I need a stiff shot badly

[lizblackdog]

The vet doing the cheap deal with the Cats Protection League can see her tomorrow. My own (subsidised and equally cheap) vet can see her Wednesday. I'm going with my own vet. None of them can see her today.

Also spoke to the local branch of the Cats Protection League themselves. They told me that if she is too pregnant to be spayed, they will, if I like, take her in and foster her for me until the kittens are ready to go, then they'll rehome the kittens and give her back to me spayed.

I'm not keen on that option from my own point of view, but if she has to have kittens I think it'd be the best one for her. I've got no experience looking after kittens and I have the dogs to think of. But if that happens she'd be gone for months. *sad face*

Comments

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

Well, looking after kittens is easy for you. The momma cat does all the work. One of our cats had a few litters of kittens before we could get her spayed. Stupid little whore would get knocked up while she was still nursing and you can't spay them while they are nursing. Spaying will stop lactation. For our part, it was very easy. Leave Athena alone, make sure she had plenty of food and water and keep a litter tray nearby because the momma cat will teach the babies to use the tray. Kittens are WAY less work than puppies.

With the dogs, however, it would be a test of your creativity to find a place that Cassie could den with her babies.

Allowing the league to foster her might be the best option, but you would have to start all over again with getting her adjusted to the dogs and your home. Would they allow you to keep her at your home until close to the birth day? It would suck for Cassie to be caged for too long a period of time.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

she could stay in the bedroom. It's easy enough to keep the dogs shut out of there.

...well, I'll sit on it for now. I can't decide anything till after the vet's given me the word on whether she has to stay pregnant or not anyway.

the main advantage of the fostering deal would be if anything went wrong with the pregnancy/birth she'll have a better chance with someone more experienced. She's still a kitten herself and she's already had some big changes to deal with - all that increases the chance of things going wrong.

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

She does look young. She also looks small, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Athena was small. I don't remember exactly how old she was when she first got preggers, but she was young too.

If she'll let you, you can feel her belly for "lumps." That way you can get an idea if she is really pregnant and if so, about how many and how big the babies are. If you can barely feel the fetuses, it might be pretty early in the pregnancy.

Both of my grandfathers (both vets), strongly recommend leaving pregnant animals alone to birth the babies. They tend to do better when people don't mess with them. In their decades of experience, they found that the people who had pets with difficulties in birthing were the breeders who bred their animals too soon, too often, meddled too much and were in general, stupid.

Another good indicator of when it is close to the end of a pregnancy is that a cat will start scoping out dark, concealed places to have the babies. Closets, under high beds, behind things, etc. are likely spots.

Good luck. I know it is a tough decision what to do, but you'll do the right thing.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

She's been really good about letting me aqueeze her!

I can feel a bulge, but I can't feel any distinct "lumps", and no movement either. This gives me hope that she may not be too far gone.

If she does have kittens here I have a walk-in closet in my bedroom that would be absolutely perfect for kittening in. She's not showing any sign of looking for dark enclosed spaces at the moment, though. She likes windowsills.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

She's pregnant? What?

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I think she might well be: http://lizblackdog.livejournal.com/241989.html

I'm not certain. It would certainly explain why she was left on my doorstep in such a precipitous manner, wouldn't it?

Keep your fingers crossed for me. I could be wrong, and even if I'm right I'm hoping she's not too far gone to spay.

[cottonmanifesto.livejournal.com]

I think, if she was 'too far gone' you would've noticed before now.

My fingers are crossed. The world does not need another litter of kits.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

I hope so, I really do. She doesn't have an enormous bulge, but it stands out because she's such a slender little thing herself.

at least I have a guaranteed rescue/rehome deal for them, if kittens can't be avoided.

[beebarf.livejournal.com]

If Cassie is pregnant, I think there could be a hell of a lot worse carers for her and her kittens than you - you have a healthy dose of common sense, have plenty of experience with animals, and seem calm around them.

She's had a lot of changes in a short space of time, I think having kittens with you (if she is too far gone to spay) would be a lot less stressful for her than having kittens at a foster home. But that's personal opinion, not an attmept at guilt tripping you, as you are the one that knows her best.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

I do try. I'm not a great dog trainer, but I do think I look after them pretty well.

I'll keep mulling it over. There's one big plus - if kittens are unavoidable at least I have the Cats Protection people in my corner, and they're the best possible people to find homes for the kittens.

I'm just crossing my fingers like mad that she'll be not-pregnant or spayable and I won't have to make the decision.

[kiss-kass.livejournal.com]

The vet should be able to tell pretty quick, but also keep in mind that some intestinal parasites and illnesses can cause a distended tummy. It could also be a mild reaction to her change in diet that will go away after she adapts. It could be a number of things really. If he doesn't think she's preggers, he should check her for those.

You take good care of your animals, but not everyone is so conscientious as you.

[lizblackdog.livejournal.com]

Yes - I'd really much rather it were something like that (as long as it was something fixable, anyway.)

My vet will do a general health check in any case - they always do that with a new patient.

thank you :)

[jeneration-why.livejournal.com]

I'm glad there's an option but it's one I pray you won't have to take. Giving her up for a couple of months means not only missing her like crazy, but also undoing all the work you've done in getting her acquainted with the Black Pack.

However, anything's better than having a house full of kittens. Cute as they may be.