Urgent help required -first time cat owner here - in a bad fix!

Hi all! This'll be slightly long, and many questions may have been asked before, but I'm in an emergency situation here and need some quick help from experienced cat owners/ lovers.

I adopted a kitten about 2 yrs back - she's a persian cross - she's my first pet ever, and hence I've learnt most on my own.

Ok, so when she hit her first heat cycle I had no clue and the vet told me I can get her spayed but I wanted to wait an year since she was too young and I was not sure if I didn't wanna have her kittens later.
So I put the poor thing through a lot of torture for almost an year before she finally got pregnant by a huge male cat that's always on heat.

Ok, goin a bit back - I was staying in a 2nd floor apartment at that time, and since we couldn't let the door be open at nights, and there was no other way for her to get back in, she ended up being a totally indoors housecat for more than an year.

About 5 months back I moved to this new place which is a ground floor house, and since I and she were new to the place, I had the courtyart and backyard grilled so she could go out and get "some" outdoors but wouldn't go out and get killed or lost.

Well around Dec she did escape once since there was this huge male cat always outside the grill - ALWAYS on heat.
She went out, got pregnant, got lost, and somehow return unscathed but very scared and very dirty after 2 days.

She delivered 2 kittens 1.5 months back - she's always been on kitten food (she never ended up liking the bigger biscuits), and recently I've been feeding her a lot of meat too.
The kittens have finally starting hopping and running all over the house but she keeps a close eye on them all the time.

Here are where my problems start.
The grilling around the house won't allow her to go out, so I am very worried that as soon as the kittens can jump to the window level (which seems just a coupla days ahead), they might escape out of the house since the grilling is not fine enough to stop them - but she won't be able to get out and get them back - so I got really worried and started opening one window in my kitchen from where she can go all the way out, so she gets used to the outdoors by the time they can escape and she can get them back if they do.

They'r still feeding on her milk - tho they've started having a very little bit of kitty biscuits and lots of water.

I was assured by websites and some bad docs (u get a lot of good vets for dogs in my city but I've not found anyone yet good with cats) that she won't get back on heat till she's feeding the kittens, and taking care of em.

Last night the big male cat was back and she ran out again, and I let nature be - I have no idea what happened till I heard a huge ruckus in my kitchen - rushing there I saw the tom cat had come into the house through the same window and she was fighting very bad with him (this is the first time I saw her aggressive side - she's the sweetest cat I've seen) - he's three times her size but he ran for his life and she was trying to go after her, but I held her back and sealed the window again.
She was freaked for a coupla hours and very scared - I'm guessing that since she had gone out, and may have mated tho she was not on heat till yesterday, the fact that he still tried to come in could mean that she was really not on heat and he tried to come in to kill the kittens so she comes back on heat faster - I've heard tomcats do that - is that possible?

Now I hit the panick button and thought I need to get her spayed immdly - so it turns the tomcat away and he does not try something like that again.

I called a vet today and he assured me I can go ahead with the spaying and since I stay alone - I have to get it done tomorrow so I can take care of her over the weekend, and help her recover. The doc assured everything's fine, till I finally tracked a vet whose supposed to specialise with cats and this is what he had to say :

Apply something bitter on her teats so they stop feeding with her and focus on their kitty food only - since the mammary glands still producing milk will/ may cause some infection after the spaying. Also if they still suckle on her after the operation, they may damage/ open her sutures.

His advice is to separate the kittens from the mum for a while (at least a week) and then go ahead with the spaying.
My fear is time - by then they'd be able to jump outta the bedroom window and may escape outta the grill - I can't open the kitchen window so she can go out too, incase they do because of what happened last night with the tomcat cooming in (and maybe wanting to kill the kittens - the crazy aggression I saw in her kinda confirm my fear).

Apologies for the long post, but I could really use some advise as not too many people keep pet cats in this country - and due to lack of real proffessionals catering to cats, I'm kind of lost with the different advise and info coming from both the docs.
The first doc is definitely younger and doesn't have much experience with cats - also he will be charing me almost one third of the spaying cost the other doctor quoted.

Should I seal the entire house so they can't go out at all till they completely stop feeding and then wait a week and get her spayed, or can I go ahead right now?
Also, should I still leave the window to the entire outdoors open - would the male cat try killing the kittens? I really thought her getting used to the outside before the kittens start going out would be a good idea.
Right now though both the kittens are 1.5 months old almost, they still feed on her milk mostly.

I'm planning to keep both the kittens so I can't really separate them and wait for the mammary glands to subside, etc.

Can someone help? I have to take a decision by tonight cause if I'm going ahead with the spaying - it has to be tomorrow.

Please let me know if there's any other info I should provide - I am really worried and I can't lose the cat or the kittens to anything, including a (maybe greedy n less intelligent) doc - this guy has confirmed there will be no problems spaying her right now.

Also, if I get her spayed I can take care of her only over the initial 2 days - that's the weekend tomorrow as I have to be back at work on Monday.

Please help!Please don't ask me to go through other threads - I'm really pressed for time and I can't screw her up due to lack of info - please post here your advise and help me make a decision by tonight.

Really really appreciate! Thanks.
Navneet

im sorry but i dont understand some of your questions.
how can the kittens get outside? cant you keep windows shut and doors shut?
also keep mamma inside atall times , they can get pregnant as early as a week after giving birth.
some vets will not spay a cat who is still full of milk ( it depends on the vet) but most vets will spay. are the kittens fully weened and still drinking from mum? if yes then it will be fine to stop them drinking from her , but i wouldnt put them in seprate rooms as there still learning from mum. also the kittens should not go out side untill they have been spayed and neutered as they can get pregnant as early as 4 months old. i would say yes go ahead with the spay tonight. and maybe ask them to give her a shot of antibiotics, just to be on the safe side?

Please get her spayed and have both the kittens spayed/neutered when they are old enough. I would keep them all inside and keep the window closed so the Tom can't get inside your home.

Originally Posted by slartibartfast

Should I seal the entire house so they can't go out at all till they completely stop feeding and then wait a week and get her spayed, or can I go ahead right now?

Click to expand...

Yes. Do this now and don't let ANYONE back outside until 1) they are spayed/neutered and 2) that big male you talked about is no longer a threat.

Also, should I still leave the window to the entire outdoors open - would the male cat try killing the kittens?

Click to expand...

No, do NOT leave the window open. Yes, the male will attempt to harm the kittens.

I really thought her getting used to the outside before the kittens start going out would be a good idea.

Click to expand...

Take my word for it, this is NOT a good idea.

Right now though both the kittens are 1.5 months old almost, they still feed on her milk mostly.

Click to expand...

And they will continue to nurse from her for a few weeks yet. Go ahead now and introduce them to kitten food, the mushy, wet kind - mix it with a little goat's milk to make it soupy and warm it gently. You don't want it hot, but you do want it warm. Bring them over to the saucer and dip your finger into the food, offer the food on your finger to the kittens. They will either take to it right away or they may need some coaxing - if they don't take to it, be patient and keep trying until they do.

I'm planning to keep both the kittens so I can't really separate them and wait for the mammary glands to subside, etc. Can someone help? I have to take a decision by tonight cause if I'm going ahead with the spaying - it has to be tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Personally, I would seal up the house to ensure that NONE of the cats can get out of (or in the case of the male, into) the house, wait a couple of weeks until the kittens are completely weaned and eating consistantly on their own and then spay Momma.

Please let me know if there's any other info I should provide - I am really worried and I can't lose the cat or the kittens to anything, including a (maybe greedy n less intelligent) doc - this guy has confirmed there will be no problems spaying her right now. Also, if I get her spayed I can take care of her only over the initial 2 days - that's the weekend tomorrow as I have to be back at work on Monday.

Click to expand...

There shouldn't be any problems after spaying, but as with any surgical procedure, there is a possibility of problems. Do you have any off time or vacation time you can take such as a long weekend? It would be best to be home with her for at least three days afterward if you can to observe and make sure she is OK. Additionally, you will have to be supplementing the kittens since they are still mostly nursing at this time. Again, I would wait until they are eating consistantly on their own.

Hey there - thx for your reply, but I'm still a bit lost.

It's like this - my house is on the groundfloor - and there'r two yards (front and back) which I've grilled so mama could go out and get outdoors air and view (which she was used to and did a lot in the old 2nd floor apartment - in the balconies).
I leave one of the side doors and my bedroom windows open for her to go out from. So she can go out but she's still locked up - she can't go totally out.

I locked up everything when the kittens were born except one bedroom window which is a lil high for the kittens to make it to yet - but I think another few days they'd be able to make their way - once they get outta there - they can get totally out the through the outdoor grills which mama can't get outta - so she can't get em back in.

Hence - I have two options - lock up that window too and deny her even that little bit of fresh air - plus since I've moved her litterbox inside the house, with the whole house locked up it'd become a bit stinky and very suffocating with no outside air movement.

I can't imagine separating them from the mum - since she's very very very protective even now and always has an eye on them so that they don't go anywhere she can't get em back from, but then with 2 you know it's a bit difficult, especially since they'r running all over the house now.

I will try gettin em off her milk by applying something bitter on her teats, but is that gonna be ok? Like I said they'r about 1.5 months old, very tiny still, and eat a bit of biscuits just over the last few days - otherwise still feed on mum - would it be ok to forcefully make em switch to regular milk and food at 1.5 months?

I will be getting them neutered but in a month I guess - bout the mum - I still can't make up my mind from your reply. So you're saying spaying her right now when she's full of milk will not be dangerous? The second doc said she could get an internal infection, and also, since I am not at home the whole day, if they try and suckle on her right after the operation, there's a chance the doc says that they may open her sutures. What do experienced folks here think?

Also, what bout the male cat? He tried coming into the house y'day even tho she was outside before that with him I'm guessing - so is it possible he came in to kill the kittens? Does that really happen? I've heard rumours - just to get the mum back on heat. The funny part is she's not been on heat since she got pregnant, but today morning she did seem like goin back into heat after last night's incident - i did hear her making that weird noise for a while - i'll know for sure in a coupla hrs when I get back home.
Would the tomcat try coming back inside again because the way I saw him make a dash to get back out the way she was attacking that huge thing - I'm confused - I'm not really worried bout her getting pregnant again - since I'm gettin her spayed anyway - but I'm worried bout him coming back in again and trying to kill/ harm the kittens. She was freaked for a long time even after I had sealed the window again.
Ideally I'd want to leave the kitchen window open so she can go out, get used to the outdoors of the house, so by the time the kittens can run out, she knows the place well enough to run right outta the kitchen window and do the needful/ get em back.

Very perplexed. I love her too much to do a risky operation. Is it really risky?
She's two yrs, n the two kittens are 1.5 months.

Since the male was in you'll want to consider getting her spayed soon, he may have already bred with her. Until then keep the windows closed and make sure she can't slip out a door. The windows sounds like a serious problem though, regardless whether you get the mother fixed that tom cat may come back and get in the window if he finds an easy meal. You certainly don't want him getting in and spraying stuff.

I'm going to assume that you probably don't have the option to keep your windows shut all the time, not sure about your climate but that could get rather hot if you have summer weather. Is there any way you can put up screening or a medium weight wire mesh over the windows? This would help keep the kittens in when they get old enough to start exploring too.

please lock the hole house up so there is no windows or doors open if the kittens was to go outside they can get lost attacked and many other things . mum should not be going outside atall untill she has been spayed , and this also stops the tom trying to come inside.
if you change the litter every day it will not stink your house up , and will not get suffocating. and to deny her that bit of freash air is not going to harm her.
for her own saftey and the kittens please do as gayef has said keep her indoors. she is very experinced with cats and kittens and pregnant ones . so listen to her advice.
the spay is more risky if she gets pregnant , so do not let her outside . and its not fair to think she will go and get her kittens back if they get out , dont let them get out in the first place. please do the right thing by your furbies.

Hey thanks everyone for replying.

I'm reiterating my major concern again - I left the kitchen window open over the last few days so she could go really outta the house and know the place well enough, cause my fear is once the kittens actually start going out - it's easy for them - the house is huge and the grill outside is not made to keep em back - can't get the grilling done again - since it's all around two sides of the house and very very expensive.
So the problem is - mum doesn't know the outdoors herself - so if I seal the whole house - and open it only in a coupla weeks again so can get the mum spayed by them and the kittens are off the feeding from her totally - by that time they will be easily be able to get outta the house and go outdoors, but mum herself won't know the place outside as it'd be her first time too, and she can't run after two young kittens running in different directions to catch em and bring em back to safety - since they'd be too small to escape the street dogs outside and'd prolly get killed - which I can't even imagine.

Do you get my problem now? It's tough to explain.
So the general opinion is she should not get spayed tomorrow?

N the other thing is I want the kittens and the mommy to get used to outdoors too, not be totally indoor cats all the time - I didn't have a choice with the 2nd floor apartment earlier, but I find it really cruel to keep a cat always indoors, also since now she has an option of being out and in whenever she wants.

Hmm...

Originally Posted by slartibartfast

I locked up everything when the kittens were born except one bedroom window which is a lil high for the kittens to make it to yet - but I think another few days they'd be able to make their way - once they get outta there - they can get totally out the through the outdoor grills which mama can't get outta - so she can't get em back in.

Click to expand...

Either lock up that window too, or put some heavy duty hardware mesh over the opening to secure it. The kittens must NOT be able to get outside for ANY reason and neither should Momma.

Hence - I have two options - lock up that window too and deny her even that little bit of fresh air - plus since I've moved her litterbox inside the house, with the whole house locked up it'd become a bit stinky and very suffocating with no outside air movement.

Click to expand...

You can scoop and/or clean the litter more frequently and that should help with the odor. Do you have fans or an airconditioner unit to help with air movement?

I can't imagine separating them from the mum - since she's very very very protective even now and always has an eye on them so that they don't go anywhere she can't get em back from, but then with 2 you know it's a bit difficult, especially since they'r running all over the house now.

Click to expand...

They should not be separated from Momma now. They are still nursing and until you can get them to eat on their own, they need her in order to survive. Take a few more weeks to introduce them to food and let them learn to eat and use the litter on their own, but secure your home so no one can get out (or in).

I will try gettin em off her milk by applying something bitter on her teats, but is that gonna be ok? Like I said they'r about 1.5 months old, very tiny still, and eat a bit of biscuits just over the last few days - otherwise still feed on mum - would it be ok to forcefully make em switch to regular milk and food at 1.5 months?

Click to expand...

Do NOT put anything on her nipples to discourage the kittens from nursing. Let them continue to nurse and take this time to introduce them to solid foods. Once they are both eating on their own, then you can look into having Momma spayed. Do not force them to stop nursing.

I will be getting them neutered but in a month I guess - bout the mum - I still can't make up my mind from your reply. So you're saying spaying her right now when she's full of milk will not be dangerous? The second doc said she could get an internal infection, and also, since I am not at home the whole day, if they try and suckle on her right after the operation, there's a chance the doc says that they may open her sutures. What do experienced folks here think?

Click to expand...

You can spay her now, but honestly, I would wait another couple of weeks before you do it. There is a possibility of post-surgical infection or that the kittens could open the wound ... and that is, in and of itself, a danger if you can't be around to prevent it. That is why I am counseling you to wait to spay her for a couple more weeks. Let the kittens learn a little more about eating on their own so that they are not so dependant upon her for their nutritional needs.

Also, what bout the male cat? He tried coming into the house y'day even tho she was outside before that with him I'm guessing - so is it possible he came in to kill the kittens? Does that really happen? I've heard rumours - just to get the mum back on heat. The funny part is she's not been on heat since she got pregnant, but today morning she did seem like goin back into heat after last night's incident - i did hear her making that weird noise for a while - i'll know for sure in a coupla hrs when I get back home.

Click to expand...

It is possible that he would have killed the kittens - it does happen. It is more likely that he came in to mate with Momma and he doesn't care whether or not she is in heat. Males will mate a female regardless of her status ... if she isn't in heat, he will mate with her anyway if he can catch her. Having an intact male around will bring a female into heat ... and he will be spraying his urine all over the place to accomplish that. If you can catch him, get him into the vet for both neutering and vaccines.

Would the tomcat try coming back inside again because the way I saw him make a dash to get back out the way she was attacking that huge thing - I'm confused - I'm not really worried bout her getting pregnant again - since I'm gettin her spayed anyway - but I'm worried bout him coming back in again and trying to kill/ harm the kittens. She was freaked for a long time even after I had sealed the window again.
Ideally I'd want to leave the kitchen window open so she can go out, get used to the outdoors of the house, so by the time the kittens can run out, she knows the place well enough to run right outta the kitchen window and do the needful/ get em back.

Click to expand...

Again, do NOT allow any of your cats outdoors at this time. It is dangerous to them on many levels. You will want to wait until Momma is completely healed from her spay before she can go out again and only then if the male is gone with no chance of him returning.

Very perplexed. I love her too much to do a risky operation. Is it really risky?
She's two yrs, n the two kittens are 1.5 months.

Click to expand...

Any surgical procedure carries risks. Wait until the kittens are completely weaned before doing the procedure and you will run a better chance of not having complications.

hey thanks all of you - this is really wonderful - i was totally lost till an hour back - special thanks to all of you for treating a total newbie so well!
hey!

so here's what i'll do - i'll leave work a bit early and try go all over the block asking who owns that huge mother****er, n if i do find out, i'm gonna tell em i'm gonna shoot him (since i can't afford to get him neutered right now - haha - just kiddin) if I see him around my house again - i'm hoping i can find the bitch owners - he's ALWAYS on heat and always around since we moved in here.

I'll seal the house and get her spayed once they'r off the milk.

I have a few more questions since I'm totally new to being an owner of 3 cats!
1. Could she have got pregnant last night? That was the only time she was with him. He was definitely on heat, but I don't think she was. Only today morning I heard her makin the mating sounds for a lil while - not when she went out yesterday - does that mean that even if he tried forcing her to mate - would she have conceived if she was not on heat at that time?
2. I've noticed something really funny - I'm guessing this is the father of the kittens and we used to actually make a joke of this - tho she's not been on heat since december now since she got pregnant - everytime he comes outside the house and does his mating call she dashes out just like the times she used to earlier and goes nuts all over the grills trying to get out - i've even caught them tryin (or what looked like) trying to mate at the top of the grill - we used to joke she's in love with him - since she used to go nuts everytime he came around even when she was not on heat AND pregnant. Is that normal?

Thanks everyone again! I'll think bout this a bit more before I spay her I guess - I'm just worried that when I do open the window someday the kittens will still not be big enough to be able to kept back in by the grills and the mum wont be able to protect them outside since there are lots of dogs and she can't save two kittens running in two directions maybe, when she herself doesn't know the place well enough outside. That's kinda scary, but I guess I'll let nature show me.

Originally Posted by slartibartfast

so here's what i'll do - i'll leave work a bit early and try go all over the block asking who owns that huge mother****er, n if i do find out, i'm gonna tell em i'm gonna shoot him (since i can't afford to get him neutered right now - haha - just kiddin) if I see him around my house again - i'm hoping i can find the bitch owners - he's ALWAYS on heat and always around since we moved in here.

Click to expand...

Males do not go into heat. They are simply males and will mate anytime a willing (or even unwilling) female is nearby. Threatening to shoot him is not a good idea, even though I know you were kidding with this, don't even think it. It is never, ever a good idea to threaten violence to an animal, even in jest.

I'll seal the house and get her spayed once they'r off the milk.

Click to expand...

Good. This is an excellent plan.

1. Could she have got pregnant last night? That was the only time she was with him. He was definitely on heat, but I don't think she was. Only today morning I heard her makin the mating sounds for a lil while - not when she went out yesterday - does that mean that even if he tried forcing her to mate - would she have conceived if she was not on heat at that time?

Click to expand...

Yes, she most certainly could have gotten pregnant last night even though it was the only time she was with him - it only takes once and she doesn't have to be in heat to become pregnant. If he could catch her, he would mate her. If he mated her, the chances of her being pregnant are high.

2. I've noticed something really funny - I'm guessing this is the father of the kittens and we used to actually make a joke of this - tho she's not been on heat since december now since she got pregnant - everytime he comes outside the house and does his mating call she dashes out just like the times she used to earlier and goes nuts all over the grills trying to get out - i've even caught them tryin (or what looked like) trying to mate at the top of the grill - we used to joke she's in love with him - since she used to go nuts everytime he came around even when she was not on heat AND pregnant. Is that normal?

Click to expand...

She is an intact female who is responding to his scent, his calling and his spraying. This is completely normal behavior and should not at all be confused with her "being in love". Cats do not experience emotions like we do and act completely upon instinct, not emotion.

Thanks everyone again! I'll think bout this a bit more before I spay her I guess - I'm just worried that when I do open the window someday the kittens will still not be big enough to be able to kept back in by the grills and the mum wont be able to protect them outside since there are lots of dogs and she can't save two kittens running in two directions maybe, when she herself doesn't know the place well enough outside. That's kinda scary, but I guess I'll let nature show me.

Click to expand...

If there are dangers to your cats outside, then do not allow them to go outside. Period. You shouldn't wait to let nature show you what will happen ... you should already know that these dangers will harm them and take measures to protect them instead of just letting nature take it's course. If there are dogs roaming, that is enough to tell me that your cats are better off being inside-only, no matter what your feelings about keeping them in might be. How can it be any less cruel to let them outside when they face such dangers than it is to keep them indoors where you know they are safe?

Stop worrying about Momma not knowing outside enough to protect the kittens ... keep them ALL inside and then you have no need to worry.

Secure the windows with a heavy duty hardware mesh instead of the "grills" (which I take to mean screens) and make sure the cats cannot get out through any openings. Secure everything and then you don't have to worry about it anymore.

I'm coming onto this late so forgive me if it gets confused.

1. Yes, she could be pregnant. A female does not need to be in heat to get pregnant.
2. Instead of closing windows, go to the hardware store as soon as possible and get heavy duty wire mesh, or the plastic/fibre mesh and and seal up ALL your windows that way...this is called cat proofing. Meanwhile keep them all indoors until your home is fully cat proofed.
3. Since your kittens are still barely 6 weeks old you have to use the 1" x 1" mesh. I have cats that can squeeze through holes as small as 2" square!
4. Please leave your females nipples alone. Your kittens sound like they are not weaned yet and they need the sustanance from mom.
5. If they (the kittens) are already trying out kibble, see if you can find a cat food called Royal Canin Baby cat. The kibbles are super small and perfect for baby teeth and gums.
6. Make a spay appt for about 2-4 weeks from now. Your kittens should be fully weaned by then.
7. Your female could be in heat now - cats can go into heat as early as 3-4 weeks after delivery.

Hope this helps and good luck!

theres not much more that i can add that hasnt already been said. but untill the mum has been spayed in a few weeks time , the tom cat will keep comming back and calling for her. males dont go into heat they are always trying to find a female to mate with.
and please dont threaten to shoot him if you do find his owners , some people will not take this as a joke , then you might have some trouble with the owners. please take all the advice which has been given as its great advice and you came to the right place.
let us know how things go.
also i wouldnt allow the kittens to go outside untill they have been spayed/neutered and compelety healed. and if possible keep all 3 in as indoor cats only as it sounds like being outside is not safe atall.
good luck with everything

I am using Royal Canine's kitten food - that's what they have, tho the mum preferred IAM's and another amazing brand I used to get earlier, but am trying hard to find.
I cannot permanently seal my house - the weather in bangalore, india does not allow that - i do have fans and an ac, but fresh air flow is essential, even I have to be really careful for a while - meaning sealing the place off till they'r big enough.
I find it amazing the way animals pick up everything by instinct - my cat was never used to being outdoors, but the few times she did make it outside (4-5 times), I've seen the 2 street dogs outside try chase her, and tho it was her first time being chased, they were nowhere close to even imagine they'd got her - she's too fast for em. Also it's a very common practice in this country to have your cats free to go out - infact all the cats I've seen till date are usually outside the house all day and no friend has ever had a cat killed by a dog - tho I've heard of very young kittens getting run over by cars - also maybe because she's a cross between a stray and a persian cat she's a bit stronger and streetsmart by inheritance I think.
I do intend having her go out and the kittens once they'r old enough to take care of themselves, but I'll wait for time to help me make a firm decision on that. But seriously it's a regular norm here for cats to roam around, come back to feed, sleep, etc, but be cats generally - infact my cat's the first one i've seen whose truly been a total housecat since I didn't have a choice.

Would still like to hear your thoughts on this issue - like I said I don't know much bout cats.

Here's a pic of the lil ones - it's old (when they were just 1 week old) - will try post pics of mommy and them as soon as I can.

Thanks a lot everyone again - I feel much better already!
Cheers!

Navneet,

I'm in Malaysia. All my cats are indoors and my home is cat-proofed. Do try and keep your cats indoors. It's just so much safer. But the choice is yours non the less.

Cute babies, well done!

they look lovely.
no one can tell you not to let your cat outside. but there will always be a danger letting them outside. i allow some of my cats out who were strays or used to going out before they was homed to us. but the kittens we have who are 7 months old are not allowed out ( dont know why) but not just yet. the difference is we dont live by any roads and you never see stray dogs around here . and nearly everyone who has dogs have them on leads untill they get to the dog area. and we have huge back gardens that they *play/lounge* in. but i do wish you luck with what ever you decide to do . but i know i keep going on about this , its great that you will be keeping them in for the moment , and i know it must be diffcult because of the hot weather . but it is best for them untill there bigger and have been spayed.

First, welcome, and I hope you like this forum! The argument over indoor/outdoor cats is long and based on cultural norms and personal experience. I also believe where possible in letting cats out, at least during the day, if the environment is safe. But there are times when they do have to be in, that is part of being a responsible pet owner, such as when they are in heat, nursing kittens, or too small or sick, and we have to find ways of achieving this. Can you not get some mesh ( fencing type - we call it chicken wire) to fasten over your grilles for awhile at least. I am sure there is something available there that would do the job and not prevent the air flow. And it would not be expensive. So I think to sume up:

Do EVERYTHING you can right now to stop mom and kittens going out or Father Tom to come in!

Let the kittens nurse at least another couple of weeks, if mom and they are comfortable with that.

Encourage the kittens to start eating solid food.

Once the kittens are eating well then get mom spayed, and keep her in for at least a week afterwards to prevent infection. Most cats I have known recover from a spay within a day or so, but the incision needs taking care of.

Get the kittens neutered/spayed as soon as your vet will do it - again this varies from country to country and even from vet to vet. But if you have to wait until they are approaching 6 months (and this is possible) don't let them out if there is any chance that they could mate.

Good luck, and do post some pictures of your fur family - they sound great.

I am also lost on a few things so I will just put in a few quick my opinions ok.

I am a mom of a Cat (Skittles) who had 13 kittens long story but in the end I choose to keep 2. Before any kittens left my home I called all over and found a clinic that travels and I got all the kittens and mom fixed at 9 weeks yes it is young but it was better.
Trust me Skittles loved me for it too. It has now been 11 months since Skittles has been outside and 8-9 months since the kittens where born and guess what they never try to get outside at all. They do not know what there are missing if they have never been out there. I think they are scared of it. I can leave a window with a screen open and nothing. Trust me inside cats are better.

If they are fixed they are never miserable. Skittles got pregnant and was not in heat it was induced when the Tom Cat entered her. It is still early but fix your mom and hope she isn't PG. It is up to you.

I got Skittles fixed and she still nursed for 2 more weeks but after that she was done and all winged themselves.

As for the window close it. Spring is here and all the cats are out on the Prowl so to speak.

Is there a reason why you want to let the cats outside I mean if it is to go potty, just add another litter box. I know easier said then done. Like I said this is my 2 cents. Have a good day.

Really to be honest i think you should calm down. I have 12 cats and 2 litters, i didn't wean my babies until a little after 2 months. They were all kitty food and now on there raw diet. I don't think its a good idea to try weaning them off now. Also why are you letting her outside? As soon as you adopted her she should of been inside your home at ALL times? The litter problem is silly and a bit dumb to why you would get your cat of 2yrs and her kittens injured? I have a enclosure that my (new) hubby built me but that was for the bengals that we had to part with.

But i have not been letting them out because there are new dogs and cats running loose around us and i would never harm them over a kitty litter box or "fresh" air. Really because i have Air filtering system and i advice to for any animal owner. My vet said its good for clearing and cleaning the air since i do have so many cats and many litter boxes. I also have freshness powder that i sprinkle on the litter that can be bought at a pet store. But i'm just very confused and i agree 100% with Gayef she should never been let out specially if she was never spayed. Also you say you were not sure if you wanted to breed her later on? I'm sorry but i get the idea she was either found outside or adopted as to why you keep letting her back out.

If you have owned cats for 2yrs you should have atleast the knowledge not to put her out un-spayed when you know there is tom cat outside and she kittens? I'm not being rude at all i'm being honest and i know its questions everybody is dieing to know i'm just being honest. I mean its simple your endangering 2 amazing kittens over the wilderness? That really a inside cat does not need, turn on a fan and get Febreeze if it starts smelling. If it smells it has nothing to do with not having a open window you either have horrible litter or you don't clean it enough. Also noted by Gayef (and others) "Put heavy duty wire" on the windows its called screen mesh and can be bought in a hardware store its thin small squares i know from exp kittens/cats can NOT get threw it unless they claw on it and then once again HEAVY DUTY.

I'm sure but this is nerve wracking it really is to see somebody putting a precious cat outside over silly things. Then you knew she wasn't spayed and there was a tom cat? Have you not learned from your mistakes she escaped! For god sakes, and your worried she will get outdoor sick. I think she will get over it belive me my friend adopted 6yr.old cat that was outside all its life and also had 2 litters OUTSIDE before it was captured. She's never let her out in the 7 months she had her and she's as happy as a field mouse.

As far as spaying her yes, but no. You do not want to pull the kittens from her at 1.5 (1 1/2) months age they still need her. I would research this, honestly why didn't you research it before you let her out or even got her. Then you said she was to young when you got her? You had her for 2yrs and from my understand she is now 4 or i was not reading it correct and shes 2 and she's was a baby then. But my vet says the best time for a kitten is 6 months there fully weaned adventures and no longer need mother. That and he feels there of mature enough size to handle the operation. But if you do not have knowledged cat vets keep everybody in the house get mom spayed when the kittens are weaned and then get the kittens spayed at 6 months. Possibly eariler it differs with each vet but if there not knowledged i would not let them operate under 6mons. But honestly just keep inside you want fresh air buy the mesh its never worth loosing a loving fur-baby over. Good luck and sorry if this sounds harsh or rude to anybody but some one has to make the point clear and back gayef up. **wink**