This may be a silly question but I have to ask. I am sitting here watching my 5 31/2 week old kittens run around and it hit me.... Do I really need to give them up? Can't we keep them? I don't want to be a cat lady with 57 cats running around. If I kept them then we would have 7 cats in total! Is that ok? Cats are really no trouble. They would all be fixed! I have the room in my house! Is there reasons why I should stop thinking like this? Vet bills don't bother me either. They would all have top care. Anyway any suggestions or points I can bring up to hubby? lol
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Keeping kittens advice?
- Thread starter prncss89
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I can empathise with you. I have decided to keep the 4 kittens (now 6 weeks old) and will have 6 cats in total. I see it this way - its fine to keep them as long as you have the time, love, space and money to do so.
My 4 kittens have developed a close bond with everyone in the family and they bring us so much joy and entertainment! I couldn't bear to part with them.
My 4 kittens have developed a close bond with everyone in the family and they bring us so much joy and entertainment! I couldn't bear to part with them.
So long as you have the means and the time to care for that many cats, I see no reason why you shouldn't keep them. However, you must be realistic about it and draw the line at a comfortable and reasonable number.
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I think it is ok too. If Yen's two kittens would have made it, they would have remained perminant fixtures in our family bringing our cat total to 3 and pet total to 4.
Just tell your husband how you feel and if you reason and explain rationally each point then how can he argue????
Goodluck,
Kallie
Just tell your husband how you feel and if you reason and explain rationally each point then how can he argue????
Goodluck,
Kallie
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We decided when Missy was pregnant we would keep all the babies, she had 5 kittens, bringing us up to 7 cats and they are one big happy family. I didn't have to convince my hubby, it was his idea to keep them
So long as you fix them all, have the means for vet care over their life and the time I don't think it's a problem.
We are not going to get any more cats for a long time.
So long as you fix them all, have the means for vet care over their life and the time I don't think it's a problem.
We are not going to get any more cats for a long time.
I know you have the love for them, but do you have the time to spend with them and the money to suppport them.
Ugh...I can't think of anything I would like less than to keep all my babies! They are so sweet when they are 3-4 weeks old, but by 8-12 weeks they are all over the kitchen table, and in the trash, and generally just little stinkers until they are about 1-1/2!
I know they are adorable, and certainly if you want them and can care for them, you can keep them. But consider that 7 cats is very different than 2. There will be personality conflicts at times, and that is a lot of litterbox scooping. Also, if you face a financial setback, will you still be able to afford 7? (Maybe plan to set aside a kitty medical savings account?) Sometimes when a pet gets ill, the cost can skyrocket. We spent several thousand in vet bills for our animals in the past year...and aside from one horse, there were no huge health problems...it just adds up when you are covering 9 animals vet bills.
Also, I am in rescue. I don't know how much longer I can keep taking in kittens...and would love to have someone like you, who is a real catlover, decide to find homes for your babies, but take in one or two foster litters a year. You will have all the fun of your babies, but will be saving lives.
Whatever you decide is of course up to you.
I know they are adorable, and certainly if you want them and can care for them, you can keep them. But consider that 7 cats is very different than 2. There will be personality conflicts at times, and that is a lot of litterbox scooping. Also, if you face a financial setback, will you still be able to afford 7? (Maybe plan to set aside a kitty medical savings account?) Sometimes when a pet gets ill, the cost can skyrocket. We spent several thousand in vet bills for our animals in the past year...and aside from one horse, there were no huge health problems...it just adds up when you are covering 9 animals vet bills.
Also, I am in rescue. I don't know how much longer I can keep taking in kittens...and would love to have someone like you, who is a real catlover, decide to find homes for your babies, but take in one or two foster litters a year. You will have all the fun of your babies, but will be saving lives.
Whatever you decide is of course up to you.
I so understand where you are coming from..I have decided because Moe only had 4 and they are all so different that I am keeping them all! We will be taking all of them in to be spay/neutered and given their shots all at the same time. I am a stay at home mom so I will have the time to spend with each and every one of them. I am also thinking and looking into helping a rescue group and take in pregnant cats or kittens. I love cats and I would really be a cat lady if I could!! Good luck with your desicion!
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If you can keep them, and keep up with it, I think that's wonderful!
Just to play Devil's Advocate though, I just wanted to point out a few things, because sometimes people don't realize what they're committing to. If you think these issues are not problems, then I think it's a great idea.
First, remember that they are kittens for a very short time, they are cats for a good 15 years. You will have 7 full-grown cats for a very long time, and that is a lot of work and responsibliity, and what if your situation changes?
Second, and one of the things that has always discouraged me from keeping more than one of a litter; You will have 5 kittens reaching senior status at the same time, 5 kittens who share the same genes. There's a pretty good chance that they will all start to get ill around the same time with similiar programs, and if they could very well all need a lot of extra care and expense and work, all again around the same time. It's hard enough caring for one elderly, ill cat, more than one, with a chance of dealing with 5, and then having to say goodbye all around the same time, that's more than I believe I could handle.
That's one of the reasons I've always tried to space my cats apart in years, so if I do have to care for an ill cat, its only one, and I still have younger cats to help me with the stress.
Think of having 5 to deal with.
Just some things people sometimes don't think about when keeping a whole litter, and I believe should be considered in a decision like this.
I'm not saying not to, just saying that these are some of the down sides that one needs to be aware of, so if you decide to keep them, you know the commitment you're making.
Just to play Devil's Advocate though, I just wanted to point out a few things, because sometimes people don't realize what they're committing to. If you think these issues are not problems, then I think it's a great idea.
First, remember that they are kittens for a very short time, they are cats for a good 15 years. You will have 7 full-grown cats for a very long time, and that is a lot of work and responsibliity, and what if your situation changes?
Second, and one of the things that has always discouraged me from keeping more than one of a litter; You will have 5 kittens reaching senior status at the same time, 5 kittens who share the same genes. There's a pretty good chance that they will all start to get ill around the same time with similiar programs, and if they could very well all need a lot of extra care and expense and work, all again around the same time. It's hard enough caring for one elderly, ill cat, more than one, with a chance of dealing with 5, and then having to say goodbye all around the same time, that's more than I believe I could handle.
That's one of the reasons I've always tried to space my cats apart in years, so if I do have to care for an ill cat, its only one, and I still have younger cats to help me with the stress.
Think of having 5 to deal with.
Just some things people sometimes don't think about when keeping a whole litter, and I believe should be considered in a decision like this.
I'm not saying not to, just saying that these are some of the down sides that one needs to be aware of, so if you decide to keep them, you know the commitment you're making.
