STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

carmenb513 wrote:

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I have just appointed you foster mom. If you bring her to the SPCA there is a chance she'll be put down.

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I agree with carmen.  Laken just went through this with her cat so I'm sure she can help you out with what to do and how to place them all in homes once they are born.

I've had a cat that had kittens once.  You probably won't need a crate, kittens stay by mom for at least a few weeks.  Also one of the kitties died, be prepared because it happens.  If you haven't already, you should probably put together a padded bed big enough for mom and the kitties and hope she has them on it so you don't have a stain on the carpet.

it sounds like you really don't want them. That's okay! With an apartment, that would be a lot. I think you could give her to a shelter. I highly doubt that they would put a pregnant cat to sleep, and you know those kittens will find homes fast.

There are a few things to consider here.

1) Are you super sure the kitty is pregnant? The reason I ask this is that I once let a stray cat in because we thought it was pregnant and it wasn't. It had some horrid cat disease that made it's stomach swell up and we had to put it to sleep. But if your cat is eating, drinking, and using the litter box on a pretty regular schedule, it's probably not sick (ours would salivate at food but couldn't eat or drink and never went to the restroom). Actually now that I'm talking about it, it was pretty horrible.

2) It sounds like you really don't want the cat and I can't blame you. BUT if the choices are you or the SPCA, I hope you hold onto her until she has the kitties and you can give them away. But that's totally up to you. How are your other cats reacting to her?

3) As for the kitties, once she has them, they won't bother you much. You can put some towels in a box and put the mamma cat and the kitties in there or a laundry basket or something like that. The kitties won't be able to get out for a few weeks. Once they're able to get around and move, it won't be long until they're old enough to give away, so really that shouldn't be too much of a hassle.

I hope everything works out for you and the kitties.

Please don't take them to the SPCA. :(

Hey - I know this isn't going to be popular, but I think you have too much to do right now. If your roommates won't help, and the shelter won't help, then it just seems like this is being pushed off on you because you're the one who's too nice to say no. And if you have things going on in your family, and you're already doing too much at work, it's ok to say no.

Even if you take this one to the SPCA, or INSIST that the foster program find another home (I'm sure there's someone in the network who doesn't already have two cats, a demanding job and a family emergency) then the kitty is STILL better off than she was when you found her. Without you, she'd likely be dead by now. You should feel good about that, and about doing what you can, but you don't have to do everything.

Good luck - I know it has to feel like the competing responsibilities are tearing you apart right now.

Don't be too sure the cat is only 6-7 months old.  It could be true, but I had a cat that looked like a kitten.  Very small and petite.  We adopted her at a gas station and assumed she was a kitten, but eventually realized she was full grown.  Anyway, she had three pregnancies before the vet fixed her for free.  I just want to let you know that those three litters were incrediblly special for me!  I would take the experience again in a heart beat if I could.  The kittens were easy as can be to take care of; my kittie was an excellent mama and took care of all of their needs.  She even taught them to use the litter box.  It was ZERO extra work for me in that sense.  The kittens went fast too and I was sad to see the last one go.  My kittie never had a kitten die on her, so I can tell you it does'nt always happen.  I want to say she usually had around 5 kittens each litter.  Her first litter was the most special.  I came home really late (like 3:30in the morning or so) and she greeted me at the front door meowing like crazy. I could tell she wanted me to follow her somewhere.  She took me to the closet I cleaned out and lined with towels (that I was convinced she wouldn't use because she never would go in there, but I later found out cats do this on purpose so predators won't catch their scent and so it will be safer for birthing) and basically as soon as I sat down with her she started giving birth.  She waited for me!  It was so amazing.  I was afraid to touch the kitties because I wasn't sure if she would take care of them if my scent was on them, but I later found out that touching is ok as long as mom is ok with it.  I actually fell asleep right there in the closet after she birthed her third kitten.  She went on to have at least two more that night.  The second two litters I don't remember as well, but I remember how much fun it is to have kittens in the house.  THey are so cute and cuddly. 

Just want to share my positive experience in hopes it will take some of the stress out of this and make you feel a little better about doing this good deed.  It's so worth it and YOU WILL BE REWARDED!

a friend of mine was in a very similiar situation to yours, hermoine.

she has a small one bedroom apartment and had one cat already (the only difference).  she works two jobs, one during the day (photographer) and the other at night (head waitress @ 4 star french restaraunt)- so all in all- v. busy girl.

she found a cat.  or rather it found her.  an obviously pregnant cat.  her mom took the cat to the vet to have it checked before bringing it in to be with yutaka (her other cat) in case it was sick, etc.  while at the vet's office, the vet offered to terminate the pregnancy and fix her all in one shot!!!  my friend's mom called her and told her- my friend said "no way!"  so she ended up taking the cat in. 

it only had 2 kittens. so you could get off easy with a small litter.  esp. if she is a small cat...  you might get lucky in that regard. 

and as the others have stated- the mom is gonna be pretty much a loner with her new family- so you won't have too much work cut out for you in the first few weeks.  start letting everyone you know know about the cat & kittens and talk up how fabulous they are!  my friend was able to give them to loving homes as soon as they were old enough.

good luck!

Oh this happened to me to while I was in college, I started feeding a cute little cat and letting her in the house every once in a while.  I thought she was just getting kinda fat since I was feeding her a lot but it turns out she was pregnant.   She came in the house one morning before I left for school and started to give birth!  She couldn't manage to pop the babies out herself though so I ended up having to take her to the vet and she needed a c-section.  She had 5 of the cutest little babies!  They were absolutely no trouble at all though, not noisy, not smelly, I was so sad to see them go.  I just put an ad in the paper saying "free kittens" and I got tons of calls about them, they went really fast.  Even when the kittens are big enough to run around and stuff, they only have little small bursts of energy and then it's naptime again.  They could literally fall asleep on you while they're in the middle of playing, like mid swat at one of their sibling, they'd fall asleep.  If you decide to keep them all in your apartment, just be aware that mama cat needs a lot more food than usual while she nurses the kittens, sometimes up to three or four times as much.