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Why didn’t they TELL you they saw a full term kitten, instead of just a vague “we think she’s ready to pop”?
and
Had the vets a month ago explained they saw a full term kitten in there would it have been a better result?
If I had realized that they’d seen a full-term kitten when I got her a month ago, I would have taken her to the vet to find out what was going on. HOWEVER, that is 100% on me. I should have called the vet and asked why specifically they thought she was about to pop. Nearly every pregnant cat I take is supposedly “just about to go into labor,” then they wait weeks to have their kittens, and after seeing that so many times, I let it cloud my judgement. (I once got a “pregnant cat” from a vet – a different vet – who turned out not to be pregnant at all). Moving forward, I’ll be more careful.
And yes, I will continue to foster pregnant cats in the future.
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What happened must be incredibly, incredibly rare, right? I know cats can get pregnant at different times, but I always assumed it had to be rather close together, not weeks apart? What typically happens when some kittens are full term and the others aren’t, but they were still conceived more closely together?
It is rare, but not unheard of – it’s called “interrupted labor.” I belong to a Facebook group for fosters, and I’ve read of cats who have kittens, the fosters think they’re done, and a day or even several days later there are more. One person even mentioned that she had more kittens born TWO WEEKS LATER. So I suppose that theoretically if she’s gone into labor with the first kitten, then Carmy could have been born 4 weeks later.
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Last week two sweet former fosters came to visit (along with part of the Luli & Cat team). FYI, you can see them and their brother Waffle on Facebook and Instagram!
Muffin (formerly known as Ouiser from the Magnolia23 litter) was a little unsure.
She took her time and checked out the situation.
Along with Muffin came Maple (formerly known as Dillydally from the Hopalong Gang.) Did they remember the Churu table? Sure did!
“You know what we want, lady.”
Maple with the helpin’ paw, just in case I forgot where the Churu goes. Muffin, on the other hand, absolutely refused my Churu offering.
Fortified by an entire Churu, Maple went to work figuring out the track toy.
Muffin remembered this closet! I don’t know what it is about this closet, but the Magnolias loved it. They’d demand to go in there and check things out at least once a day. And it’s just toys, extra rugs, and random other things. Nothing exciting… but I guess they thought maybe someday something exciting would appear.
Muffin supervised some track toy play.
Then she checked out this scratcher/bed. Which I thiiink I had when the Magnolias were here, but perhaps not.
Maple with the track toys.
“It just… seemed so much bigger when I was a kid!”
Muffin checked out the mirrors several times.
Muffin was a cute kitten, but as a nearly grown cat, she is BEAUTIFUL.
Maple is so pretty! Her curious little face kills me.
Muffin went under the blanket to chill out, and Maple checked on her.
Just hanging out.
Maple checking out the view.
It was such a sweet visit – both girls definitely remember being here. Muffin was a little more tentative – circling the room, checking out all the old spots (under the bed, up inside the couch cover, under the blankets) – and eventually approaching me to be petted. She was happy to jump up on the Churu desk with Maple, but absolutely refused to take any Churu from me. She was like “My mama said not to take food from strangers, and no one’s stranger than you!”
Maple rarely stopped moving – checking out every corner of the room, playing with the toys, climbing up the cat trees, checking out the window seat. I swear, if I had one tiny bit of that energy! She was eyeballing the teasers at one point, and I took down the Da Bird teaser to play with her. That girl FLEW. I had to put it away after a few minutes because she was going so wild – she’d catch the feathers and growl because she was NOT giving up her “kill” for anyone. It was so funny to see.
I loved seeing them; having them here – and talking about Natalie – was the perfect way to spend a few hours. It helped immeasurably – and also helped to see how ready those girls were to go home. They were both like “Nice place to visit, but let’s go HOME.” They know where their home is, and it ain’t here!
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Carmy’s on the move!
Toddling about, checking out the rug.
He’s such a little cutie pie.
Carmy’s eyes are about to open, I think. I expect by Monday they’ll be open and we’ll get to see his beautiful blue eyes. I can’t wait!
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The sweet little family. (Carmy is not in this picture – that little brown tabby is her kitten. And the one to the right who looks like a brown tabby is the black boy – he’s got a lot of stripes and spots, and since I have to lighten the pictures a bit, it brings out those stripes in pictures.)
Mama’s eye looks rough here because I had just put ointment in it.
Later today – or possibly tomorrow, I haven’t decided yet – I’ll be bringing Carmy in to see the little family again. Hopefully all will go well – even if he doesn’t nurse, as long as mama has no issues with him I’ll leave him in there with them for a while and see how it goes. Like I said – if he won’t nurse from her, that is perfectly fine. I can feed him in the foster room as easily as I feed him downstairs, and I am very sure that he’ll figure it out.
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I wish Rocco could find a way to relax.
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) yesterday.
Good morning, from this sweet little family. Sorry if I worded things confusingly yesterday – I did find a family for Carmy to join, and I went and got them – they’ll all be here in my foster room, so you’ll still get to watch Carmy grow alongside his new family! Mom’s eye is doing better, though she’s still squinting a bit. I’m continuing to put the ointment in it, and hopefully that’ll fix her up.
Names hopefully coming later today – I just need to decide on them and run them by Michelle!
YouTube link
Feeding Carmy. (While I call it “bottle feeding” it’s actually a syringe (not that that makes all that much of a difference) ; this is the first time I’ve successfully used a nipple on a syringe, and it’s going really well. I tried to convince Carmy to drink from the bottle, but he’s apparently a syringe man all the way.)
Good night innernets. (Names tomorrow, I promise!)
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Previously
2023: A Kes and her mama.
2022: Nacho’s giving me the Eyes of Judgement.
2021: “Just wanna hang out and play with my kicker toy, lady. Is that so much to ask without this little whippersnapper barging in?”
2020: The look Constance gave me when I asked if she could possibly be any cuter. (I assume the answer is “no.”)
2019: A boy in a basket with a baguette. Oui!
2018: They were looking at the blue spring, the best toy ever!
2017: Chip is weirdly obsessed with the strainer in the utility sink.
2016: “I know she’s got my toy. I’m just biding my time, lady.”
2015: Gracie.
2014: No entry.
2013: Sweet rumpled little monkey girl.
2012: “POLLY, HE IN MY BASKET.”
2011: “Wush up, guysh?”
2010: I guess that toy knows who the boss is now!
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
>>HOWEVER, that is 100% on me. I should have called the vet and asked why specifically they thought she was about to pop. Nearly every pregnant cat I take is supposedly “just about to go into labor,”
I don’t think you or the vets did anything wrong here at all. Sometimes there are freak occurances that will *always* blindside us, and hindsight is a wonderful thing, but we can never know to ask all the questions that will cover all eventualities. It’s knowledge for both you and them which can cover this eventuality in future, but i’m sure there will be another random occurance that happens in future which also can’t be prepped for! That’s life. I think you did a brilliant job all round.
Off to read the rest of the post now, had to say that straight away lol!
Same
And you expressed it much better than I did. Now I’ve finished reading this blog I’ve another comment.
“I let it cloud my judgement.”
Robyn, in the post you wrote, you described your intuitive thoughts and you and Fred and the emergency vets did everything possible for Natalie. You could not have known this would happen. Go easy on yourself. Trust yourself. You had a special connection with her. I too felt she was special when reading your posts. Carmy is the legacy of her short, beautiful life. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Birth is hard, no matter what the species, and no matter how prepared or knowledgeable people are things will still go wrong. As a former Vet-Tech I saw a lot of weird things with pregnant animals and sometimes sad things which, with hindsight, perhaps could have been prevented but were not, and often I don’t know that any amount of knowledge would have changed the outcome. Sometimes it’s just the way of things. You did all you could. You gave her love and affection and a good home. She gave you a beautiful little kitten and a heart full of love and memories.
Everything is turning out great after such a hard week for you and Carmy, I’m so glad! Onward and upward! Love you!!
Robyn
Nothing is 100% on you about Natalie being about to pop. Please stop thinking or saying this.
Yes, I’m telling you off for telling yourself off!
Doctors, vets etc need to make sure we understand the important stuff they say.
I don’t know if you will see the emojis I’m adding cos they disappear for me. hug hug
Regularly your Facebook post is the first thing to appear when I open Facebook but today it was second, after dog post which is good and as Facebook has pumped up the ads after some ads so very surprised to see the reds on the Churro table Maple hasn’t been long gone so it’s lovely to see how much she seems to remember! Ouiser I don’t remember them investigating that cupboard and occasionally I’ve spotted it’s door and wondered where it led, now we know, thanks Ouiser.
Aawwww, that was very sweet and as you mentioned helpful for you thankfully.
We really don’t give our pets or animals enough credit for what they take In, seeing and reading about your alumni visitors shows yes they remember and like you said they were happy to get away to their forever home after their visit.
I love learning about them and their personalities and behaviour.
Thank you Robyn for recording and allowing us peek in at your wonderful, loving, sharing fostering. Xx
Little Carmy’s ears moving while feeding-so cute! How much do wee baby kitties eat? I’m sure it’s like little humans in that it’s a small amount at first and gradually increases.
Thanks for answering the question about multiple simultaneous pregnancies — I had wondered the same thing. I guess I always figured that if a cat got pregnant twice, the two pregnancies would be very close together. It seems like something hormonal would prevent a second pregnancy much later. So interesting!
And I’ll join the chorus saying that there was probably nothing you or the vet could have done to prevent this. Something obviously went wrong that kept Natalie from going into labor at the appropriate time with the first kitten. As always — thank you for taking such good care of all these mamas and babies!
You and Fred did everything possible to save sweet Natalie and her other baby. I’m sure these 2 different time spaced pregnancies are rare. Blame falls on everyone that doesn’t spay and neuter their cats and these beautiful kitties become pregnant and struggle to survive on their own. Y’all are amazing helping these mamas, babies, and kittens grow and experience love.❤️
Thank you!
Carmy is adorable. I am a sucker for wee orphans.
After having cats for the last 40 years, (count is up to 17 total), it seems every couple of years I still learn something new about them, whether it be mental or physical. Do NOT blame yourself. Natalie knew your love, caring & kindness!