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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:
Puffinsareblackandwhite · 13/04/2017 00:45

Teapot FGS, of course people talk about this in a different tone than when they are talking about unwanted pregnancies in humans! We're talking about a cat! It just isn't the same - the cat had no say in getting pregnant and can't decide whether she wants to continue. Of course, you could say we should let nature take its course. This seems to be what you are advocating. It would mean letting the cat have the kittens. If she survives the birth, her kittens will go to a shelter, where they will probably languish for ages and/or be pts. Meanwhile, cats elsewhere are being pts because there is no demand for them. Alternatively, the caring thing would be to spay the cat (and thus abort her kittens), give her a loving home and let her grow up properly, rather than becoming a teen mum.

I fully agree the idea of aborting kittens is horrid, but we mustn't let ourselves be distracted by their fluffiness and cuteness - most (baby) animals are cute and fluffy and we eat many of them without qualms. Instead, listen to what people working in cat rescue (and anyone else with experience of shelters) say: there are more cats than there ever will be homes for already, do not contribute to this problem!

PuffinCat is a rescue, she had her kittens in a CPL shelter where she stayed for several months after she was found upduffed living on the streets. That is what happens to unspayed cats (if they're lucky). I very much doubt she enjoyed being a mum and can't imagine she'd have been upset not having her kittens. Equally, seeing how long it is taking her to settle in properly with us, I don't think living in a shelter was particularly fun for her.

DumbledoresApprentice · 13/04/2017 00:52

I could be wrong Puffins but I read that post the opposite way to you. I think teapot may well agree with you.

BillyButtfuck · 13/04/2017 00:58

Yeah tea I don't think dumbledore meant that as you read it

BillyButtfuck · 13/04/2017 00:59

Oops got everyone mixed up there. I agree with dumbledor that tea didn't mean it like you read it puffinGrin and with that I'm going to bed

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 01:01

Yes I think teapot is in our camp. Goodnight Billy :)

Puffinsareblackandwhite · 13/04/2017 01:06

Hmm, have just re-read it and I am still not sure. Teapot, if you think that OP should have the cat spayed then I apologise for directing my frustration at you Smile. If you think OP should let her cat have the kittens and then deal with the fall out later, please see my previous post...

Puffinsareblackandwhite · 13/04/2017 01:07

Honesty is compelling me to say this is a shit situation, one I hope never to find myself in, and you have my sympathies!

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 13/04/2017 07:18

Right feeling stronger this morning. Thanks for all the advice.

Kitty is moaning and weaving around my feet for her breakfast which obviously she can't have! I'll report back later x

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 13/04/2017 08:02

I'd feel guilty but I'd still do it because the shelters have so many unwanted cats anyway.

Good luck at the vets and don't worry, it's not like she's picking out names.

WorriedAboutMyBaby · 13/04/2017 08:08

I've worked in shelters for years and I wouldn't do it personally. But I'm soft. It's why I have so many cats of my own - can't bear to see healthy ones put down so I take them in.

But I think you just have to take the vet's advice really.

Original poster
Kittyguilt · 13/04/2017 08:21

I've left her. Vet said she's 5/6 weeks so not ready to drop and they won't have to actively put the kittens down. Going in through the midline but not an actual c-section. Vet said it was definitely the right thing to do and they'd had a box of kittens dumped there overnight

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 13/04/2017 08:24

Well done. The original owner should've neutered her.

NameChange30 · 13/04/2017 08:30

Relieved to read your update. Glad she isn't too far along and it will be relatively straightforward. You're definitely doing the right thing.

BarbarianMum · 13/04/2017 08:35

Flowers I think you made the right decision, even though it wasn't one anyone would like to make.

TheLongRider · 13/04/2017 08:39

Well done. We did the same thing with one of our cats years ago. She was living in our back garden and gradually came to trust us. We thought she had been pregnant at least once but we never saw her with any kittens. When she fully trusted us we arranged to have her spayed. When she was spayed we got a call to say she was pregnant but we went ahead with the operation anyway.

She suffered no ill effects afterwards and became our pet for 12 years. She bonded with my husband and I was always the "other woman" a.k.a the evil one who'd take her to the vet.

cjdamoo · 13/04/2017 08:49

Well done and Thank you x

DumbledoresApprentice · 13/04/2017 08:50

Well done, OP!

PolterGoose · 13/04/2017 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Soubriquet · 13/04/2017 09:13

As horrible as it is, you've done the right thing.

There are so many cats and kittens desperately needing a home.

Plus she's too young to have babies.

Well done

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 09:17

Well done OP. The world needs more people like you and less like the original owner.

worried I'm surprised that someone who has worked in shelters would say that. I also couldn't see a healthy cat put down (and we certainly don't do that), but that is completely different to not allowing more kittens to be born, which, if you work in a shelter which isn't 'no kill', will mean more healthy adults being put down.

Anyway there is no point thrashing this out any more. The OP has made the right decision I'm relieved to hear.

thecatneuterer · 13/04/2017 09:19

As a side note though I'm surprised they're doing it midline.

CosmoKlit · 13/04/2017 09:31

Kitty Having read your updates I think you've done the right thing,
well done and big love to the cat.

BillyButtfuck · 13/04/2017 09:54

Well done OP you have done the hardest thing, which is definitely the kindest for all involved Flowers

Kokusai · 13/04/2017 12:39

Well done Kittyguilt a horrible thing to have to do for you but 100% the right call

Hope kitty recovers well

JessicaEccles · 13/04/2017 13:30

Well done, Kitty.

Young cats can die in labour very easily- that's Nature's Way Sad

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