Vet has me confused!! Help!

[maewkaew]

 i think i see  3 or 4 in there.  and could be more.  

Very good idea to block off under the bed now.  You don't want her having them under the bed where you can't help if needed,  and can't easily get to them  to check on them, weigh them etc.

 

[llemonier08]

Really? I thought I saw a third...breech with the head one the bottom left....I mean looking at the whole picture their bones seem the same color as her ribs.

 

[maewkaew]

 OK I just looked closer,   now I am back to  just seeing 2 and maybe the 3rd.     I may have been looking at one spine as if it were two.   It's.   hard to see with the bones not so calcified. 

 

[tabbymommy]

I see 3 babies.

 

[eb24]

I'm not even going to pretend that I can decipher that x-ray. 

 I would count on two, maybe three, but I doubt there is more than that. 

It's good you took her in now- if nothing else for your own peace of mind. You are right, just take it one day at a time. I'll throw in my two cents that I am really not a fan of induction- in cats or in humans- unless it is medically necessary for the life of the Mother. I guess I figure mammals have been giving birth unassisted for as long as they have been on this Earth, and if the babies haven't come yet there is probably a reason for it. Of course, that is solely between you and your vet to decide, I just always like to have an opinion about everything! 

Just try and stay relaxed and she will too. Her body will tell her when it's time and hopefully she will make that known to you. For all the worrying I've done over pregnant fosters I have never missed a birth. Instinctively I think you will just know. 

 

[llemonier08]

Tabby where do you see the third?

 

[llemonier08]

Thanks EB!!! I know I'm probably just being over worried...I always did the same thing with my own kids, and go figure...all three times I was in labor when my contractions were not regular. My third, my son, I called my husband and said this is it...nurse told him right before I delivered she never saw anything like it. Iregular all the way to delivery. I just told her...that's my life...irregular lol. I think I'm just going to try not to be so anxious. She is my baby though :0( The least day I suspect it...it'll happen lol.

I'm figuring two, if a third comes...I'll love it too! This may be the first time anyone has heard it but I may now have to be selective about who gets them so many friends and family are interested!! Maybe I'll go grab a couple kits from the shelter and pass them off as hers? :0) joking...but it could work?

 

[eb24]

Well if it's any comfort you pretty much sound like everyone else who is dealing with their first ever Queen. 

 With my first foster I was totally in agony during the wait. I kept thinking every little thing was labor starting and was disappointed time and time again. Then, when it actually did start I just knew. It was like my own maternal instincts kicked in and I could see it in her eyes- the anxiety, the fear, the pain- all of it. The whole time I was waiting my Mom just kept telling me to chill out and when it was time I would just know. UGH I hate that the woman is right about everything! 

So, that's my big advice. You will think a hundred times that this is the moment, but when it really is you will see it in her face and that little gut twinge will go off inside you. And you are so right- it will be when you least expect it!

It's wonderful to hear that you know so many people who are interested in the kittens, and you absolutely should be selective about who they go to. This article provides a great base of questions to consider asking potential families: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/kittens-to-good-homes . Remember, just because they are wonderful friends doesn't mean they will be wonderful pet parents, and not every household is right for kittens. 

For those families who you don't choose please do refer them to your local shelter. You could even go so far as to call the shelter and find out how many kittens they have, their ages, ect. Hopefully you have read the recent thread posted by TCS site owner Anne about how it is hard for many users to get excited about pregnant "house cats" because for every home you find for yours means there is one less home out there for a shelter cat (if you haven't read it please take a moment: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/257546/...-of-thecatsite-com-to-owners-of-pregnant-cats ). You would be doing a world of good for the delicate balance if you helped get some shelter kittens adopted in the process! 

 

[llemonier08]

Thanks EB! She had more discharge this morning. Definitely sleeping with a purpose today.

 

[mamabirdy]

I agree with EB, you'll know for definite when she's in labour. Ginny was quite active during yesterday, eating like a horse and the discharge only happened when we thought she had started. It was a clear colour and only a small amount from what we could see, she had been licking herself throught the day.
Just be patient and it will happen and when it does it is such an amazing sight.

 

[llemonier08]

Alright I'm seeing what you lovely ladies were talking about. The constant attention....rolling on the ground. She is very restless...she will take a bite of food...stop and look around, and walk around. Won't sit still. She got in her box and started digging....constant licking. She is upset with me because I locked her in the spare room and had to go to the store....if what I read is right...24 to 48 hours?

 

[eb24]

 Definitely sleeping with a purpose today.

 - I don't know why that is so funny to me but I keep re-reading it and laughing! 
Oh yeah those are all signs of a Queen getting close and it wouldn't surprise me if she went in the next day or so. Of course now that I said that she'll make it two days just to make me look like a moron. 

Gotta love cats and their unpredictability! 

 

[llemonier08]

Lol she was boy I'll tell ya! Well she is definitely not happy about the room. I went in to check on her and she was attacking my hand then licking it...the most peculiar range of emotions. So I let her out to roam...and now we are locked in together. Hopefully this settles her a little. She is sleeping on her belly on the bed with me... Box next to the bed now. She had quite a bit more discharge this afternoon...and A LOT more licking! Doubtful on tonight by how calm she is...you may be right!

 

[eb24]

Well it's at least good that you are sleeping in the room with her so that if she does go you won't miss it! 

Good luck on getting a good night's sleep tonight! 

 

[maewkaew]

I love the idea about referring people to a local shelter...  maybe if the shelter has a webpage or Petfinder listings you can send that to some of the people.... 

Another idea... if they are wanting a Siamese mix or  pointed domestic,  you could  send them a link to Siamese Rescue.  http://www.siameserescue.org/      They are a network of rescue groups across the U.S.   In the East the HQ is in Virginia but they have foster homes in many states and a volunteer transport service.   They sometimes get pointed kittens.     and have a lot of beautiful adult cats.  and a cat can bond with you at any age. 

Good luck .. it does sound like she may be close,  what with the discharge and licking...  sounds like now she might really have lost the mucus plug. 

 

[llemonier08]

maewkaew that is an awesome sight. I have heard so many people say that they would love to have a Siamese and they look into shelters around here and can never find one. I will definatley pass on the word. My husband and I looked for months to rescue a Siamese playmate for Jagger, without luck. Jada fell in to our laps. I did have one horrible experience with "A" Medina County shelter (county next to us but not county run). They had rescued several Siamese from a hoarder. I called and asked about them, and told the woman I spoke with I had kids, and a male that needed a friend to play with. She was very encouraging and asked us to come out. 

I took my son with me (2 at the time) to the shelter (45 min drive). I walked in, and this woman approached me, and asked what I was there for. I told her to look at the Siamese she had rescued. She immediatley points at my son and asked "is that yours?" I said yes. She proceeded to get very loud with me and tell me they will not be good with children (when I say loud I mean she was yelling and clearly upset at the very thought I even asked). I asked again "do you mind if I just look at them, I drove all this way and I don't have to take one, I just want to see them?" At this point I am so upset at this woman's behavior I was concerned about them. 

She walked towards the back office and starts yelling at, apparently, the woman I spoke to about how she should not have encouraged me to come. Then comes back out of the back office and tells me that Siamese are "not good with children anyways" "she has never seen a Siamese get along with children" "they are not good FAMILY pets". I asked what her opinion was on Pit Bulls and left in tears. I did call some County Admin Offices about my experience but I don't know whatever came of the situation. HORRIBLE. 

To know that people that approach me about my Siamese, and inquire about where they may be able to find one, can rescue one instead of purchasing one from a Breeder is relieving. I too completely understand the over population situation. I felt like the worst pet parent ever when we figured out she was in fact pregnant, however had she not become pregnant, I would not have gotten all this information. I can direct people toward a rescue of Siamese instead of people wanting Breeder information. Light of the situation...I think I just found it.

 

[maewkaew]

People have the craziest ideas about Siamese.   Maybe that woman watched Lady and the Tramp too many times as a kid and had nightmares about Si and Am  ( I swear a lot of people's opinions of Siamese were shaped by that cartoon! .  Or maybe she just met one difficult Siamese ( or pointed cat that she THOUGHT was Siamese,  since most people just think any pointed shorthair is a "Siamese" and there are tons of them who are not)

.  Siamese often do not show their best in a shelter.   They get so attached to their people and it is very hard for them to be separated.   and they can just be rather high strung and might act neurotic in a  cage.  

That said,   back in the early 1990s we adopted an 11 year old Siamese from a shelter ,   he was so sweet the employees called him Cuddles.   but nobody wanted to adopt such an old cat and he was due to be killed the next day when my dh who worked there, could not stand it and brought him home.    He was always so loyal and loving,  and got along great with both adults and kids. 

That was before Siamese Rescue had started.     Later I  adopted a couple cats from them.   including a cat who became like my "heart cat",  a Siamese mix , the smartest cat in the world,  just an amazing , extraordinary cat.     (   Most of the cats in Siamese Rescue aren't pure Siamese,  but there are some who almost surely are ,  and there are definitely Siamese mixes with  quite a bit of Siamese in them , like my Louis.    and then there are also a lot of pointed domestics that probably have very little Siamese ancestry  --  but if someone just likes the coat pattern,   they can find a lovely cat that way.     The rescue just calls all of them Siamese.   so if someone really wants a cat with a very Siamese type personality or something,  they need to make that clear when talking to them.      The cats are often in foster homes and the foster parents get to know them quite well. 

But I do want to say that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with someone buying a Siamese from a good breeder.    One can be pro-rescue without being anti-breeder.  I love Siamese and I want to see genuine Siamese preserved,  and it is of course the breeders who do that, who strive to breed and raise healthy, well socialized cats with that so human-oriented, communicative, intelligent, humorous personality .  

 and by buying the pet kittens,  it is actually helping to preserve the breed.     And if someone wants that in a cat and wants to be a part of supporting the breed,  that is fine.  That too is a worthy choice. 

   There are still way too many homeless animals -- sadly there will always be some because people just treat pets as disposable.   plus people die or get sick ,  or lose their job and home.  So there will always be a need for shelters.     But the good news   ( though sometimes in kitten season it is hard to remember it)  is that  the numbers of dogs and cats being killed are way way down from where they were several decades ago   and I strongly believe it can keep getting better with more access to low-cost or free spay/ neuter,  more community support for TNR for feral / stray cats,   shelter reform,  shelters making a lot more effort to market their pets and working cooperatively with rescue groups to save lives,  etc. 

On the other hand there are certainly breeders who should not be breeding    and I would far rather someone adopt a Siamese mix from a rescue than encourage some BYB to keep breeding  more mixes.    and IMO selling "purebred" puppies and kittens in pet stores should be banned.   Reputable breeders don't sell their kittens or pups that way where they are usually taken away too young and kept in  a store cage , cared for by some bored teenager and bought by anyone who walks in with a credit card. 

  

If someone DOES want a pedigreed Siamese  ,  they do need to be careful to find a breeder who is in it for the right reasons.    but they should not expect they will get the real thing from a good breeder for cheap.  If they don't want to pay  $500-700 for a well-bred kitten,  it would be a lot better to adopt from Siamese Rescue.    which is I think around $125,  a little extra with transport ,  or I think that is what I paid but that was not recent.

Or another alternative is  that sometimes breeders are looking for homes for adult cats.   They just can't keep all the alters without becoming overcrowded, which is stressful to the cats.   and some cats would be happier in a home where they don't have to deal with the moods of the whole cats.   So sometimes one can find an adult pedigreed cat,  and usually the fee is quite a bit lower than for a 3 month old kitten.     like maybe around  $150-300.

 

[llemonier08]

Don't get me wrong! If someone wants to go "breeder" by all means! Most of the inquiries I get are specifically where to rescue....some ask about breeders. I would not recommend the breeder I got my Jagger from though. She was OBVIOUSLY in it for money. The next closest reputable breeder is two hours away....so I normally just tell people rescuing is the way to go.

Funny you mention that movie because that's where I began to live Siamese when I was little. Made my mother procure my Romeo...Blue Point. He was beautiful! After that It was all dogs. When our Boxer passed a couple years back we were devastated. Then my son started dragging around a plastic
Puppy and asking it to poop. I said enough is enough...we are getting a pet. After some MUCH needed convincing the anticatist of the year, my husband, I finally got my Jagger for anniversary. Needless to say....he brought Jada home....his opinion has changed. Lol.

He sees the worst out on the streets everyday. Especially when he has to call the Humane society out for an abused animal on scene. He is VERY pro rescue.

 

[maewkaew]

  And Siamese Rescue really often can transport the cat to you!   or at least close.    I am so glad I thought to post the link.    I was delighted when I found them.. it was after that Siamese we adopted from the shelter had died at age 18.,  and  a lynx point domestic longhair from the same shelter died 3 weeks later.      I really wanted another Siamese and did not see any in shelters at that time.  Then I found there was a Siamese Rescue ,  and I was so happy I could get cats that might at least have a fair bit of SIamese in them,  and at the same time could help some homeless cats. 

 

[eb24]

To know that people that approach me about my Siamese, and inquire about where they may be able to find one, can rescue one instead of purchasing one from a Breeder is relieving. I too completely understand the over population situation. I felt like the worst pet parent ever when we figured out she was in fact pregnant, however had she not become pregnant, I would not have gotten all this information. I can direct people toward a rescue of Siamese instead of people wanting Breeder information. Light of the situation...I think I just found it.

I just love this. No, it's never good when a "housecat" ends up pregnant. But, once it's happened and the commitment to have the kittens has taken place there really isn't much that can be done about that. From there, it's all what you make of it. You can always look at the situation as a bad one, or, you can accept responsibility and do everything you can to make lemonade. Not only have you been committed to your Queens health and to the health of the kittens once they come, but you are looking for other ways to pay it forward. And that is a beautiful thing! Maybe you have more to do in the world of rescue (even if it's just referring people who want a kitten to the right place) then you ever realized! One person can make a huge difference, and I'm glad you are looking at this experience as one to learn and grow from. Good for you!