A Breeding Chronicle

One of the things I have long wanted to do was create a sort of breeding chronicle here - beginning from estrus, going through the breeding process, watching for signs of pregnancy, confirmed pregnancy and issues, the delivery of the kittens and the kittens growth and development up until they left for their new homes.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - Lexus has been gearing up to go into estrus. When I woke up this morning, she was vocalizing, posturing and placing herself in a particularly tart-like fashion *grin* next to Tonka's stud enclosure. She appears to be in the very early stages of estrus; rushing the door if we even walk anywhere nearby it, anxiously patroling the windows, a fair amount of vocalizations, more grooming in ~that~ area, a lot more affectionate and lots of posturing - I am now certain that she is in full estrus. I will allow Tonka and Lexus to breed this cycle as this will be her 5th since her last litter was born on August 31st of '05. If all goes well, I am hopeful for kittens sometime in or around the first week of June.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 6:15 PM EDST: Tonka & Lexus bred sucessfully.

Notes: Tonka is a gentle stud and treats Lexus with respect. Lexus doesn't cooperate in that she gets her back end into a corner where Tonka can't reach her.

Tuesday, April 4, 2005 - 8:15 PM EDST: Tonka & Lexus bred.

Note: Not sure they connected on this pairing.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 9:30 PM EDST: Tonka & Lexus bred sucessfully.

Note: This time I am sure they connected.

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 4:20 AM: Tonka & Lexus bred sucessfully.

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 1:00 PM: Tonka & Lexus bred sucessfully.

Thursday, April 6, 2006: Lexus is easing out of estrus. Her vocalizations are not nearly as desperate, she is posturing less and has stopped allowing Tonka to breed her. She is sleeping more comfortably and back to eating her normal meals at the normal times. She is currently watching the birds from the perch on my bedroom window and has no interest in the fact that Tonka is calling her at the moment. Normally, when he honks at her, she comes from wherever she is to address him. I should know for certain in a couple of weeks if she is expecting kittens.

Great idea Gayef!
I miss having siamese so much.... I'll look forward to living vicariously through you
I can't wait to hear every detail

Oh my, this brings back memories when we showed our meezers!! And then bred the Grand Champion!! (She had so many rosettes - I have her offspring but am out of the breeding biz and now rescue kitties, love all moggies or meezers,

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - Lexus has been experiencing a little vomiting, usually once per day and this has been happening since Sunday. With previous pregnancies, this has been something Lex has experienced so I am cautiously optimistic.

Monday, April 24, 2006: Lexus has a different "feel" to her body today in that she feels fuller, more substantial ... and she has a small but definate roundness to her belly. Her nipples have shaded to a deep rose pink from her normal pale pink. She is sleeping a little more than normal and she is requesting a third meal, which she prefers in the late afternoon.

What an interesting idea Gaye!

I find this facinating ... did you get Lexus and Tonka s permission to write about there matings

Originally Posted by sharky

I find this facinating ... did you get Lexus and Tonka s permission to write about there matings

Click to expand...

When asked, Tonka hee-haw'ed at me and Lexus simply bit my big toe and ran off before I could grab her and turn her upside down so I could rub that little pink belly. ROFL

Hi Gaye,

How is Lexus doing now? I bet her belly is starting to show a little!! I would love to see pictures of her soon!! Is she due then around the 2nd week of June? How many days does she usually go?
It seems our Raggies go usually on day 65, but we have had as long as day 67. I like knowing as close to the due date as possible.
How many babies does she usually have? I can't wait to see them.
You didn't mention Tonka or Lexus' color, what colors are you expecting from them? I can't wait to meet the new babies!!
Is this a breeding you may keep a kitten back for your program if one develops the way you hope?
Less than 4 weeks to go. If Lexus likes belly rubs, please give her one for me.

Hi there! I have been meaning to post an update here, but life has thrown me a couple of hard hits so I haven't been as with it as I would have liked recently. Thanks for the gentle nudge in the ribs. *smile*

Lexus is getting quite round at the sides and when she reclines across my lap, her nipples are firm and distended. She looks like she swallowed a grapefruit. *grin* I felt the first little flutter of a kitten moving in there late last night so I very gently tapped back and was rewarded by what can only have been a head poking up seemingly looking around as if to say, "Who did that???"

If I have calculated the dates right, she should be delivering on or around June 8th. She normally is like clockwork at Day 63, so it may be a day or so sooner than the 8th, but I like to give it at least 65 days ...

In her first litter, she had 5 kittens, three boys and two girls. In her second litter, she had four kittens, three boys and one girl.

Tonka is a Blue Point carrying chocolate and lilac and Lexus is a Seal Point carrying lilac. From what I understand of the color genetics, they should be able to produce all four self-colors, however, they have produced only Blue Points and Seal Points to date. Maybe someone here can correct me if I am wrong about being able to produce chocolate and lilac.

This litter will all be placed as pets, I'm afraid. I wish I could keep one, but at present, I do not have a suitable unrelated outcross and until I do, keeping a kitten out of Tonka and Lexus serves no purpose to my program. When I am ready to retire one or both, I may decide to keep a kitten or kittens then, but not at this time.

I have a very small house and I don't feel comfortable placing retired cats, even though I know a lot of breeders do it ... my guys are my beloved pets first before anything and everything else, so to think of them living somewhere else really tears a hole in my heart. So, out of necessity, I have to stay really, really small. I don't have the means to care for anymore than at most, four cats and even then, only two breeding ones. If my plans go through successfully, I may be acquiring an unrelated female around Christmastime this year. If so, hopefully she and Tonka will produce a male I can then breed back to Lexus once before she retires.

Lexus adores belly rubs and in just a little while now, she and I will be headed off to bed for snuggles and purrs time. The routine is that she trots off down the hallway in front of me, with big old belly just a'swaying to and fro, jumps up onto my bed and begins kneading the blanket. I get into bed and she stretches out long and flat next to me so I can rub her belly - I will be sure and tell her the first good rub came from you. *grin*

We are right about 12 or 13 days now before I anticipate Lexus to deliver her babies. Her little sides are just huge now and her nipples are dark pink, fully distended and she is beginning to "bag up" a little around the ones towards her belly/back end.

She is lazy, I am sure due to the late stage of her pregnancy. She is extremely affectionate and purrs/trills with Explode-O-Tail (for those unfamiliar, the base of her tail bushes out when she is extremely happy - but just the base of her tail. It's funny to see.) and literally jumps up into your hand to get her ears rubbed.

I have her crate washed and at the ready. I've lined the bottom with her "baby blankets" and some soft, old towels stuffed into soft, old pillow slips. She has been exploring it some, not much, but going in and out through the open door more frequently.

Lexus likes my kitchen chairs so she is laying there during the day to nap and recline while surveying all that which she considers to be hers. At night, though, she is velcro'ed to either my back or my belly so tightly that I am beginning to believe it will involve a surgical procedure just to remove her when I wake up.

There are a few people interested in the kittens but it is still too early to make any promises, so I am just suggesting that everyone contact me again in late July or early August, closer to the time when we know how many, what gender, what color, personality and they are deemed healthy and ready to go to their new homes in September.

Aw...I don't want to interrupt your chronicle, but I just had to say that she sounds so sweet! I like the Explode-O-Tail, too funny. Can you feel them moving yet?

*grin* I can feel little flutters but not much more than that. I did tap back and I swear, right hand to Heaven that a little head popped up, but I can put my own very imaginative spin on these kinds of things. *ROFL*

June 2, 2006 - Day 60

I think we are in the last few days before delivery now. Lexus is absolutely huge and her newest affectionate nickname is "Bus" for she is carrying so many about with her on her travels. *grin* The babies are extremely active now and can be plainly seen doing the Mambo in there as Lex reclines.

Lexus is sticking very close to me, following me around the house as I go about my day ... waddling behind me and meowing when she needs to stop and take a sit-break.

She is sleeping in her nest more often and has rearranged the blankets to her liking several times now, but she rearranges again every time she goes in for a nap. She is so busy and just purrs with her little blue eyes half-closed while she labors at getting the materials "just so".

All eight nipples are fully distended, dark reddish-pink and bagging up nicely. Her belly has shifted more so to the underside of her body than out to the sides and when she stretches out her body length-wise, the outlines of at least three kittens on the left horn are plainly visible. From what I can see on the right, there appears to be two kittens. My guess for the kitten total is five.

I anticipate delivery within the next three to five days.

Yay how exciting Gaye!!!! you are doing a great job explaining it too! this was a good idea!

June 5, 2006 - Day 63

We are officially now on kitten watch. Lexus has been going in and out of her nesting crate today and is also trying to get into my linen closet. (I told her it was the exact same linen closet as it was yesterday when she got in there, but does she listen? *grin*)

I think we are very, very close now, perhaps within a couple of days.

How exciting!!
What day does she usually birth on? It seems we usually average to day 65 here from the second day of mating.
I am going to guess 4 babies on June 7th at 11pm. I can't wait to hear the updates. When Lexus waddles over next time, give her gentle belly rubs.