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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:
CheeseandGherkins · 12/04/2017 22:50

I've read you feel movements around 7 weeks and that's around 2 weeks before they are born.

Honestly? I get all the ethical issues etc but I would not abort the kittens. Just wouldn't do it. Let her have them and spay her afterwards.

BillyButtfuck · 12/04/2017 22:50

Sorry you're in this horrid situation OP

starzzzz · 12/04/2017 22:52

It's potentially very dangerous for young, small cats to give birth, please, please take the advice of the vet.

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 12/04/2017 22:52

I have a holiday booked in three weeks so potentially wouldn't be here for the birth either.

I'm going to listen to the vet and see what he says. The receptionist said one of the vets wouldn't do it if she was quite far along but this one would. I think that was what started the guilt.

What kind of care will she need if she has a c-section?

OP posts:
starzzzz · 12/04/2017 22:56

She'll want you there for the birth :) that was how I knew starrycat was in labour as she suddenly became very affectionate. The next morning there were four tiger cubs under the bed Hmm (I still occasionally marvel at how the HELL the tiny cat who adopted us managed to give birth to four whopping kittens twice her size!)

NameChange30 · 12/04/2017 22:57

At 18 months I think she is too young to have kittens.

If you won't even be there for the birth you shouldn't be considering letting her have them - who will look after them all while you're away?

Don't get me wrong, I love cats (I have two) but I don't think there is any reason to get sentimental about aborting kittens.

Anyway see how far along she is but I would abort if the vet will do it.

BigGrannyPants · 12/04/2017 23:00

Awful situation to be in OP. I couldn't abort her kittens. I would never be able to forgive myself!

Puffinsareblackandwhite · 12/04/2017 23:01

You need @thecatneuterer here!!! She will tell you in no uncertain terms that spay/ abort is the best option. I understand the posters who are saying that it is sad, and it is, but there are so many unwanted cats and kittens in the world. The cat won't be experiencing all the emotions a human feels when pregnant or undergoing an abortion. To the poster saying you could give the kittens away: good luck with that. I rescued a cat and had to call every shelter in the wide surroundings to find one that could take her. Don't mean to sound heartless, but this world does not need more kittens!

starzzzz · 12/04/2017 23:03

The thing to remember as well is that even if you give the kittens away that takes a home that could have gone to a rescue cat.

Have a look on your local Facebook cat shelter page and try not to cry. So many lovely, lovely cats.

Also, I love cats (can you tell??) but they are an invasive species, they do kill birds, they do kill other small mammals. It's in everybody's interests to keep cats at a controllable level.

tabulahrasa · 12/04/2017 23:07

Cats do not know they're pregnant Hmm

I would say base it completely on how far along she is, purely because if she's going to have to recover from a c section then it might be better to let her have the litter...but, she'll need somebody with her when she delivers and somebody around while the kittens are there, so if you're going away, is there somebody available to do that?

myusernameisnotmyusername · 12/04/2017 23:08

Well we got our lovely cat as a kitten. From a man at work whose cat got unexpectedly pregnant and we wouldn't be without her. Right now she is sleeping with dd who she sleeps with every night. I felt so so guilty about getting her spayed but wouldn't have done it had she been pregnant. We did it very early on though so there wouldn't have been a chance. I guess if she had got pregnant I would've been worrying about where the kittens would go so I understand your predicament but I'm really glad her mums owner didn't take her for an abortion!

DumbledoresApprentice · 12/04/2017 23:08

I think you're totally doing the right thing. It's the best way to minimise risk and distress to the cat. It's the kindest thing to do.

GottaCatchEmAll137 · 12/04/2017 23:17

Oh OP, I know it's awful but there are so, so many unwanted, suffering cats in the world already. The cats in question will soon become adult cats and even if you can pay to neuter and find them homes there is no guarantee they will won't end up back in the shelter at some point or worse. There may be a waiting list for kittens at your local shelter but kittens become cats who aren't quite so desirable. You can do something now to tackle this problem. I hope you listen to your vet who deals with the consequences of unwanted cats on a daily basis. I'm sorry it's so hard but please do the right thing. Flowers

cjdamoo · 12/04/2017 23:51

I run a cat rescue. Please get her done. We are drowning in Kittens. 7 coming in today from the pound that would otherwise be euthanised because of the easter break. Countless more we just cannot squeeze in. Follow the vet's advice. We have nearly 100 cats and kittens in our rescue alone and they are just not rehoming right now because so many idiots are giving them away with No vet work so every year we are cleaning up the mess from irresponsible people. Get her spayed spoil her love her and dont contribute to the overpopulation. xx

SteppingOnToes · 13/04/2017 00:01

One way of looking at it is for every kitten born it is one less home for one in a shelter, possibly PTS.

BillyButtfuck · 13/04/2017 00:02

Great advice from Cjdamoo

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 00:03

You are one hundred per cent doing the right thing. Both for her and for all the unwanted cats out there. Please don't feel guilty. Feel proud for helping her.

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 00:07

She won't need any particular care even if it's a late abortion. The spay wound is bigger than for a non-pregnant cat, but it isn't a big deal. She would need to stay inside for five to seven days, so approximately two days longer than if she hadn't been pregnant. That's the only difference.

Teapot13 · 13/04/2017 00:12

Does anyone else feel the negative comments on here are more brutal than if this were an unwanted human pregnancy? not helpful

I would see what the vet says.

EffinElle · 13/04/2017 00:12

Op listen to the posters who work in shelters.

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 00:14

onlyaplasticbagdear oh yes what great advice - let her have the kittens and give them to a rescue so they can spend money neutering them and then find them homes, along with all the other countless cats and kittens all rescues are taking in daily at the moment. That would really be a contribution to cat welfare.

HemanOrSheRa · 13/04/2017 00:21

It's kitten season, or almost is. As others have said - rescues are swamped. Or will be very soon. You absolutely cannot guarantee that you will be able to find good, kind loving homes for the kittens. Also, she is practically a kitten herself. It will be very hard for her to birth them. With a high mortality rate for both the kittens and her Sad.

Honestly, I know you are a horrible position OP. I feel for you Flowers. I will say though that I catnapped my unspayed girl. She was 3 and had already had 2 litters. She could have been pregnant already when I took her for the op. I actually don't know if she was but it's very likely. I just know it was the best thing for her.

HemanOrSheRa · 13/04/2017 00:23

Are IN a horrible position!

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 00:24

And Vanillagirl too. You obviously have no idea what is happening in shelters at the moment if you think that giving kittens to shelters is absolutely fine. It really isn't. Shelters are overflowing already and we're only at the very beginning of kitten season. Cats are giving birth in gardens/factories/car parks all over the place at them moment. We are probably taking in three or four litters a day and we're only a small shelter. You need to stop with this sentimental bullshit advice and if you're still not convinced try volunteering in your local shelter for a while - when you live through what they're up against you probably wouldn't be so quick to advocate letting yet more kittens be born if it could be avoided.

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 00:28

And OP - your local shelter only has a waiting list for kittens at the moment because kitten season is only just starting. So cats are giving birth at the moment and then have to stay in foster for eight to ten weeks until the kittens are old enough to be homed. In two months from now you won't be able to move for kittens and there certainly won't be any waiting lists.

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