Litter size

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beckiboo

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How exciting! I had a foster kitty who WAS x-rayed, and they told us she would have 4 kittens, but she had 6! So no matter what, you are kind of guessing at numbers.

And very often the foster cats are wormy, and that makes their bellies look a little rounder.

I'm so glad you have given this Momma a nice safe place to have her babies! And while there is still cat overpopulation, you have done nothing to add to it, and are doing something to end it, so you just go ahead an relish those babies when they come!

I'm laying my bet...she will have one tortie, one black, one orange tiger, and two brown tabbies...so 5 kittens on February 7th!
 
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katiescats

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She's getting antsy and lazy at the same time. She keeps trying to escape from the bathroom, making desperate attempts to jump over our feet when we open the door. But then a minute later, she is flat on her back in her box, purring and licking her belly. Her babies look like they are RUNNING inside her belly! SO much movement. She keeps messing with her blankets and licking her belly, so I'm thinking/hoping it'll be very soon! I am getting so anxious! I can't believe I've been waiting since January 9 for this...it seems like forever. We took some pictures tonight of her giant belly...I'll post them as soon as we've uploaded them to our computers!
 
cocoalily

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I hope they come soon! My birthday's on the eighth so I hope they'll be born then, but it sounds (to me) like she'll be having them sooner rather then later. Either way I can't wait! And my bet: she'll have three tortie girls and one black boy with some white on the... sixth. There.
 
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katiescats

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Alice is in labor! She started about an hour ago and is still trying to get the first one out. I'm thisclose to calling the vet...but I'm going to be a little more patient. I've taken a few pictures already...I'll keep you posted!
 
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katiescats

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Well Alice has had her babies. After an hour and a half of contractions with no progress, I made the decision to take her to the vet. She was beginning to pass her water sac and it hadn't broken yet, so the vet let her try for another hour with no success.

Eventually it was decided that she was exhausting herself and it was time to do a C-section if any of the kits were to be saved.

So they shaved my poor baby's belly and leg, and cut her open (spaying her while they were in there, which was the silver lining, I suppose). She had 7 babies! 4 boys and 3 girls. 5 black and 2 orange tabby. One of the two orange tabbies was born with a severe birth defect (his skull never formed and his body never formed fully around his spinal cord). He was put to sleep immediately after birth, as he would not have made it anyway.

So now I am home with 6 kittens! We have 1 orange tabby male, 2 black males, and 3 black females (I'm hoping they develop some tortie markings). They are all suckling on the bottle filled with KMR, but Alice isn't awake enough yet to nurse them. She's uncomfortable and laying about two feet from them. I am PRAYING that when she wakes up, she will want to nurse them and will accept them as her own.

Pictures to come later tonight when I am less emotionally exhausted (I was at the vet with her from 1:30 til around 7:30. I cried and cried and cried. I was alone, because my boyfriend was working and couldn't leave.

Wish us luck for the next 24 hours...we are going to need it!
 
tnr1

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Originally Posted by KatiesCats

Well Alice has had her babies. After an hour and a half of contractions with no progress, I made the decision to take her to the vet. She was beginning to pass her water sac and it hadn't broken yet, so the vet let her try for another hour with no success.

Eventually it was decided that she was exhausting herself and it was time to do a C-section if any of the kits were to be saved.

So they shaved my poor baby's belly and leg, and cut her open (spaying her while they were in there, which was the silver lining, I suppose). She had 7 babies! 4 boys and 3 girls. 5 black and 2 orange tabby. One of the two orange tabbies was born with a severe birth defect (his skull never formed and his body never formed fully around his spinal cord). He was put to sleep immediately after birth, as he would not have made it anyway.

So now I am home with 6 kittens! We have 1 orange tabby male, 2 black males, and 3 black females (I'm hoping they develop some tortie markings). They are all suckling on the bottle filled with KMR, but Alice isn't awake enough yet to nurse them. She's uncomfortable and laying about two feet from them. I am PRAYING that when she wakes up, she will want to nurse them and will accept them as her own.

Pictures to come later tonight when I am less emotionally exhausted (I was at the vet with her from 1:30 til around 7:30. I cried and cried and cried. I was alone, because my boyfriend was working and couldn't leave.

Wish us luck for the next 24 hours...we are going to need it!
Click to expand...
Katie...good of you to recognize the signs that she needed help and got her in for help. I know you will do all you can for these 6 new lives and I too hope that Alice is able to nurse them.

Katie
 
graciecat

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Ahh, poor little Alice.
I'm so glad that you got her to the Vet and the babies are home with you and their Mommy.

I can't wait to see pictures of the little sweethearts.

Bless the sweet baby that had to be put to sleep.
 
abymummy

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Well Done Katie!!! And poor Alice. 6 kittens, what a lovely sized litter!

Good luck and give us a shout if you need help!
 
furryferals

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Aww
I'm so sorry about the little one who couldn't be saved.R.I.P.Sweet little angel


Aww Alice will hopefully be ok with the kittens,she will need time to recover from the anaesthetic,thats probly why she's not paying them much attention,she will be very tired.
When she recovers from her anaesthetic she may have a bit of constipation though,
so keep your eye out for her straining too hard


I'm so glad all the rest of the kittens are doing well


Welcome to the world little ones
,May your lives be full of love and happiness always
 
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katiescats

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Everyone is doing well. Alice is awake now and just ate a TON of wet food mixed with a little KMR. She is cleaning her babies like it is her JOB! She's making sure she gets their butts too, which is good, because I'd rather not do that! I'm still trying to get them to nurse. Only two of them have figured it out...but they all drink from the bottle, so I can keep getting nutrition in them. Alice is being a wonderful mom...I just hope her babies learn to nurse.
 
cocoalily

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Aww, they sound precious. I have to keep convincing myself that I do not want kittens... I doo not want kittens... I do not want kittens...
Do you know if any looklike they'll be long haired?
 
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katiescats

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No, Momma has very short hair and they all look short-haired to me. I'm uploading pictures now, so check back soon!

BTW, all babies are now nursing...thank goodness! Alice is being a wonderful mom, and I'm so happy that everything has worked out finally.

And maybe you want to get kittens, but you certainly do not want your cat to have kittens. After this experience, I don't think I'll ever get pregnant either! The vet bill was $750, and poor Alice is SO skinny now. Plus, she had to have surgery, which is risky. I wish that whomever owned her before had spayed her. She's spayed now though, and she'll never have to go through this again.
 
kluchetta

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Aw...I just got here - I've been busy for a while, but I love your story, and your dedication to Alice. Poor baby. I'm glad she has you. Our Elsa was found under a trailer, pregnant, and had 8 babies at our house, so I know how you're feeling there! Congrats on the babies, and RIP for the poor little one who didn't make it.
 
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katiescats

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Alice one day before having seven babies:



The six survivors (3 black female, 2 black male, 1 orange tabby male):



The little black one with the white spots



So hungry (note Mom's shaved belly and c-section scar...ouch)

 
cocoalily

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Poor Alice, she's probably exhausted. And you... You're probably exhausted too. Hugs for you and your babies!
 
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katiescats

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They are ALL successfully nursing! I keep feeding them a little KMR from time to time though...they can't always reach the nipples with 6 of them crowding around her. I'd hate for one to go hungry! She's in the bathroom now; she has 4 nursing around her and 2 resting. I'm so glad they're doing OK. More pictures to come as they get older!
 
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