Oops, AARRGGHH, bummer, and dilemma

I took the Walsung kittens to the vet today for a checkup and to make

Pat...

She developed into a normal size female cat. She wasn't with us nearly long
enough though, only about 3 years. We think a coyote got her. Eventually I
will scan some pics of her and post them somewhere along with pics of all
the kitties who await me at the Bridge.

Jo Firey...

At least she has some size on her if she is going to have some kittens.
Then again if she were smaller, it isn't likely she would have come in heat
so young.

Seriously, a lot of vets really need to revisit the question of when a
kitten is old enough to be
"fixed". Six months may be well and good for a small poorly nourished
kitten, but there are a lot of healthy well fed kittens that are maturing
faster than expected.

Ted Davis...

I brought that up during her examination, and the vet said OK, if I
were willing to accept the increased anesthesia risk. Frankly, I am,
and I wish he had said that much earlier.

tension_on_the_wire...

That's a good observation. I think perhaps it might have to
do with significant improvement in health care and
nutrition. It is true for humans too. It is not at all
unusual, now, in the States, to have girls begin their
menses as early as 8 or 9 years old. Forty years
ago, that was unheard of. Forty years ago, in
Norway, the average age was 17 yrs. With the
improvements in nutrition and health care,
humans are maturing faster and at an earlier
age, so why not for cats too?

Cheryl...

And with that, I hope the surgery and/or care can be improved to
the point that it won’t be as risky to spay cats in heat. Since
some people wait too long, or circumstances dictate waiting too
long[1] some cats need to be spayed while in heat. Since a cat will
stay in heat, or go into repeated heats until pregnant or spayed,
once they have their first heat, it’s hard to schedule a spay.

[1]My Scarlett went into heat in early January of 2005; I adopted
her and her brother in Nov of 2004, and they were estimated to be
about 9 weeks old. Her brother was neutered way before her, but she
was fighting a Herpes virus and was always too sickly to undergo
surgery. Our vet didn’t want to spay her in heat, but that’s the
time when a female cat will do everything to get out of the house,
and if the hoomin is not diligent, they will succeed. Scarlett did
have post-surgical complications, but it was never determined if
the heat was the cause.

arrangements for having them neutered. I had tried to set that up
earlier, but this vet doesn't want to neuter before six months.

The oops? Siegmund is a female.

The AARRGGHH? Sieglinde is 6-7 weeks pregnant

The bummer? They can't neuter them until the eighteenth.

The dilemma? That follows from AARRGGHH and bummer: Sieglinde will be
in her last week or so, if not already nursing, by the time I can get
her aborted/spayed. I am bothered by the notion of aborting kittens
just before they are born, but I am also bothered by the thought of
adding a litter of kittens to my already oversize clowder - a typical
litter of five would take the total to twenty. The current fifteen
are stressful for me and for each other - I really don't need to add
to that, though, considering that the kittens would be off-season, I
might be able to find homes for some of them.

mlbriggs...

All I can do is purr for you. Fifteen cats? More purrs for you. Newborn
kittens? That makes me kinda jealous. It is so much fun to watch them
develop. Perhaps you could give some of them as Christmas gifts? Purrs
that all turns out well in the end. Best wishes. MLB

Yowie...

I couldn't abort the kitts. But thats just me. I'd do my very best to find
homes for them, but if I couldn't, and I couldn't keep them either, they'd
be placed in no-kill shelters once they're were properly weaned (by which
time I would no doubt have fallen in love with them and wanted to keep them
anyways).

However, I couldn't condemn a person for deciding to go for the abortive
spay. Its times like these you want a Vulcan mind meld with them. Either way
the situation isn't ideal and there will be times where you may well regret
the decision, no matter which one it was.

Hugs & purrs whilst you sort it all out.

tanada...

Personally? I wouldn't have the kittens aborted, but I would fire the TED
and get one that is willing to neuter and spay at an earlier age. After
Christmas, I'd nave the babies Speutered and then find homes for them. Six
months is asking for something like this to happen.

Pam S.

polonca12000...

We are purring and sending best wishes that Sieglinde will not have many
kittens and that you will be able to find homes for them,
Polonca and Soncek

Takayuki...

Purrs for the decision. It sure is a big responsibility having a cat,
and you know that better than I do by a factor of 15. You're the one
in the position to evaluate your situation, and with so many kitties
already, I don't doubt that you want to give homes to as many little
souls as possible.

So if you decide to abort them, I would completely understand. But as
far along as they are, I'd love to see them born if you can manage the
newcomers.

Ted Davis...

I can manage - barely. She can have her litter - she's just too far
along to abort, and she has already begun early nesting behavior.

Takayuki...

It'll be fun to see how all your other cats react to the new babies.

Ted Davis...

I would expect mild interest form some and nearly complete disinterest
from others. I have no idea who the other two red tabby kittens will
react.

Jo Firey...

Now that its been decided happily, we can start a pool such as we had for
Pam's "due any day" momma cat.

I'm guessing kittens October 31.

tanada...

I'm guessing 5 kittens November 1st

Pam S

Jo Firey...

Make that three on the 31st

Pat...

You gotta say how many kittens also....

I'm saying 3 kittens, 2 males and 1 female, on 10/19.

tension_on_the_wire...

My guess is five on Oct. 15th (mine & Luthien the Elder's birthday).
And if there's a calico in the mix, I would like to suggest a name:
Meekah.

Cheryl...

Is there another vet that can take her sooner? You probably know
my stance on unwanted pregnancy in cats. Have you seen tomcats
hanging around (I know you’re in a remote area)? 6-7 weeks
pregnant would mean kittens when, a couple of weeks?