Oops...

[ameezers]

My grandfather recently passed away, I spent about a week at the end of September away from my house, in order to care for him at his home during his final days. I left my MIL to help my husband (whom works long hours) with my kids and my zoo crew.

It was my intention to breed my female in approx 6 to 8 months as she is only 14 months old now.

Apparently during my time away my female went into heat, I always separate her from my intact male during this time; but because I was not home and in my haste to get to my grandfather I did not explain to my MIL what to do if that happened. My female doesn't make much noise when she comes to call, she just becomes VERY affectionate and does the butt lift when you pet her.

To my horror when I arrived home, my husband and MIL told me that she caught my male trying (and turns out succeeding) in mating my female. My MIL called my husband after she caught them and he instructed her to separate them immediately but I am afraid the damage was already done.

Her nipples have changed from skin color to pink and her belly is growing.

She is free fed Orijen cat and kitten dry, and given weruva paw lickin chicken or 9 livers wet (the only wet food she will eat!) 1/2 a 6 oz can in the morning. She is up to date on all of her shots, all my cats have tested negative for FIV and FeLV.

I had a lady that agreed to be my breeding mentor, I called her last week but have yet to hear back from her. I don't know if it's because I messed up and now my female is pregnant sooner than we had talked about or (what I am hoping) is that she is just really busy.

I am so embarrassed that I let this happen so soon. I had a clear plan, that I discussed with both my mentor and my vet...

 

[StefanZ]

14 months should be old enough regardless of breed, it was the planned male... just to pproceed according to the planes.

What is the breed? I dont see on my cellphone.

 

[Sarthur2]

Eighteen months is the recommended minimum age to begin breeding, but she should be okay. Then of course you would wait a year before breeding her again. These things happen.

I suggest that you give her an evening wet food meal as well. She really should have 3-4 wet meals a day while she is pregnant and nursing. She needs the extra nutrition in addition to the dry food.

You'll want to have a can of powdered kitten formula on hand as well. Begin giving mom a dish a day for the extra calcium.

How far along is your cat?

 

[talkingpeanut]

I also think that it may not be enough to separate your cats only when the female is in heat. She can get pregnant at any time the male decides to mate with her, as cats are induced ovulators.

Would love to see more photos of the gang.

 

[lacy2000]

Can someone tell me what a breeding mentor is?

 

[Sarthur2]

It is an experienced breeder who guides a novice breeder through a first litter and beyond, offering advice, support, and legal knowledge.

 

[ameezers]

Sorry every one they are thai cats (traditional siamese), and yes it was my intended male that she mated with.

I have plans for stud housing in my house, but unfortunately we have had some unexpected things happen which have put a wrench in our savings. I haven't seen him trying to mate her when she is not in heat, and I have been fortunate that he does not spray (yet any way!)

I have a can of powdered kitten formula, that I can give her some and will start on more wet food tomorrow. She is picky with wet food and will only eat 2 kinds, but loves dry food.

She is due around around the 22nd of November

 

[ameezers]

My kitties

 

[StefanZ]

I want to mention goats milk is ok to use.

How old is your male?

 

[ameezers]

He is 10 months old

 

[StefanZ]

Ok. Young males often dont have problems with spraying nor behavior. The problems gets more accenturated later on when they are fully adult, at 18-24 month old. so was it with our Russian blue residents. These are as you know very alike in body with Thai. Pointed RB are easily taken for Thai...

Siameses - also the old type ones, mature fairly early, so 14 months for her is fully OK, no problems. Even if a couple of months more wouldnt hurt.

With a late blooming breed, alike persians or MCO, yes, 18-20 months for a female would be appropriate.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Sorry every one they are thai cats (traditional siamese), and yes it was my intended male that she mated with.

I have plans for stud housing in my house, but unfortunately we have had some unexpected things happen which have put a wrench in our savings. I haven't seen him trying to mate her when she is not in heat, and I have been fortunate that he does not spray (yet any way!)

I have a can of powdered kitten formula, that I can give her some and will start on more wet food tomorrow. She is picky with wet food and will only eat 2 kinds, but loves dry food.

She is due around around the 22nd of November

Your boy mating her while she is not in heat is not something you would know about until it’s too late, unfortunately.

 

[ameezers]

StefanZ the Russian blue are gorgeous cats! They were actually in my Top 3 cats when we went to adopt, but my hubby was dead set on Siamese

Now I can't imagine owning any other breed!

 

[Sarthur2]

Your cats are beautiful!

 

[ameezers]

So I know that I will need to switch the kitty litter from the clumping kind to something that won't harm the kittens if they eat it. I know that I will have to transition it slowly putting the clumping on top, so I would like to start the tradition ASAP, so it's not a lot all at once.

Any suggestions for a cheap alternative? I have 4 cats now, 5 litter boxes and use QualiCat dust free clumping litter from Costco, it costs like $11 for 50 lbs of litter. I would like something fairly comparable in price as I go through A LOT of litter! I would also like something that at least attempts to mask the odor of cat urine/feces.

I have a petsmart, pet value, global pet store and farming supply stores all within driving distance.

Thanks so much for your time!

 

[Sarthur2]

There is no need to switch all of your cats' litter boxes. You'll need to keep mama and kittens separate from your other cats anyway.

You'll just need to set up a couple of kitten pans with non-clumping clay litter (any brand) when they are about 5 weeks old. While they are small, you can use disposable aluminum cake pans from a dollar store.

Once they are eating solids and using the litter successfully, you can return to clumping litter. The transition is usually pretty quick - sometimes just a couple of weeks. Maybe 4 weeks tops.

 

[ameezers]

She won't eat any other wet food other than weruva paw lickin chicken and 9 livers. She also won't touch the KMR (picky Kitty!). I have been giving her 1/2 a 6 oz can 3 times a day (so 9 oz of wet).

I was thinking about making her some homemade food, any suggestions of what to use? For high calcium? I saw on another post some one day egg shells ground up finely, Is there any thing else I can use?

 

[ameezers]

So the day is fast approaching!

Setting up a birthing box for Tula today and confining her to our bedroom (I am pretty sure she plans to give birth in my youngest son's room and I would like to prevent that from happening!). I am fortunate enough to work in a long term care home, so I was able to get lots of old towels and such that the home has taken out of rotation.

I took a week off work so that I don't have to take time off work just in case.

In my birthing bag I have;
- Blunt scissors (sterilized)
- Iodine swabs
- Dental floss
- Book to write weights ect in with emergency numbers on the front
- KMR
- feeding bottles
- string to identify each kitten for their daily weight checks
- one if those sucker things that you use for babies

Is there any thing else that I have missed?

 

[kashmir64]

clean soft towels?

 

[ameezers]

I have lots kashmir64 (given to me by my work)