New babies, AGAIN

Well, one of my cats had 4 new babies today. In fact just about an hour ago. 2 black & white, 1 cream color and 1 orange & white. The mama is a shorthair, cream with black, dark brown, white on her body and dark brown, white and a touch of orange stripes on her face. It's pretty hard to describe her coloring and markings. I'll make her a page in the cat pages soon. I'm going to have to recount my cats again, I lost count a while back.

Awwwwww, I love baby kitties! I would love to have a cream colored one! Fluffy was cream colored, but she is gone now. Hope you enjoy playing with those little babies....lucky you!

COngratulations...it is so fun to watch them grow up. I have a hard time letting go. Sounds like you are going to have fun the next few months. I look forward to seeing pictures of mom soon!

An update from my last post on the new kittens.
We now have 5 kittens. The newest is a light orange/cream color. A little hard to tell right now. It's still wet.

Congrats Terri!

Have you decided what you're going to do with them when they grow up? You have so many cats already!

I hope I have the willpower to give them up while they're still young. Otherwise it'll be too hard to find them good homes when they grow up. But, usually by then I'm too attached to let them go anyway.

Four of the five new babies died for unknown reasons. One a day for the past 4 days. We have one left and so far seems to be ok. The mother is the same one that bit my Honey, the one I had to take away at 1 1/2 weeks and bottle feed because her mommy bit her. I'm wondering if I should take this one and do the same before anything happens. The others had a couple teeth marks on them but they didn't look like they could be the reason they died.
I'm keeping a good eye on her for a while.

Terri, I am so sorry to hear that. I suppose it could have been anything that young. It could even have been fading kitten syndrome. Maybe you can get mom spayed after this. It doesn't sound like she wants to be a mom. If you can, you may want to take the kitten from her. I hope # 5 makes it!!!

Oh My!!! I am so sorry about your babies!!!! If you are afraid the last one is in danger also, I would definately take her away from the mom....if indeed that is the source of the problem....poor things.. I feel so bad for you...I know how you must feel right now....but there was obviously nothing you could have done to save them. I hope the last remaining one makes it....let us know. I will say a prayer.

Terri,

May I make a suggestion? Since you become so attached to the newborn kittens and worry about finding homes for them, maybe your should think about becoming a responsible pet owner and have everyone spayed or neutered. While newborn kittens are very cute and lovable, unwanted cats are even more heartbreaking and harder to place. No sympathy from me, except for the cats.

[Edited by donna on 02-19-2001 at 05:58 PM]

I think you need to have mom spayed and stop having kittens - the teeth marks is a telling sign - she knows there is something wrong with her babies or she doesn't want to be a mother anytmore. You will have a healthier cat if you have her spayed. And it is very hard to place adult cats - everyone wants to enjoy them as kittens, as you yourself said, you can't give them up when they are kittens. They they turn into unwanted cats and it is heartbreaking. Donna is right - but forgive us if we seem harsh - we see this every day and it takes its toll. Spay your cat and if you want a kitten, there will be one every year for you at a local shelter, just make sure you have that one spayed or neutered too.

I have 21 wonderful cats - they are all altered, healthy babies - breeding a specific breed to better the breed is one thing, allowing domestics to continue having kittens just isn't fair in this day and age of countless unwanted cats being euthanized daily.

You sound like a really good person - and I know you love your kitty so I hope you will allow her to be a cat without having to be a mother cat.

The fifth baby didn't make it either and it wasn't because of the mother this time. I did take the baby away and bought some kitten formula but she didn't make it anyway.
I had already decided that this cat will not have any more kittens so she will be spayed within the next two weeks.
All the cats I keep as kittens are NEVER unwanted as adult cats. I love all of them very much and I would have a much harder time giving them up as adults than kittens. They are all my babies and each and every one of them get plenty of love and attention from me. But, you are right, I need to get them all spayed and neutered and I think I can do it when I get my income tax refund. If not then one or two a month will be the way to go.

Terri, You should try calling some of the shelters and/or veterinary hospitals in your area and ask them if they can refer you to any organizations that help with spaying and neutering. There are groups in my state that raise donations to help control the animal population. I too am sorry to hear about your loss, but I have to say that it does frustrate me to hear such stories. Best of luck. Allyson

Terri, I just want to add that I don't think you are an irresponsable cat lover, and you do have my sympathy, but yes....you should get that mama spayed.