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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Erm… HELP please!!

126 replies

Amanduh · 21/08/2024 08:16

Cane downstairs this morning to get breakfast, my cat was down the side of the sofa which is unusual, he (lol wait for it) is always in his favourite spot by the doors. As I looked down I saw what looked like mice on the floor and freaked out. After putting my big girl pants on and looking closer… they are KITTENS. My supposedly male, neutured cat (we got him from a shelter) has had four kittens next to my sofa in the living room.
What do I do?! They are feeding, I’ve put some blankets down, left my cat to it… my cat hates beds and baskets but should I get something/a bed for them to snuggle in? Do I do anything else? I’m in absolute disbelief!!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
LostInTheSystem101 · 21/08/2024 11:29

Amanduh · 21/08/2024 11:13

They said s/he would be neutured after the booster injections

So, you went for the booster injections and then left 'him' with the vet to be neutered, and they didn't do it? They would have 100% noticed then that he was, in fact, a she.. Or, did you not pick him up until after (s)he had had the booster jabs?

It's ok to say you didn't get them done, and that you've merrily believed you've had an unneutered tom for the last year - people make mistakes! You've just been lucky she hasn't been 'found' by another tom before now. Bless her.

The kittens look adorable. Please get her spayed as soon as it is safe to do so, and rehome the kittens responsibly (or, if you keep them, get them neutered/spayed as soon as they come of age - a vet will usually microchip a kitten at the same time as the sterilisation surgery, as they shouldn't really be outside before then).

More photos, please!

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 21/08/2024 11:50

Have you ever taken your cat to a vet?
She should have had her annual booster injections/MOT by now and I'm pretty sure the vet would have noticed her sex then?

Libertysparkle · 21/08/2024 12:08

So cute though. At least mouse could be a boy or girl name

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 21/08/2024 12:10

How long have you had her, OP?

BiscuityBoyle · 21/08/2024 12:13

SoupDragon · 21/08/2024 09:29

I really hope your cat is called something typically male like Kevin.

When I was little one of my girl cats had a very typically male name, like Kevin. I named her after my favourite uncle. She was a surprise kitten too.

Tallullahmakata · 21/08/2024 12:15

That would honestly make my year! But I have two male cats who I took to vet myself to be neutered. Boo.

sunsetsandboardwalks · 21/08/2024 12:18

Well, this has taken a turn.

It seems you knew she was female all along? Confused

PandoraSox · 21/08/2024 12:22

Did you always plan to breed from her, OP?

SummerSplashing · 21/08/2024 12:25

Georgeous Cat & kittens.

but I'm well confused now.

BiscuityBoyle · 21/08/2024 12:30

I’m confused.
First you said: We went back to the shelter to register her chip and to sign some paperwork to agree we would go back for her/his next vaccinations and at that appointment they confirmed HE was one of triplets in a litter and was neutered and was definitely in fact a boy.

Then you said: They said s/he would be neutered after the booster injections

So to start with they told you that he had been done and then said that he would be done after the injections. So did you leave him there for the injections and they told you that he had been neutered whilst there? You really do have some serious questions to ask the shelter.

Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 13:38

BiscuityBoyle · 21/08/2024 12:30

I’m confused.
First you said: We went back to the shelter to register her chip and to sign some paperwork to agree we would go back for her/his next vaccinations and at that appointment they confirmed HE was one of triplets in a litter and was neutered and was definitely in fact a boy.

Then you said: They said s/he would be neutered after the booster injections

So to start with they told you that he had been done and then said that he would be done after the injections. So did you leave him there for the injections and they told you that he had been neutered whilst there? You really do have some serious questions to ask the shelter.

Yes, it’s all very, very confusing.

OP posts:
Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 13:39

PandoraSox · 21/08/2024 12:22

Did you always plan to breed from her, OP?

Why would I want to breed from her? I certainly don’t want kittens and have always been told that cats should be neutured/spayed asap to avoid this situation!

OP posts:
Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 13:41

FuckoffeeBeforeCoffee · 21/08/2024 12:10

How long have you had her, OP?

We’ve had her since last summer. I’m just going through all the paperwork and dates of her injections etc as something just doesn’t add up.
As I said I’ve never had a cat before, I took all the advice from the shelter and the vet they have on site. We have taken him (her) there twice since we adopted her.

OP posts:
PandoraSox · 21/08/2024 13:44

How are the kittens doing and how is Mouse coping?

Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 13:52

LostInTheSystem101 · 21/08/2024 11:29

So, you went for the booster injections and then left 'him' with the vet to be neutered, and they didn't do it? They would have 100% noticed then that he was, in fact, a she.. Or, did you not pick him up until after (s)he had had the booster jabs?

It's ok to say you didn't get them done, and that you've merrily believed you've had an unneutered tom for the last year - people make mistakes! You've just been lucky she hasn't been 'found' by another tom before now. Bless her.

The kittens look adorable. Please get her spayed as soon as it is safe to do so, and rehome the kittens responsibly (or, if you keep them, get them neutered/spayed as soon as they come of age - a vet will usually microchip a kitten at the same time as the sterilisation surgery, as they shouldn't really be outside before then).

More photos, please!

Show quote history

at this point I’m confusing myself!! When we got the cat, they said it was a girl who had been neutured (spayed I assume is the female equivalent), chipped, dewormed and defleaed. When we went back for the check we left the cat with them for a vet check and confirmed the boosters, they said the cat would be neutered after these which I queried as when we originally got the cat, they said it was done. When we took the cat for the boosters and then collected the cat, we were told it was Mouse and he was a boy, and he had definitely already been neutered, and that the twin had also, and there was a hard job identifying them. They’d been away with two different families.

OP posts:
GuppytheCat · 21/08/2024 14:01

Do you think you ended up with the wrong kitten after the boosters? Can you ask the rescue to check the chip number, once things have settled down?

A female kitten could already have been spayed at 12 weeks (our rescue does them at over 1kg) but you would have seen a largish shaved patch on her side. (Obviously this one wasn't, or you wouldn't have kittens down the side of your sofa now.)

BiscuityBoyle · 21/08/2024 14:03

Well if they thought the cat was a boy then would think he had been done by looking for the absence of balls. Mouse has no balls due to being a girl. I would be furious with the shelter and their vet who can’t correctly sex a kitten.

IBegYourBiggestPardon · 21/08/2024 14:05

Trying not to be dense here! But surely you'd be able to tell she was a female cat. Even after being neutered a male cat will still have a noticeable area where it's little conkers once were.

Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 14:14

IBegYourBiggestPardon · 21/08/2024 14:05

Trying not to be dense here! But surely you'd be able to tell she was a female cat. Even after being neutered a male cat will still have a noticeable area where it's little conkers once were.

Honestly I’ve never even looked! I just never even thought about it. I just thought once they were gone they were gone 🤦🏼‍♀️ my little boy picks the cat up all the time, I’ve never even looked at their bits!

OP posts:
HollyKnight · 21/08/2024 14:15

Amanduh · 21/08/2024 13:52

at this point I’m confusing myself!! When we got the cat, they said it was a girl who had been neutured (spayed I assume is the female equivalent), chipped, dewormed and defleaed. When we went back for the check we left the cat with them for a vet check and confirmed the boosters, they said the cat would be neutered after these which I queried as when we originally got the cat, they said it was done. When we took the cat for the boosters and then collected the cat, we were told it was Mouse and he was a boy, and he had definitely already been neutered, and that the twin had also, and there was a hard job identifying them. They’d been away with two different families.

Show quote history

Twin? You said triplets.

Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 14:15

GuppytheCat · 21/08/2024 14:01

Do you think you ended up with the wrong kitten after the boosters? Can you ask the rescue to check the chip number, once things have settled down?

A female kitten could already have been spayed at 12 weeks (our rescue does them at over 1kg) but you would have seen a largish shaved patch on her side. (Obviously this one wasn't, or you wouldn't have kittens down the side of your sofa now.)

Edited

I think possibly!! There definitely was no shaved patch

OP posts:
6ixThirty · 21/08/2024 14:17

Has she been acting out when she has been in heat?

Original poster
Amanduh · 21/08/2024 14:18

HollyKnight · 21/08/2024 14:15

Twin? You said triplets.

Show quote history

Well there are two identical looking cats but there was a litter of three, I don’t know the exact science!!

honestly I only posted on here for any advice, I can’t spend hours explaining myself just saying what I know and if anyone had any thoughts/help on what to do next.

i won’t bother next time. Thanks to those who helped

OP posts:
StormingNorman · 21/08/2024 14:19

Congratulations xxxx

HollyKnight · 21/08/2024 14:19

IBegYourBiggestPardon · 21/08/2024 14:05

Trying not to be dense here! But surely you'd be able to tell she was a female cat. Even after being neutered a male cat will still have a noticeable area where it's little conkers once were.

Yep. They still have their little furry sack. It's just empty.