Pregnant Cat

[AeryFairy]

So we took pixel to the vet for a health check and to see if we could get her spayed, and it turns out we can't because she's pregnant with about two weeks to go.

FUUUUUUUUU.

Does anyone have any advice? I've never dealt with kittens, or pregnant cats, or anything like it.

 

[AeryFairy]

I should also add that we can technically still get her spayed... However, the vet said this was a risky procedure which he would not recommend. I'm interested in thoughts on this, too - I can't find much online about the risks of having her spayed whilst she is pregnant.

 

[mlp]

I have had a number of cats (and one dog) spayed, at various stages of pregnancy. They charge more because they have to take extra steps because of potential bleeding. According to my vet, there is minimal, if any, increased risk to the cat even in late stages of pregnancy.

And of course, there's always a risk to the cat in giving birth.

 

[Pirate]

Oh wow, I bet that was a fun thing to discover! maybe its due to the late stage that the vet doesnt want to spay, or it could just be for moral reasons he's trying to put it off. Could you get a second opinion? I can ask my sister if she does them this late in her surgey, shes a trainee vet nurse.

If Pixel does have the kitties, I have no advice. Good luck though (and post lots of pictures).

 

[Freesia]

Awww. I think perhaps it is a matter of providing a nest area for her. The kittens will probably be adorable. You can advertise locally and perhaps some families and people wanting a kitten will adopt them. I think they get adopted at 6 weeks though. You can provide litterboxes as I think they train early. You would need a hard floor, washable area possibly with training pads on the ground. Perhaps get a baby gate to keep them all in one room.

 

[Freesia]

I remember when Gypsy was spayed, the vet said it was lucky we had brought her in because she was actually 6 months old already and she luckily hadnt met any gentleman cats yet. She was small for her age though so she only looked about 3 months old.

 

[AeryFairy]

We've talked it over and gotten some further professional advice, and we booked her in for a spay tomorrow, which will go ahead as long as the pre-operation checks go okay. She's really healthy so there shouldn't be any major risk involved, but I'm really nervous - I seem to have the worst luck when it comes to cats.

 

[GingerFoxx]

Good vibes for both of you. It's a tough decision but with so many homeless animals out there and filling the shelters, it may be the best thing, especially if she is otherwise healthy and not high risk. I am sure you will spoil her rotten as she recovers.

 

[AeryFairy]

Good vibes for both of you. It's a tough decision but with so many homeless animals out there and filling the shelters, it may be the best thing, especially if she is otherwise healthy and not high risk. I am sure you will spoil her rotten as she recovers.

The overpopulation issue was the key deciding factor, really. I spoke to some local shelters that I trust, and they're all full. We don't really have the facilities to keep them ourselves (we could take one more cat, but no more than that), and the responsible pet owners we know can't take on any more. I'm not comfortable with giving/selling them to strangers - too many people out there who don't know the first thing about proper cat care, and kittens are more complicated. I just hope nothing goes wrong.

 

[KLS52]

I give you credit...tough decision. Not sure I would be able to resist her having kittens, which is not a good thing. GingerFoxx makes a good point.
When I first moved to my current home, Mandi was just about a year old. She got out and became pregnant. The first kitten died...he was really huge! Not sure if that had anything to do with it. She had four more and I had to assist with cleaning their little faces and getting them to breath. It was scary and nerve wracking...I'm not exactly cut out for anything even remotely dramatic, lol. People came out of the wood-work, wanting to adopt them when they were old enough. Then when the time actually came to give them away, everyone changed their mind. That's how I ended up with six cats...Mandi, her four babies, and my Mikey. That was seventeen years ago. Cybil is the only one remaining. I lost my Thor in April.

Anyway, I'm sure you are making the right decision and I hope that everything goes well and that Pixel will have a long and happy life with you. I will be thinking of you both.

 

[Pirate]

I think youre doing the right thing. A few years ago I got into a row with someone who believed a cat had a right to have kittens (they weren't vegetarian for the record). She insisted that there would be a home for every kitten, and loads of people she knew said they'd have one. In the end they got rid of 1, all the other prospective owners flaked out or changed their mind, so the rest ended up at a shelter. Good luck to Pixel tomorrow!

 

[mlp]

For what it's worth, AeryFairy, it's the decision I would make. The sad fact is that, for every kitten that is born, there will be one more cat being killed in a shelter or dying on the streets, whether it's that kitten, or if the kitten is one of the ones fortunate enough to find a home, the cat who could/would have otherwise been adopted into that home.

So even if the surgery doesn't go well (and I am confident it will go well), it would be one life instead of three, four or five, or whatever the size of her litter would have been.

I understand your concerns - I am extremely paranoid every time I make the decision to have someone put under anesthesia. But this is the right decision, and I commend you for it.

Pixel and you will be in my thoughts until she's back home with you.

 

[Amy SF]

Pixel will be in my thoughts. Good luck!

 

[AeryFairy]

She went in this morning. The vet seemed hesitant to perform the procedure, which has really got me worried... We were told surgery would start at 11, though, and they only call when she either wakes up or something goes wrong, so no news is good news right now. I've just got my fingers and toes crossed that she'll be fine.

 

[KLS52]

(((hugs))) Aery...I hope everything goes well.

 

[Mel]

*Hugs* Aery. Hope it all goes well.

 

[AeryFairy]

She's fine! We just got the call

Really feeling like we made the right decision. She's still snoozy from the anaesthetic, but we can pick her up later

 

[KLS52]

Yay! Happy news!

 

[mary1]

yay! So glad she is okay!

 

[mlp]

Yay!!! Yes, you made the right decision.