Topic: Pregnant young cat needs someone to help it (Sorted) (Read 26938 times)

poppycat · « **Reply #88 on:** June 27, 2011, 22:40:27 PM »

Thanks everyone for being so supportive and mlm I'm sorry if you felt I was blaming you. That really wasn't intended.

I am still really shook up having witnessed Bella's reaction. I thought she would die in the car or even worse start fitting and have permanent brain damage. Knowing that I'd put her in that situation was really upsetting even though I know I was only trying to help her. I feel so responsible for her now and want to make sure she's happy eventually. Problem is I don't know how I can get her safely to me now and so that's why I'm thinking she might have been better of staying in familiar surroundings roaming freely rather than being shut up in some pen, assuming I can even find a local rescue home to take her.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #87 on:** June 27, 2011, 22:26:26 PM »

mlm, noone's to blame except the people that should've been caring for this little girl.

poppycat, one of my cats once broke out of a cat carrier and had a full on panic attack in the car; it was terrifying. I was in the passenger seat and he broke out of it while it was on my knee and bolted to the parcel shelf where he sat hyperventilating. Thankfully we were really close to the vets so my friend parked up and I coaxed him back to me. He was so stressed out, so I can only imagine how this little girl felt with an unfamiliar person in a moving vehicle on a hot day....

I'm glad she's receiving the treatment she needs and well done to the both of you for helping her.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #86 on:** June 27, 2011, 22:09:39 PM »

You are definately not being blamed mlm, why do you think this?

Bella has been saved from a situation that may have killed her and now she just needs a home so part way there.

poppycat · « **Reply #85 on:** June 27, 2011, 21:27:03 PM »

mlm please don't think that. You were trying to do the best for her based on what you observed daily. Bella's situation was not ideal where she was and something needed to be done. It's nobody's fault that this has turned out this way. She is still in a safe place and although not ideal at least we know she is being fed and looked after. I just wish there was some better way of helping cats like her. If the local shelters weren't over run then we wouldn't have had to move her so far.

Her extreme reactions were just fright - she didn't know me. Fear of being trapped in the carrier, fear of the car and all the associated noise. The hot weather didn't help either. Neither of us could have foreseen the reaction. I've never had a cat that's ever reacted like that. They've all grumbled and moaned pitifully but generally were reassured that they were safe because they were with someone they knew loved them.

My frustration is with the whole situation. None of us should have to sort this out and no cats or other animals should be being neglected and abused. You did what you thought was the right thing. I did what I thought was the right thing. I'm just reflecting on the fact that sometimes we have to accept that we can't always resolve the situation to how we would like and maybe sometimes lesser interventions are better, particularly in view of the fact that these situations are never ending and will keep re-occurring. It will only be a matter of time before Bella's owners get a new cat and the cycle will continue but there may not be any one there to help or care.

moira · « **Reply #84 on:** June 27, 2011, 21:25:07 PM »

mlm, whether or not things were as bad for Bella as we first thought (I can't know that) at the end of the day Bella is now
receiving vet care, will get speyed and chipped and will go to people who will really care about her. That's what matters. Rescues dont always go to plan but at the end of the day you cared enough about her when her 'owners' clearly did not to try to make a difference in her life. Just taking her out of the breeding cycle will save so much misery in the long term. I don't think anyone should be blaming anyone here.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #83 on:** June 27, 2011, 21:10:50 PM »

Quote from: mlm on June 27, 2011, 20:47:56 PM

Feeling a bit like I'm being blamed here :/

Not at all

I certainly don't read that from any of the posts either

You were worried about her and it seemed rightly so given how swollen her abdomen was from the sounds of things. It's just a shame it hasn't worked out, especially as you're moving so soon so can't even continue to feed her if she has to go back

mlm · « **Reply #82 on:** June 27, 2011, 20:47:56 PM »

Feeling a bit like I'm being blamed here :/

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #81 on:** June 27, 2011, 16:57:49 PM »

Quote from: moira on June 27, 2011, 16:44:04 PM

Don't beat yourself up, Poppycat. We all wish we had hindsight. Look, she was clearly needing veterinary help and she is now getting it, thank's to you. Fingers crossed she gets rescue backup/foster place/adoptive home soon.

Can only echo this

moira · « **Reply #80 on:** June 27, 2011, 16:44:04 PM »

Don't beat yourself up, Poppycat. We all wish we had hindsight. Look, she was clearly needing veterinary help and she is now getting it, thank's to you. Fingers crossed she gets rescue backup/foster place/adoptive home soon.

Dawn F · « **Reply #79 on:** June 27, 2011, 14:36:02 PM »

you were only trying to help, lots of cats hate cars and the heat probably didn't help

poppycat · « **Reply #78 on:** June 27, 2011, 14:28:45 PM »

This is still urgent. The vets will only keep her for a few days and then she's homeless.

Just had an update from the vet, she's stable but very quiet. They think that might be because they've got a few dogs in. Poor thing is probably really bewildered. In hindsight, should really just have arranged to get her checked over somewhere local to where she lived and then left her in her familiar surroundings if all was in order.

This was my first rescue and the inexperience shows. I've not done her any favours by trying to help and feel terrible about the trauma she's been put through. She is going to be so freaked going back in a carrier and into a car again, that I really don't know what on earth to do.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #77 on:** June 27, 2011, 13:34:22 PM »

I think this is still urgent cos needs a home fast

Janeyk · « **Reply #76 on:** June 27, 2011, 13:24:33 PM »

Can this be moved out of urgent now?

poppycat · « **Reply #75 on:** June 27, 2011, 08:25:11 AM »

Hi All

She is in Lymington or nearby ( I think ..... I was in such a panic I don't actually know where I was !! ) in Hampshire. The vets mentioned Lymington Cat and Kitten rescue in Lymington.

Having had a sleep on it and thinking about things more rationally, I'm not sure that the rescue was in the best interests of Bella. Without a doubt her owners don't seem like the most responsible but may be Bella is just a cat that prefers being out. Like a lot of cats she could also appear to be absolutely ravenous literally 30 mins after scoffing their faces. Every cat I've had, as soon as someone new came in through the door would put on a 'poor me' begging face and act like they haven't been fed for weeks.

We also get half a dozen neighbouring cats visiting and begging for food, some of whom I have fed on occasions and they can wolf down a couple of pouches in one sitting. These cats however are definitely not being neglected and some are more than rotund.

Bella didn't strike me as being particularly scrawny. She's only 8 months old and so seemed normal for her size. However mlm has been feeding her, so it's difficult to know how much food she was getting from her actual owners and how much from mlm. Her stomach was so swollen and hard the vet initially thought she may even have a cancerous lymphoma if she had leukaemia. Thankfully turned out she is just a greedy guts !!

I should get an update on her later. Hopefully she'll have settled and all her tests will come back normal. In which case in a day or so when she's a bit more recovered she'll be spayed, chipped, vaccinated etc ready for re-homing. Now the immediate task is to find her somewhere nice to live locally. I'm 2 hours away and there is no way I want to subject the poor thing to the same trauma by trying to bring her up again with me.

Any help in re-homing will be greatly appreciated.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #74 on:** June 27, 2011, 00:07:12 AM »

My goodness the poor little girl and sounds like she had been starving just as you thought mlm.

I do hope she will be Ok and can get a home or rescue place.

JackSpratt · « **Reply #73 on:** June 26, 2011, 23:43:42 PM »

poppycat, that's really generous of you. Hoping the little girl is OK in the morning - where is she again?

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #72 on:** June 26, 2011, 23:33:49 PM »

The poor baby

I have to admit I was worried in case there were kittens out there somewhere so pleased that aspect has a happy ending

Good job you realised how serious it was and got her to the vets in time

moira · « **Reply #71 on:** June 26, 2011, 23:21:00 PM »

OMG, how traumatic for you. Bella is so lucky that you rescued her. Glad the kitten issue is resolved. It did seem a little strange to me. Have you cross posted on Catchat? You could also try www.animallifelineuk.org to appeal for rescue back up.

Steff - Petsearch Bedford HQ · « **Reply #70 on:** June 26, 2011, 23:14:35 PM »

How scary

but good that you have been able to get to the bottom of the pregnancy issue.

Poor little thing, I hope she is better by the morning *fingers crossed*

Well done guys for saving her and your quick action today

poppycat · « **Reply #69 on:** June 26, 2011, 23:07:31 PM »

Update on Bella, the pregnant cat.

I picked her up at 5.30 today and we started heading home. Unfortunately 5-10mins I realised that she was not quite right - started panting heavily. Another 5-10 mins later she had started drooling badly and then diarrohea. I pulled over to try and get her to drink but she was just struggling to breathe. Kept driving, hoping she's calm down. By now I had let her out the carrier and had the windows open as much as poss to try and get her some air, but she was just collapsed panting and drooling in the footwell.

It was obvious she needed emergency vet assistance so with mlm's help turned back and drove like mad to a vet in Lymington. She's been admitted. Needed oxygen and fluids to stabilise her - took about 15 mins to calm her down, but thankfully by the time I left she seemed stable and breathing normally. They've kept her in for observation and recuperation and are doing bloods etc tomorrow.

They were / are confused about the pregnancy issue. On admission they said her abdomen was swollen and thought it might be a mass rather than live (or dead kittens) as her teets didn't match those of a pregnant cat / or one who had given birth recently. I agreed to pay for an X-ray etc and it came back that it was just loads of food in there !! .....bones as well so may be she had been snacking on mice or rats.

Anyway upshot is, hopefully she is going to be fine health wise. However on-going I think the original plan of me taking her will have to be abandoned as there's a risk of the same thing happening again on the journey. The vets are really nice and are going to spk to Lymington cat rescue to see if they can re-home her. I've agreed to pay for all her care including spaying.

Problem is all the rescues are full - the vets already have 6 strays they can't re-home. So can any one help with re-homing this lovely kitty. There won't be any homing charge, but the home has to be really nearby as even with sedation transporting her is going to be risky.

Rafflesmoore · « **Reply #68 on:** June 26, 2011, 18:09:00 PM »

Hello

Did the boy when you asked him answer you as to whether she had kittens or not because you don't say, other than him being shirty.

Also, have you checked the area your flat is in since she appears very quickly when called. She may have given birth close to you because she can rely on food.

I hate to think of her being taken away and leaving her kittens to their fate, if she has them.

mlm · « **Reply #67 on:** June 26, 2011, 17:37:52 PM »

Im 95% sure. In all honesty, I hate to say it...but if shes had them outside and left them alone at all...well. We live in the city centre of the most rat infested city in the UK! We have more than London apparently. So, I hate to say it, even if she has had them outside, I don't think they would be around now.

We decided it would be a better idea to at least save her.

Anyway, poppycat has just come to collect her

And I'm sure she'll keep us all updated on her progress.

LesleyW · « **Reply #66 on:** June 26, 2011, 17:25:23 PM »

Have a good look at her nipples, if she is feeding she will show signs - fur will be "sucked" (will look like it has been licked and dried) and her nipples will be raised. It may not be the case with all of then, they may not all produce milk, it is usually the ones near the back with my mums if they have small litters.

I would have thought if she has kittens she will get restless at some point to be with them.

moira · « **Reply #65 on:** June 26, 2011, 16:52:18 PM »

mlm are you absolutely sure she has no living kittens hidden away? Domestic mum cats dont normally leave newborns for very long, its true, but this poor little girl has been chucked out to have her kittens like a feral cat, and like a feral cat she hasn't had the luxury of someone coming to her and placing bowls of food in front of her. She has had to leave the kittens to find food for herself. She will be ravenously hungry if she is feeding kittens, I am currently fostering a mum and 4 newborns and mine eats like a horse even though she came to me in good condition. Its wonderful that you have rescued her but I just hate to think of her kittens starving to death somewhere. Have you asked the 'owners' if she has given birth yet? Such a pity you couldn't have got her before she gave birth.

Gail Bengal Slave · « **Reply #64 on:** June 26, 2011, 16:38:38 PM »

YAY good news for this little love - feel sad about her babies

mlm · « **Reply #63 on:** June 26, 2011, 14:13:15 PM »

She's been with me about 2 hours now. Absolutley STARVING. She scoffed down a whole bowl of food in seconds! She's completely calm, the door is shut and she's just chilling in the house. From what I know of new mothers, they dont leave the young for very long...and cats are very very mothery. So yep, looks like she's lost them or just abandoned them. She's too young poor thing.

Anyway - bit of an update - poppycat is coming to get her later! So happy, means she gets a great home and I don't have to panic about her when I move.

Dawn F · « **Reply #62 on:** June 26, 2011, 13:10:13 PM »

if she had kittens it sounds like she doesn't any more

mlm · « **Reply #61 on:** June 26, 2011, 10:15:25 AM »

She was around last night, bt no sign of kittens!

poppycat · « **Reply #60 on:** June 25, 2011, 22:46:36 PM »

Any sign of her or her babies ?

mlm · « **Reply #59 on:** June 25, 2011, 21:02:10 PM »

Quote from: poppycat on June 25, 2011, 20:53:13 PM

I have no experience of new cat mums and their habits so really don't know how they behave. Strikes me as being highly odd that any new animal however would abandon their young for such long periods of time. I can understand her coming for a quick feed, but most wild and domesticated animals natural instinct would be to get back to their young asap.

I think if she's hanging around for that length of time then she's almost definitely alone. It would be good to try and find out for definite though. Perhaps wait and watch as planned tonight to see if she leads you any where ?

Will do. I'll pop some more food out there now, my window (i live on the ground floor) is open so ill hear her. Or Mr. Macho will hear her first!

poppycat · « **Reply #58 on:** June 25, 2011, 20:53:13 PM »

I have no experience of new cat mums and their habits so really don't know how they behave. Strikes me as being highly odd that any new animal however would abandon their young for such long periods of time. I can understand her coming for a quick feed, but most wild and domesticated animals natural instinct would be to get back to their young asap.

I think if she's hanging around for that length of time then she's almost definitely alone. It would be good to try and find out for definite though. Perhaps wait and watch as planned tonight to see if she leads you any where ?

mlm · « **Reply #57 on:** June 25, 2011, 20:46:20 PM »

Quote from: Gill (sneakiefeline) on June 25, 2011, 20:30:15 PM

Having watched Angies mothers with kittens, the kittens feed almost none stop to start with, mothers do abandon kittens if they think they are dying. so if the mother has been around for an hour or more something has happened to the kittens I think.

Sounds like she definately needs a new home and a vet check to make sure she is OK after the birth but you are the only one on the spot mlm to watch and see what happens and make the decision with poppy to what to do.

hmm, thats what i thought. When we went and got Gizmo, the breeders other Queen had just had a litter, and we had to walk through the living room to go see the Dad (a hulk of a Ragdoll), and she fed the kittens the whole time we were there, for a good few hours!!!

She was with us today for about an hour, I gave her some food and tried to check her out as best I could.

Yeh will try go find her now. I mean, this is the worrying thing. I can go outside, call her, and she'll be there in seconds. So she's either never ever in...or I'm just lucky!

Poppy - what do you want to do?

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #56 on:** June 25, 2011, 20:30:15 PM »

Having watched Angies mothers with kittens, the kittens feed almost none stop to start with, mothers do abandon kittens if they think they are dying. so if the mother has been around for an hour or more something has happened to the kittens I think.

Sounds like she definately needs a new home and a vet check to make sure she is OK after the birth but you are the only one on the spot mlm to watch and see what happens and make the decision with poppy to what to do.

mlm · « **Reply #55 on:** June 25, 2011, 20:08:46 PM »

Quote from: poppycat on June 25, 2011, 19:58:58 PM

Not sure what to do if they say no. I suspect that the kittens aren't there. Keep a check on where mum is tonight as they are unlikely to throw her out and keep the kittens alone as mum would presumably look after them throughout the night.

Are they an approachable family or are they a bit shirty ?

I'm a bit torn as to whether to kidnap mum on her own. The kittens if there are any will have no chance without her. Even with her and if you're gone it doesn't sound like she's being fed enough to be able to give them proper nutrition, so they may perish anyway. I'm almost tempted to try and save her at least regardless.

Would be interesting to see what other people think.

Well when I spoke to the boy he was a bit shirty with me, but at the same time not caring about her. I know what you mean, I'm not even convinced they lived...as she is so tiny to be going through labour. And like you said, she wasn't been fed enough. So I doubt they have changed their attitude.

Yeh, will keep Gizmo on guard!

poppycat · « **Reply #54 on:** June 25, 2011, 20:01:15 PM »

If you hear her bell tonight, follow her as she may lead you to the kittens if they are all out somewhere.

poppycat · « **Reply #53 on:** June 25, 2011, 19:58:58 PM »

Not sure what to do if they say no. I suspect that the kittens aren't there. Keep a check on where mum is tonight as they are unlikely to throw her out and keep the kittens alone as mum would presumably look after them throughout the night.

Are they an approachable family or are they a bit shirty ?

I'm a bit torn as to whether to kidnap mum on her own. The kittens if there are any will have no chance without her. Even with her and if you're gone it doesn't sound like she's being fed enough to be able to give them proper nutrition, so they may perish anyway. I'm almost tempted to try and save her at least regardless.

Would be interesting to see what other people think.

mlm · « **Reply #52 on:** June 25, 2011, 19:49:36 PM »

Quote from: poppycat on June 25, 2011, 19:45:41 PM

If they have the kittens just be really friendly and say you'll take them all as you can get them all re-homed through friends and as you're moving it will be easier for them to do the viewings at your new place, but will take them now so they have a chance to settle with you before they are moved again.

You can then kidnap mum when she next comes for food. In the meanwhile I'll be on stand by to come and pick them all up.

Right, they aren't in as far as im aware. No answer! So will go over tomorrow morning. What if they say no?

poppycat · « **Reply #51 on:** June 25, 2011, 19:45:41 PM »

If they have the kittens just be really friendly and say you'll take them all as you can get them all re-homed through friends and as you're moving it will be easier for them to do the viewings at your new place, but will take them now so they have a chance to settle with you before they are moved again.

You can then kidnap mum when she next comes for food. In the meanwhile I'll be on stand by to come and pick them all up.

mlm · « **Reply #50 on:** June 25, 2011, 19:36:52 PM »

Quote from: poppycat on June 25, 2011, 19:24:24 PM

It's a tight time scale but do-able if we get moving asap.

How about popping round to the owners tonight and very friendily saying that you noticed their cat isn't pregnant anymore and that you've got a friend who's interested in taking a kitten or two and could you have a quick look at them ? That way you might get some info, or at least establish whether they are in the house or not.

I would be a bit wary about saying that the cat's come round to you again as they might take it as being interfering and take it out on the cat. If she's being neglected and the kittens have been 'disposed off' then we can go ahead and remove her asap.

Where does she normally spend the nights ?

Ohh god plan! Will go do that in a sec. Ok...so what if she has had the kittens? We'll just have to leave her there?

As far as I know, outside. My kitty will hear her bell and run at the window being all macho

poppycat · « **Reply #49 on:** June 25, 2011, 19:24:24 PM »

It's a tight time scale but do-able if we get moving asap.

How about popping round to the owners tonight and very friendily saying that you noticed their cat isn't pregnant anymore and that you've got a friend who's interested in taking a kitten or two and could you have a quick look at them ? That way you might get some info, or at least establish whether they are in the house or not.

I would be a bit wary about saying that the cat's come round to you again as they might take it as being interfering and take it out on the cat. If she's being neglected and the kittens have been 'disposed off' then we can go ahead and remove her asap.

Where does she normally spend the nights ?

Author Topic: Pregnant young cat needs someone to help it (Sorted) (Read 26938 times)