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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.

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Original poster

My cat might be pregnant! 😃

118 replies

Unreasonabubble · 04/03/2022 20:44

So happy!!! She is 18 months old. Vet checked her out today because she was due her injections, I reminded him that she was not spayed yet as I wanted her to have a litter and he examined her and believes she is pregnant! That means she cannot have her injections for a few weeks more until after she gives birth. Due approx April 11th - 17th.

My grown up children are more than excited, so am I. I have a list of family members who would like a kitten if possible and I am going to keep one for myself and her.

My children bought me her as a present one Christmas during Covid and she has been the best companion ever. I had previously lost my little dog and other cat due to old age. I will get her spayed after this litter though as the intention was to only let her deliberately have one litter.

I hope all goes well and I am just so excited!

OP posts:

Happenchance · 04/03/2022 21:57

But these won't be unwanted, have you not read the OP?? Christ. Most cats in rescues were wanted at some point. Unless the OP guarantees to take the kittens back at any point in their potentially 20+ years of life, one or more of these kittens could end up in a rescue at some point in their life.

@Unreasonabubble I would read about fading kitten syndrome if you haven't already. It's heartbreaking watching a kitten slowly die, especially if you are hand rearing it.

Are you going to keep your cat in for the duration of the pregnancy, now she's not fully vaccinated?

Allergictoironing · 04/03/2022 22:02

@blublub

Awww congratulations! It sounds like your kittens have homes waiting. I don’t know why people aren’t allowed to let their cats have kittens. It’s easier to adopt a child than a cat! We ended up buying one for the princely sum of £100 and plan on doing what you are doing as we want three cats. It’s adored and well cared for as will be her children. There is actually a shortage of kittens to be had right now.

There may be a shortage of kittens right at this moment, because it isn't kitten season! Give it a couple of months and rescues will be overrun with kittens - some of which won't be offered a home because of people who want "just" one litter from their cat. If that cat has 4 kittens, that's 4 fewer that will be rehomed from a rescue.

And if someone has a problem rehoming a rescue cat, there are often sound reasons why they have been turned down e.g. young children and kittens are NOT a good mix, or they live very close to a fast road.

blublub · 04/03/2022 22:11

Well we had a toddler which is why we were refused. Toddler and the cat have become the best of friends and are growing up together, it’s lovely to see. Thank goodness there are people selling kittens or they both would have missed out!
We got our cat during lockdown, it took ages as they kept getting snapped up. Our cat rehousing centre were not accepting cats for months. No one was thinking much of the kitties then. Honestly can’t see why anyone would get their knicker’s in a twist about OP post. By a load of this logic we better not have human children either in case they die slowly. Labour ain’t a picnic for human women either!

BuddhaForMary · 04/03/2022 22:12

[quote MyBottleOfRibena]@BuddhaForMary

I’m sure none of the 1000s of cats and kitten in rescue centres were unwanted at some point in their life, and yet there they are, in a rescue centre[/quote]
You're talking to someone who's fostered both cats and dogs who need rehoming so I'm not unaware.

I also wonder if you'd have the same problem with a pedigree breeder who's queens are used for kittens twice a year, and even those expensive kittens can end up in rescuers - as can the queens when they breeder has had their use of them.

But that's not what's happening here is it. It's one very much wanted litter going to family members, just like my litter did. All kittens are now around 10 months old, all neutered, all chipped and very well loved. It doesn't always have to be doom and gloom you know

SanFranBear · 04/03/2022 22:21

Labour ain’t a picnic for human women either!

Nope, but on the whole, you've agreed to go through with it - not just had it foisted on you!

Honestly, if you love your pets, why make them have babies? What possible benefit does it bring to the animals themselves? I'll tell you none - only risks! Not just with pregnancy complications but they're at higher risk of uterine and breast issues including cancer which is, for most cats, a terminal diagnosis.

But hey - cute kittens for me and my family!

MyBottleOfRibena · 04/03/2022 22:33

@BuddhaForMary

Yes I do have a problem with pedigree breeders who churn out multiple litters actually, and then get rid of the cats when they are no longer turning profit

WingingItSince1973 · 04/03/2022 22:35

Aw its such a lovely experience. We had some kittens 3 years ago. The mum gave birth in my pajama draw, she had 5. We kept 3 and the other 2 went to loving homes. It was amazing to see her give birth and care for them. They lived in our bedroom until they became too mischievous. We moved them downstairs to our kitchen extension so they had room to play. Mum took one back up to the bedroom as I think she was panicking a bit so we took it slowly and eventually they all settled down. Mum was then spayed and so were the kittens we kept. Hope all goes well for you x

dummyd · 04/03/2022 22:48

@SanFranBear

Sex for girl cats is horrendous, pregnancy isn't much fun, I can't imagine childbirth will be a bundle of laughs for her and then she has most of her babies removed a couple of months in... I know you're happy but at any point did you think of your actual cat - your pet that you profess to love?

So it's unethical for anyone to breed and open cats then, not just op?

TooManyPJs · 04/03/2022 23:06

Oh dear god what the OP has done is fine. She's bred some kittens that all now have homes. And she's willing to pay if vets etc are needed. She's not breeding to sell or to give the cats away/take them a shelter.

Congratulations OP! How exciting!

Regularsizedrudy · 04/03/2022 23:31

She also might have feline aids but hey ho at least you’ll have some cute kittens you can flog

SalsaLove · 05/03/2022 06:56

Beyond irresponsible. It really should be illegal, but you do you.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 05/03/2022 07:46

Out of interest, why did you want your cat to experience one litter?

If she hasn’t been neutered then it’s taken a while for her to become pregnant which is one thing I suppose.

slashlover · 05/03/2022 07:59

So it's unethical for anyone to breed and open cats then, not just op?

Yes.

OP, can you please explain why you wanted her to have a littr?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/03/2022 08:21

Maybe your Vet is wrong and she isn't pregnant ?
Would've been better to get her annual vaccine done before letting her get deliberately pregnant though , so she's at least protected .

Cat as a Christmas prssent , well , they're just commoditoes aren't they

And your black cat mating with a black cat willl likely give you ......... Black Cats which are the hardest to home and if you look at Rescue sites there are page after page of black cats .

Kitten season is soon though .

MushMonster · 05/03/2022 08:22

Congratulations OP!
There is few things better than having kittens in the house! They are so lovely!
And you have planned this, have owners for them lined up, people you know, and you are going to neuter her after this. It does not sound irresponsible to me at all.
I have never in my life seen a mother cat rejecting her kittens. Ever. Never heard of one in this predicament.

What you need to do is decide which decorations and curtains you would not mind having ruined and put those up! They climb everything, and run all around the house chasing each other once they are big enough.
Take millions of pictures! And we want to see

BadgerStripes · 05/03/2022 08:26

@ChurchlightJane

So long as you get what you want eh? Never mind the hundreds of unwanted cats needing homes already. Some are even kittens.

This

How selfish OP

Allergictoironing · 05/03/2022 08:47

I have never in my life seen a mother cat rejecting her kittens. Ever. Never heard of one in this predicament.

Well that makes you the lucky one. Anyone who has a lot to do with cats (I don't mean owners, but vets, rescues etc) will have seen this, and many will have fostered the kittens themselves to keep them alive.

IsThisAkissingBook · 05/03/2022 08:56

The moggy (domestic shorthair) needs to die out. Honestly there is no reason on earth why letting a moggy have one litter should ever happen. Most gccf breeders now neuter their non active kittens before they leave to stop irresponsible breeding.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/03/2022 09:04

The moggy (domestic shorthair) needs to die out

Eh? Are you saying that the DSH should be ousted in favour if Pedigree cats?
.

IsThisAkissingBook · 05/03/2022 09:11

They should become a breed of their own like pedigree cats. But if that is not possible then yes there is no reason for moggy cats. You can't be against so many kittens and cats in rescues without recognising the moggy needs to die out.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 05/03/2022 09:16

The moggy (domestic shorthair) needs to die out.

Congratulations, I've never felt the need to leave a biscuit before. So your plan is to continue breeding...
cats with no fur,
cats with breathing problems due to having deformed skulls,
cats with significant behavioral issues due to being bred with wild cat species,
cats with HCM bred into them by idiot breeders cross breeding,
cats with their self protection mechanisms (ragdolls) bred out of them,
cats with major cartilage issues etc.
BUT you'll approve of wiping out the much healthier base of animals.
I'll say it. Most pedigree cat breeders are irresponsible bastards who push 'cute' features in cats that are actually unhealthy for the animal.
And you suggest removing the healthy base of animals from which all these breeders wet dreams have been produced.
I despair.

VerityPJohnson · 05/03/2022 09:22

I’m involved in cat rescue and it is a bit disappointing when people breed cats as that means, assuming the potential owners have an opening for a cat in their household, one less potential home for an already existing cat who needs one. There are thousands of homeless cats and more to come when the cost of living rises start to bite.

People like the idea of kittens but a) they don’t stay that way for long and b) with an adult cat you have a good idea of their personality and whether they are a good fit for you. My friend got two kittens, now cats, and is always talking about getting rid of them as they apparently aren’t living up to expectations. Which just means they are being cats.

Hoppinggreen · 05/03/2022 09:26

@SanFranBear

OP wanted her cat to have kittens. The cat didn’t get any say in the matter

NETSRIK · 05/03/2022 09:29

How miserable can some people be?! Jesus Christ her cat is having kittens who will all have homes. She hasn't bred it with a dog and planning on creating a new breed.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 05/03/2022 09:55

The moggy (domestic shorthair) needs to die out

That one wins today's 'stupid on the interweb' for me today.

My two are horrified :(

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