.

It is far more distressing for a cat to go through 'kittenbirth' and then actually raising the kittens and then upsetting for her when the kittens are given away. Plus there is a huge ethical consideration in terms of wildlife and unwanted cats - and I LOVE cats, I do. We had a pregnant cat adopt us and I still have her and one of her offspring but honestly, seriously, don't 'humanise' her. You can always feel kittens very early on xx

crazycatgal · 12/04/2017 22:45

You're doing the right thing OP

Shelters are full of cats and kittens without homes, don't add to the problem.

starzzzz · 12/04/2017 22:45

Op she's a very young mum as well Flowers

DramaAlpaca · 12/04/2017 22:49

Sometimes you have to make a hard-headed decision for the greater good. There are far too many cats in shelters. In your shoes I'd have her spayed while pregnant and I wouldn't feel guilty for a moment. You are doing the right thing.