Two tabby parents...care of kittens

Willowy

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There is a chance of a solid or pointed kitten, if both parents carry the gene. But mostly, yeah, they'll be dark tabbies.

Post pics when they're born!
 
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cmarie29

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There is a chance of a solid or pointed kitten, if both parents carry the gene. But mostly, yeah, they'll be dark tabbies.

Post pics when they're born!
Will do, should be any time now!
 

StefanZ

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they will be all or almost all, copies of parents. Lefty is a mackerel tabby, righty seems to be a ticked tabby (no easily visible markings on the side nor back, right?).
Ok, with purebreds the diagnose would be easy. But tabby is dominant, and they arent purebred, so they can easily have other, more recessive genes too... So someone may have other pattern.
feks:
Someone may be a point.
Someone may be a longhair.
Someone may be blue colored / blue tabby
Someone may be solid black.

But most will be shorthairs, either ticked or mackerel TABBY, I would guess on brown tabbies.
 

talkingpeanut

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Would you like help finding a low cost spay/neuter clinic in your area? It would be best to have dad done now, and to schedule an appointment for for mom 2 months after the kittens are born.
 
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cmarie29

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We are taking the daddy to get fixed as soon as things open up again (covid 19)
I’ve looked for low cost around here but couldn’t find any, would be great if we could find one because we didn’t plan on having two cats, mom was a stray we found starving to death in the winter
 

IndyJones

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Make sure you keep the Tom away from the queen in the meantime. She can get pregnant again fairly soon after giving birth. Even while still nursing.

Have homes planned for the litter in advanced and have bottles and formula on hand prior to the birth.

Side note: I love the markings on your cats. Brown mackerel tabbies are my favourite.
 
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cmarie29

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These are our new additions!
We introduced daddy last night (supervises closely) and all seemed okay.
Then let him in to see them this morning and he was hissing at either them or mama.
I’m keeping mama and kittens in the bathroom (mama is not a fan of this too much) because I know some male cats will kill kittens. At what age will it be safe to let them out without a risk of him hurting them?
Thanks all!

(And yes mama and papa will be fixed please refrain from commenting this)
 

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Willowy

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Awww! 😻

They look darker like their dad but it will be interesting to see how they develop.

So sorry about the little one :frown:.
 

Sarthur2

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The kittens are much too young to meet the dad. Wait until they are weaning to soft foods, so in the 6-8 week range. Continue to supervise. He sees them as intruders

Do you have a bedroom you can isolate mom and kittens in? The bathroom is too confining. If not, you need to let mom out a couple times a day for breaks. You’ll need to supervise mom though, because your intact male can impregnate her again right now, believe it or not.

Do you plan to neuter your male? Now is a good time while mom is busy with her kittens. It takes a few weeks for testosterone to diminish after neutering. Mom should also be spayed when the kittens are 8 weeks old.

Most male cats do not much care for kittens and have no idea they are fathers. Their main interest is in mating again, and they will mate with a daughter when she is as young as 4 months old.

Do you have a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in your area?
 

Willowy

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The male will be fertile for a few weeks after neutering (sperm hiding in the tubes), and females can get pregnant again right away, so he shouldn't be around the mother until she's spayed or he's been neutered for at least 3 weeks.

As for the kittens, usually you should keep other adult cats away from them until they're running and playing on their own, maybe 5-6 weeks.
 

Lillyenn

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As others wrote you should wait until they are old enough and starting to eat cat food, not just milk. I think it's best to introduce them slowly, the first few times it's safer if dad can smell them and see them, but can't interact with them fully, since there is not just one kitten, he might get overwhelmed because of the number of them too. (But that's just based on my experience, others might have done it differently).
Also even if dad gets used to them quickly, until you can be 100% sure that he is not playing with them too roughly, you should never leave them completely alone for a long amount of time (at least until they are big enough in size too compared to the father).
You will not be able to keep them in the bathroom for long, once they are start playing they will need a bigger space, and they will be trying their best to escape and explore + mama cat will want some occasional alone time too. Good luck with them <3
 

cataholic07

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Sorry about your lost one :( Contact vets who are lower in cost to see if they offer curbside pick up. Some still do. You can also contact rescues as some offer tnr/snr programs :)
 

StefanZ

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I see momma isnt ticked tabby after all, she is striped tabby she too, a brown mackerel tabby.
 
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