Hi and a few questions.

[lil'misskisses]

Hi all,

I have been a lurker on here for a few weeks so yesterday i decided to register and join you all.
Your advice to others has been very helpful over the time i have been reading.

I just have a couple of questions though. Sorry if im repeating anyone else.

I have read all about the nest box and keeping your cat in before the birth and i have done that. the only prob is that im a little confused about the best thing to put in her box. I have read and i was told by my vet to use shredded paper in there but it doesnt look at all inviting and im worried its going to be a little tricky to change and clean up once the kittens are here.

Has anyone got any better ideas or tips.

Also i have her secluded in my room at the moment. i let her out when im home but if i have to go out i shut her in there because i know she is safe. I also thought it would give her some time to get used to her box. should i be keeping her in there all the time?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Em x

 

[tnr1]

Originally Posted by lil'misskisses

Hi all,

I have been a lurker on here for a few weeks so yesterday i decided to register and join you all.
Your advice to others has been very helpful over the time i have been reading.

I just have a couple of questions though. Sorry if im repeating anyone else.

I have read all about the nest box and keeping your cat in before the birth and i have done that. the only prob is that im a little confused about the best thing to put in her box. I have read and i was told by my vet to use shredded paper in there but it doesnt look at all inviting and im worried its going to be a little tricky to change and clean up once the kittens are here.

Has anyone got any better ideas or tips.

Also i have her secluded in my room at the moment. i let her out when im home but if i have to go out i shut her in there because i know she is safe. I also thought it would give her some time to get used to her box. should i be keeping her in there all the time?

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Em x

Em...do you happen to know how close she is?? Letting her out of the room to stretch is ok as long as you are home and there are no ability for her to get outdoors or be around intact males. I would though start placing her food and litterbox in the room where you have her nesting box (if you haven't already done that). As far as what to put in the birthing box...I know a lot of people used old towels. Remember, what you have in there now will only be there until she has had the kittens...so although the shredded paper doesn't seem appealing...the recommendation to use it is probably because cats love to scratch when they are "nesting". Perhaps have 2 boxes...one that has shredded paper and one that has some towels to give mom a choice.

Katie

 

[junior67]

Em----- you didn't say how far along she is? If she still has a way to go then if she is upset about being locked in the room all day I wouldn't leave her in there the whole time yet but put her in for say an hour or so in the morning and then a bit at night or something like that. If she likes it or is around 60 days along then I would leave her in there.


Not sure on the bedding. have heard alot of people put either torn up paper, or towels (whole) or peices of material and things like that into a pilowcase and use that. Right now I have an old sweatshirt that has holes all in it in the bottom of mine, but am going to pick up a couple cheap pillowcases to put the sweatshirt in there, or some old towels in there and save the sweatshirt for after (since it is very thick and comfy. hehehee)........

 

[gayef]

Old sheets or blankets, towels and other soft bedding is good. A really good idea (which I learned here as well -- gotta love this site!!) is to place the old towels inside of old pillow slips. The idea is that the loops on the terry cloth may catch little claws, so to avoid that, put them in the slips. Great idea!

I use a twin sized micro-fleece blanket I got at Wal-Mart because my girl loves the fabric and goes readily to it. I bought two (they were on sale for about $9 a piece) and swap them out.

I do not like to use newspaper, shredded or otherwise, due to the ink coming off onto the kittens and on Momma. It isn't very clean and it makes a mess. If you want to use paper, then by all means, go right ahead, but maybe put it inside of old pillow slips so as to limit the mess.

 

[lil'misskisses]

Thanx everyone for your replies.

I took Boo to the vets on 7th june and the vet said she would deliver within 2 weeks. As it is now 16th june i can only assume she has a matter of days left. He did say she looked like she could deliver earlier as she looked " ready"

I have been shutting her in the room whenever i am out and have kept her inside for a while. She sleeps in there with me on a night anyway so is pretty relaxed being in there. I just let her downstairs with me for a while during the day and in the evening. Her food / water and litter tray have been up there with her for the last week. I have also banned the kids from going in there until she is ready to move out.

She is provisionally booked in at the vets to be "done" as soon as the kittens are ready to be re homed.


Thanks again, The pillowcase idea sounds great.

Emma x

 

[goldenkitty45]

When I bred rexes I had two pillowcases for the birthing box. The first was one that contained several sheets of newspaper (and the ink doesn't get on the cats - especially white ones

)

The second was after delivery was all done. This one was stuffed with a towel or two to make it really soft.

Putting the material (paper or towel) in a pillowcase will prevent any tiny nails from getting caught in the towels and the kits being stuck.

 

[lil'misskisses]

Hi,

Just to let you all know your advice has been great. I have re-arranged her bedding with the newspaper stuffed into a pillowcase and it looks much more appealing.

Boo has been popping in and out of there. Not staying for too long but she has a little rumage about then comes out to lie on the windowsil or stretch out on the floor.
Im hoping this is a good sign that she likes it in there.

She hasnt been finishing her meals over the last couple of days although she is still eating. Is this normal?

The other thing is she has been very vocal and loving over the last week. She will wake me in the night crying then jump onto my chest and snuggle in and go to sleep. Is she just wanting to be close to me or do you think she is getting near. Like i said the vet said it could be any day but im not sure how accurate his guess was as he only had a feel about and a good look at her.

Its so reassuring to be able to come here and ask these questions. Hopefully I wont drive you all too mad over the coming weeks.

Emma x

 

[tnr1]

Emna...feel free to ask any question you want. I would imagine she is getting full sooner since she has extra weight in her these days.

Katie