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Old May 8th, 2010, 05:40 PM
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A litter of kittens from a stray cat...what to do...

Hello there everyone,

It's been a long time since I was on here. However, circumstances have come together to once more bring animals into my life that need a bit of help. I am looking for your best ideas, suggestions, etc. as I highly value the community here. So in a nutshell, here is the situation.

My husband and I rescued 3 cats (who had been dumped, we suspect), all not fixed but very, very friendly. One is in the house, two are outside. The downside....one female was pregnant!! The other non-pregnant female is in the house away from any frisky males. We are planning on taking them all in to get fixed after this females pregnancy. *sigh*

So...the last time I tried to find homes for cats ie. two of the ones we rescued, not one single taker emerged. I tried ads on Kijiji, the Bargain Finder, my facebook, word of mouth, etc...so I really need some help in finding some other form of communication to get the word out to people needing a kitten(s). I am sure Whisper will give birth in a few days or less... her stomach is obviously distended and swollen. We found her towards the middle of March....that would be just about right...

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
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Last edited by Meghan_K; May 8th, 2010 at 08:36 PM. Reason: correction
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Old May 8th, 2010, 05:47 PM
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Here are a couple of pictures of the mama-to-be, little miss Whisper.
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Old May 8th, 2010, 09:46 PM
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OMG that little face....so cute.
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Old May 8th, 2010, 09:50 PM
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She looks adorable. Is she still this tiny ? I'm hoping she won't have trouble having the kittens

as for putting them up for adoption , I would contact rescues in your area.
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Old May 8th, 2010, 11:09 PM
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OMG, I hope she isn't that tiny! If she is I would be having your vet number close to you during delivery. Poor sweetie. Stupid for dropping her off.
Thank you for bringing her in to look after her.
I would not be advertising on kijiji. Just my personal feelings. People on there want things for next to nothing or free. Like Frenchy said, if you can find a rescue that would be ideal. Maybe your vet or local shelter know of a rescue near by.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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Old May 8th, 2010, 11:15 PM
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Whisper is sooo cute ....such a sweet face.

I also hope she is not still that tiny as she looks so fragile to be having babies of her own. You said that the non-pregnant kitty was in the house. I hope Whisper is in the house as well.

Good luck and keep us posted.
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Old May 8th, 2010, 11:16 PM
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Jeez, looks like she is just a baby herself .

Have you tried your vet? My vet often fosters litters of kittens and then adopts them out .
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Old May 9th, 2010, 03:42 PM
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OMD,she looks like a baby herself,she's beautiful,I hope everything goes ok for her,being soo tiny.
I too believe a rescue,or a vet would be the best place for the kittens,you never know who you get from ads.
Good luck to little Whisper and you
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Old May 12th, 2010, 06:57 AM
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We have liftoff!!

This morning I awoke for my ritual 5 am trip to the loo, and I couldn't resist checking in on my little porch guest. And...I heard the telltale mewing of newborn kittens. Little miss Whisper gave birth sometime between midnight and 5 am this morning, and the little darling came through just fine. I had been quite concerned about her small size, and had a couple numbers on speed dial just in case. When I took a peek I was a little shocked to see mama happily nursing and purring away to no less than FIVE kittens!!! Such a dainty little girl that Whisper, I never thought she was packing that much heat!! Realizing their bedding was soiled and damp, I carefully transferred the little family to a clean box (lined with towels warmed in the dryer ), and haven't been able to fall back asleep due to kitten related gleefulness. I definitely will have some pictures for you, but those will be have to be uploaded after the hubby growls and claws his way to the land of the living. It is his day to sleep in, after all. I've been saving the very best news for last. My wonderful, amazing parents have stepped up to the plate and offered to take Whisper, her kittens, AND Whispers brother, Falcor. Erm...the hubby was in charge of the names. So, what a HUGE load off our shoulders!! No more worrying!! Now their future is secured on my folks huge rambling farm, complete with a warm hayloft, lots of love, and of course, treats and ritual spoiling ^_^ The most amazing thing of all though, is here I was sure this little family would have to be broken up to find homes for them all, but not one will be separated from the others. All 7 members will stay together!!!!!!!! Thanks for all your help, Ladies!!! And for rooting for the underdogs and (and cats) of the world, too.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 07:06 AM
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Here is a picture taken right around the time we found them. Twins, hey? ;D Felt I should upload something since I have to wait for the kitten photo shoot.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:14 AM
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Megan,they are sooo beautiful,look like twins for surethat both mama and kittens will be ok.
Can't wait for pics
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:22 AM
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That's good news. Are kitties going to be fixed as well?
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Old May 12th, 2010, 12:23 PM
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can't wait for kitten pics!!! I think Whisper and Falcor (especially that one as I was a huge NeverEnding Story fan when I was younger!!!) are great names....really match their colouring and whispy look! Glad everyone is ok!
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Old May 12th, 2010, 05:17 PM
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Pics of the new family

So here's Whisper is in all her motherly glory Looks pretty proud of her offspring, I must say. She's developing a strong bond with her kittens, which is excellent. As you can see all of them have her coloring except one, the biggest male of the litter is a light, light orange or yellow. To answer your question, no, I'm positive my parents have no plans to fix them. Shots and regular veterinary care - definitely. Spaying and neutering isn't an issue on a farm most of the time ;D
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Old May 12th, 2010, 06:37 PM
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OMG she is so cute! but she looks llike a baby raising babies!

I am so confused by this statement???? please tell me that your not going to have 7 related kitties running around a barn not fixed??

no, I'm positive my parents have no plans to fix them. Shots and regular veterinary care - definitely. Spaying and neutering isn't an issue on a farm most of the time ;D
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Old May 12th, 2010, 07:39 PM
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I had a feeling this would come up. So first and foremost, I'd like to explain a little more about that sticky, touchy subject of why someone would choose not to fix their cats on a farm. On the first point, you can rest easy as in my experience cats will only mate with related members of their family when absolutely no other mate is available. It's a survival instinct. And the queen chooses who gets access, not the males, contrary to popular belief. And that certainly can affect the local tomcats to the point of them lining up to be one of those lucky few who made it past first base heheheh. So they do have a tendency to be cattishly picky about that sort of thing. So the chances of inbreeding are extremely, extremely slim as there are more than a fair share of tomcats willing to travel overland when a sweet little female begins her caterwauling love song
And of course, this is in the vast open country, not the city, or anywhere even near a town. This is 8 quarter sections of land we're talking about or approximately 2680 acres of land compared to my mere 40 acres here. All that land needs mousers to patrol the outbuildings or you will quickly have an insane pest problem. So frankly the only one who might and I stress might get fixed is Falcor, and that's only because sometimes Tom's tend to get the old wanderlust and disappear. Um....and please don't be offended...but I feel I should point out that only 10% of the population live on farms. If you didn't grow up in that world, then I can appreciate how the spaying/neutering movement can also be viewed as something considered dreadfully politically incorrect if not adhered to. Farm life to city folks is sometimes like an alien culture, just like city life is to us country folks at times. And...no self respecting farmer would ever, ever pay $ for shelter cats, at least not out there. Can't speak for the rest of the world, but farmers are pretty much the same over, no matter where you live ;D They don't see much point in driving 2 hours into town to adopt shelter cats when his buddy down the road has a boxful of free kittens. : So why spay and neuter your feline predators when you will always need those mousers around? These cats aren't just destined go be cherished pets, they'll be farm employees of a very important sort as well. See where I'm going? I hope that helped clear the air ;D And please comment if something still isn't making sense or seems weird. I'm sure I could drone on about farm life for a quite a few more paragraphs
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Old May 12th, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Okay I am not even gonna go down that road but listen if you think that those 7 cats will not multiply come on down here and I will show you some locations where that is exactly the case. OH and that is not true that they will not mate with one another....OMG!!! We have different thinking than what you have described obviously...any possible money spent on these poor babies would be to spay or neuter them!

I am not trying to insult you but when you joined you must have read this....

Most people on this forum are against declawing cats, and are against banning specific dog breeds. Most people on this forum are VERY pro spay/neuter, and are against backyard breeding. Most people on this board will beg, borrow and max out their credit cards to see a veterinarian when their pets are ill.

I realize your trying to do good by them but you can do wayyyyy better for them than letting them each have multiple litters a year!
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:24 PM
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All my cats are rescued from a decent sized piece of wooded area behind my house. They were all inbred and all suffered medical problems from chronic eye infections to missing limbs.

So, sorry, you are just very wrong.


Maybe when one dies of a pyometra or prolapsed uterus or dies in kitten-birth you will understand.


And besides that, when we are practically slaughtering cats left and right because no one wants them...

I could go on and on about how flawed your logic is but I'm tired and might get quite pissed off so I'm going to leave it to the others.

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/...ay_neuter.html

Quote:
Stopping pet overpopulation starts with you!
The Humane Society of the United States


Spaying or neutering your pet is an important decision for pet owners. As animal lovers who value our pets, it is important to understand the impact of this decision.
It happens everywhere
In every community, in every state, there are homeless animals. In the U.S. as a whole, there are an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals entering animal shelters every year. About half of these animals are adopted, and tragically, the other half are euthanized. These are healthy, sweet pets who would have made great companions.

The number of homeless animals varies by state—in some states there are as many as 300,000 homeless animals euthanized in animal shelters every year. These are not the offspring of homeless "street" animals—these are the puppies and kittens of cherished family pets and even purebreds.

Yes, your pet's offspring could be shelter animals
Many people believe that their pet's puppies or kittens would never become homeless shelter animals. But the reality is that every time the dog finds his way under the fence to visit the neighbor's female dog, or the indoor/outdoor cat comes back home pregnant again, the result is a litter of dogs or cats. Even if they are placed into homes, it is still possible for them to end up in shelters once they become "hard to handle," or for them to reproduce further and for the next generation of puppies or kittens to wind up homeless.

Many people are surprised to learn that nationwide more than 3 million cats and dogs are euthanized in shelters. Spay/neuter is the only permanent, 100-percent effective method of birth control for dogs and cats.

Not just for dogs and cats
When being conscientious about the pet overpopulation, don't forget to spay or neuter your pet rabbit. Rabbits reproduce faster than dogs or cats and often end up in shelters where they must be euthanized. Spaying or neutering rabbits can reduce hormone-driven behavior such as lunging, mounting, spraying and boxing. Spaying females can prevent ovarian, mammary and uterine cancers, which can be prevalent in mature females.

Millions of pet deaths each year are a needless tragedy. By spaying and neutering your pet, you can be an important part of the solution. Contact your veterinarian today and be sure to let your family and friends know that they should do the same.
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/...ths_facts.html

Quote:
Myths and Facts About Spaying and Neutering
Think you know all the facts on pet overpopulation?
The Humane Society of the United States


iStockphoto
The most important thing to know about spaying and neutering is that it saves lives. In every community in every U.S. state, there are animals sitting in animal shelters waiting for homes. Only about half of those dogs and cats will ever get one. The other half will be euthanized.
Making the decision to spay or neuter your pet means fewer pets—pets as sweet, loving, healthy, and deserving of companionship as your own—will be euthanized for lack of a home.

But just in case you need more information before making this important decision, here is the truth behind some commonly spread myths about spaying and neutering.

MYTH: It's better to have one litter before spaying a female pet.
FACT: Every litter counts.

Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat are typically healthier. Many veterinarians now sterilize dogs and cats as young as eight weeks of age. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

MYTH: I want my children to experience the miracle of birth.
FACT: The miracle of birth is quickly overshadowed by the thousands of animals euthanized in animal shelters in communities all across the country. Teach children that all life is precious by spaying and neutering your pets.

MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.
FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats—mixed breed and purebred. About half of all animals entering shelters are euthanized.

MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.
FACT: It is a dog's natural instinct to protect home and family. A dog's personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

MYTH: I don't want my male dog or cat to feel like less of a male.
FACT: Pets don't have any concept of sexual identity or ego. Neutering will not change a pet's basic personality. He doesn't suffer any kind of emotional reaction or identity crisis when neutered.

MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.
FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don't give them enough exercise.

MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.
FACT: Your pet's puppies or kittens have an unlikely chance of being a carbon copy of your pet. Even professional breeders cannot make this guarantee. There are shelter pets waiting for homes who are just as cute, smart, sweet, and loving as your own.

MYTH: It's expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.
FACT: Many low-cost options exist for spay/neuter services. Most regions of the U.S. have at least one spay/neuter clinic within driving distance that charge $100 or less for the procedure, and many veterinary clinics provide discounts through subsidized voucher programs. Low-cost spay/neuter is more and more widely available all the time.

MYTH: I'll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.
FACT: You may find homes for your pet's puppies and kittens. But you can only control what decisions you make with your own pet, not the decisions other people make with theirs. Your pet’s puppies and kittens, or their puppies or kittens, could end up in an animal shelter, as one of the many homeless pets in every community competing for a home. Will they be one of the lucky ones?


http://www.sniksnak.com/stop_s-n.html

Quote:
Each year thousands and thousands of cats and kittens, dogs and puppies are euthanized due to overpopulation. Statistics show that 10-12 million pets are euthanized annually in the United States. Using the lower figure of 10 million, that's 192,308 per week or 27,473 pets euthanized every 24 hours, 365 days a year.

Seventy thousand (70,000) kittens and puppies are born every day just in the US...every hour 415 children are born...3,500 cats are also born. Twenty-five percent (25%) cats - one out of every four - are destroyed daily. The majority of these cats and kittens are bright-eyed and healthy, with no physical or mental deformities.

Why are they being killed? Because their care givers, the ones who have sworn to love and protect these animals are not spaying and neutering. Just because a pet is pure-bred, exotic or declawed or cropped does not mean that this type of pet won't end up on the street or in a shelter. Shelters are full of pure-breds, exotic, declawed and cropped unwanted pets. As many as 25% (twenty-five per cent) of all pets in shelters are pure-breds. Too many pet owners are grossly uneducated on this issue. Not only does spay/neuter ensure longer, healthier lives, but it prevents unwanted litters and homelessness.

Unwanted cat litters create the feral colonies of cats. There's no such thing as a stray cat, any more than there are native ferals - ferals are simply unwanted, abandoned domesticated house cats. The stray cats were once owned by human beings. Those newborn kittens belong to humans who dumped little Tiger and Princess because they "couldn't stand the thought of them being euthanized if taken to a humane society or shelter" because they are moving, or determined they are allergic to cats, or the new boy/girl friend doesn't like cats, or a human baby is on the way, or a thousand other excuses. Go ahead, just take a LOOK at actual excuses given to shelters and humane societies.

In the meantime, the unwanted Tiger and Princess have grown to love and trust their care giver, depending on them for their very lives. The caretaker turned deaf ears to the pleas of spay/neuter - for Tiger needs to be a "man" and Princess is so lovely - just think how "adorable" her kittens will be. The first step to abuse long ago began with the decision to not spay/neuter. And the viciously cruel fate of pain, hunger, homelessness, and illnesses Tiger and Princess are now experiencing since being dumped is passed on to their tiny, helpless offspring. The ludicrous idea that cats, kittens, dogs and puppies can survive on the streets is better than taking them to a shelter or human society for euthanization is simply unbelievable.

Too many people are under the impression spaying/neutering can only be done after a pet reaches the age of 5-7 months. Early age altering of pets has been practiced for over 25 years in North America. Early age altering means spaying and neutering pets between the ages of 6 and 14 weeks. By tradition (due to years by-gone anesthetic techniques that weren't available at the time) waiting until a pet was older increased survival rate during surgery. However, with modern technology, there is no need to prolong spaying and neutering as a medical reason. Susan Little, DVM of the Cat Fanciers' Association Health Committee states:
Over the years, the safety of early altering has been questioned, mainly by veterinarians who may be unfamiliar with the surgical and anesthetic techniques required for pediatric patients. As well, concerns that early altering could increase the incidence of feline lower urinary tract disease, could affect skeletal development, and affect behavior have been voiced. These concerns have largely been laid to rest by many studies, and early altering is becoming more widespread and available. A study recently published by researchers at the University of Florida found no significant differences in the physical and behavioral characteristics of cats altered at 7 weeks of age compared to those altered at 7 months of age.
For additional information on early altering, check this article published by Alley Cat Allies. In order to read the article, you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader®, a free program. (This is a very useful program to view and print documents in their original formats.)

Shelters are filled with too many "rescued" animals, only to be euthanzied because there simply aren't enough good, safe homes to go around. Rescue workers are fatigued, overworked and seldom paid for the tremendous load they have undertaken. An emotional and heartbreaking job - seeing so much death because they can't save them all, turning away needy ones because they have so many during the spring and fall "kitten and puppy" seasons.

Ok, so you still say none of the above pertains to you ... did you permit your pet to mate so the children could see the beauty of birth or because you just adore cute kittens or puppies? It's too bad that you won't hang around to see the tragedy of The Longest Walk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyometra

http://www.peteducation.com/article....2+2109&aid=918

Quote:
Pyometra is a disease mainly of middle-aged female dogs that have not been spayed. In the past, we thought pyometra was simply a uterine infection, but today, we know that it is a hormonal abnormality, and a secondary bacterial infection may or may not be present. Pyometra follows a heat cycle in which fertilization did not occur. Typically, within two to four months after the cycle, the female starts showing signs of the disease.

What causes pyometra?

The two main hormones produced by the ovaries are estrogen and progesterone. An excessive quantity of progesterone, or the uterus becoming oversensitive to it, causes pyometra. In either case, cysts form in the lining of the uterus. These cysts contain numerous secretory cells, and large quantities of fluids are produced and released into the interior of the uterus.

This fluid, along with a thickening of the walls of the uterus, brings about a dramatic increase in the overall size of this organ. The uterus is made up of a body with two horns. In the unaffected dog or cat, the horns are smaller than a common pencil. However, in cases of pyometra, they become large, sac-like pouches the circumference of cucumbers and 12 to 18 inches long. Normally, the entire uterus in a 40-pound dog will weigh two to four ounces, but in cases of pyometra, this typically ranges from one to four pounds.

As the disease continues, fluid spills out of the vagina causing the animal to lick this area in an attempt to keep itself clean. Bacteria commonly colonize the uterus by entering through the cervix. This produces an even greater response by the body, as it showers additional fluid and white blood cells into the affected organ.

After a while, the cervix closes. This effectively traps all of the fluid within the uterus. Still, the body continues to transfer more fluid and white blood cells into the organ, causing even further dilatation and growth. The uterus can rupture, spilling its contents into the abdominal cavity. If this occurs, the dog or cat usually dies in less than 48 hours. In most cases, this does not happen.

The body will attempt to eliminate the problem by carrying the wastes and excess fluid through the bloodstream to the kidneys. However, the amount of material in a dog with pyometra is too great to be eliminated in this fashion, overloading the kidney system. The normal toxins that should be excreted from the body build up, and the animal goes into uremic poisoning. Untreated, she will die from kidney failure.

Symptoms

As the body attempts to flush out the build-up of waste products through the kidneys, the animal will drink excessive quantities of water (polydipsia) and urinate large amounts frequently (polyuria). She will lick at her vaginal area while the cervix is still open and the uterus is discharging a white fluid. She may run a low-grade fever and if blood work is done, she will show an elevated white blood cell count. As the uterus increases in size and weight, the dog shows weakness in the rear legs, often to the point where she cannot rise without help. As the dog enters kidney failure, she stops eating and becomes very lethargic.

Treatment

Since toxicity may develop very quickly in dogs with pyometra, it needs to be treated promptly. Dogs will receive intravenous fluids, usually for several days, and antibiotics. In most cases, the preferred treatment is a complete ovariohysterectomy (spay). This removes the ovaries, oviducts, uterus, and all associated blood vessels. These animals can be a surgical challenge because of their poor overall condition. In some females valued for breeding, prostaglandin and antibiotic therapy may be tried instead of surgery. The prostaglandin is given for 5-7 days and causes the uterus to contract and expel the fluid. In mild cases, when the cervix is still open and the fluid is draining, the success rate is excellent. This therapy should only be used in dogs 6 years of age or younger, who are in stable condition, and have an open cervix. Prostaglandins can have side effects, especially after the first dose, including restlessness, panting, vomiting, increased heart rate, fever, and defecation.

Prevention

The best prevention is to have all female animals spayed at or before six months of age. If the animal is used for breeding, then spaying the animal after she is past her breeding years is highly recommended. Pyometra is a fairly common and serious problem and is just one of many compelling reasons to have your female pet spayed at an early age.
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  #19  
Old May 12th, 2010, 08:29 PM
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Winston I realize you are trying not to be offensive and are speaking only out of concern, but I'm getting the impression that you are a 'city type'. Therefore, your ignorance and pointing of fingers can be forgiven. Country life is verrrry different from big city life, my friend. Again, I will point out in case you missed it, that cats don't typically interbreed unless they have NO CHOICE. Look it up. I pointed out that people from cities (ie. Hamilton) are extremely politically correct when it comes to spaying/neutering. *applauds* That's wonderful. I lived in the city for a few years, I know how it works. If you search through some of my old posts, you'll find that this is not the first cat(s) I've tried to help. I don't suppose you've ever set foot on a farm that grew things like grain? So please don't try to say I am somehow doing less than I could for these animals. You are suggesting that I go and get 7 cats fixed $$$ and then hand them over to a farm who want a queen, kittens, and tom to BOOST their dwindling cat population? Winston, you seem to be vastly misinformed about farms and farm animals in general. On a farm, breeding is usually something that happens because unlike in a city overloaded with zillions of stray dogs and cats, a farm needs to build it's animal population or at least keep it at a stable level. Look up a documentary called (yes I know it sounds terrible) 'Pussies Galore" presented by David Attenborough of the BBC. Excellent crash course on cat communites, albeit this one is in a crowded urban center. And surprise surprise, no interbreeding. Hmm. ;D

So - no danger of interbreeding, my parent's farm needs mousers....what do you find so offensive about that?? Please do enlighten us.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:29 PM
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And here is a picture I personally took of a 2-3 year old boxer who's owners thought that it wouldn't matter if she was spayed or not because she wasn't around male dogs.




Her uterus fell out and become necrotic. She may never recover.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:31 PM
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Oh dear lord.....is there not one person from a farming background on this site? I am feeling the righteous anger of people who simply aren't getting it. THESE CATS AREN'T MINE ANYMORE. THEY ARE MY PARENTS. Please stop treating this as a personal crusade against people who need some mousers. I'm finding all this paranoia just a little bit irritating.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meghan_K View Post

So - no danger of interbreeding, my parent's farm needs mousers....what do you find so offensive about that?? Please do enlighten us.

They interbreed! It happens ALL THE TIME! I see it ALL THE TIME. I work in a spay/neuter clinic!! The majority of pregnant or mommy cats had mated with their sibling!

Why don't you go to the shelter and take some of the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of feral cats who are sitting there waiting to die!! I cannot even tell you how many feral cats are killed each year because of reasons like this.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:34 PM
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I just was trapping cats at a farm who were interbred. The neighbor of a friend of a friend got a cat to be a mouser. Soon there were more and more cats and they interbred. Some got hit by cars and others died off. This was on a HUGGEEEE farm Like acres upon acres. Luckily I was able to catch almost all the cats and have them spayed so they can live a happy and healthy life. And the one surviving kitten will be adopted into a loving forever home
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:42 PM
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Yes I am City folk...and all I can say is that you are truly out of your league telling me I dont understand. Correct me if I am wrong but these kittens were in your possession...you gave them to your parents...fully understanding that they are doomed for a life of possibly multiple litters which is so disgusting when you have thousands killed every single day because someone was either irresponsible or didnt care or were country folk who dont think its important to fix their animals. !!!! I am sorry you think this is a personal crusade or something because its not! beautiful sweet kittens are dying every single day and the least we could do is not add to the population. Take a visit to a gas chamber or see them being euthanized because there is no more room...and see what I am talking about.....
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Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011
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"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:47 PM
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*sigh* I just can't win, can I???? Let me guess, now a bunch of people with a hate on for farmers and a wild look in their eyes are going to storm my driveway with pitchforks and torches, right? I AM NOT SAYING I DO NOT AGREE WITH SPAYING OR NEUTERING YOUR PETS. I have made my point, 3 separate times on this thread alone, that I believe in fixing your pets. HOWEVER. That will not affect the farming community where I grew up, or countless others like it. So please stop railing at me about this!! Gawd!! Again, the vast majority of you are city folk. Now until one of you tells me you own a real farm, not a couple of acres, but an actual FARM and can shell out dough left and right to get a population of farm cats fixed, and just for fun, like to run into town every couple of years to pick up more cats, fix them, wash, rinse, repeat, then I don't want to hear it.

Oh, and did I mention? Please spay and neuter your pets
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:50 PM
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Winston...chill dude. You are blowing this thing waaaaaaaaaay out of proportion and frankly, it bugs me that you are so narrow minded. Do you understand that not everyone is made of money Winston? Because it doesn't exactly fall outta the sky around here. Hail does. So please.....stop poisoning my kitten thread!! Go start your own and rant and rail all you like about the injustices of society. I AM NOT THE CAUSE OF THEM. SO BACK OFF.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 08:51 PM
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Honestly Meghan how can you say that you beleive in spaying an neutering when you think that the rules should be different for us city folk?

I am sorry but your logic is seriously flawed...it really is....
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Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011
Sophie Aug 30, 2011

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
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  #28  
Old May 12th, 2010, 09:04 PM
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Winston Winston is offline
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Here is one tidbit of information that you obviously arent aware of out there in the country....

According to the Halifax Regional Municipality Animal Services Division (2009), if an unspayed female cat, an unneutered male cat, and all of their subsequent unfixed offspring produced 2 litters per year at maturity, and 2.8 kittens from each litter survived and reproduced, this would amount to 11,606,077 cats in 9 years.
As city folk I feel obligated in sharing this information with you. Now work with the numbers above with the kittens alone and tell me that you understand what it means to spay or neuter???? I just dont get it???

Now enough said from me...please I urge you to at least consider some of the facts presented and dont just shrug us off as city folk who dont understand.
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Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011
Sophie Aug 30, 2011

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
-Unknown
  #29  
Old May 12th, 2010, 09:22 PM
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Meghan_K Meghan_K is offline
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Winston, I did not say the rules between city and country "should" be different. But the fact remains, that unspoken or no, they ARE different. FACT. Not one cat in a proximity of probably 100 miles where said farm is located is fixed. Different peoples and cultures take different mentalities towards what is and isn't necessary. Large populations of mousers are considered very necessary where I come from. Practicality rules the day. The farm cat is a necessity, not a pretty pampered pet who eats canned tuna fish and enjoys bling bling collars and the like. Where I come from it's a working animal. Like many animals on the farm, it serves A clear and distinct purpose.
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Old May 12th, 2010, 09:23 PM
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Winston Winston is offline
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nice educational post that was....
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Bomber April 10, 1995 - July 12, 2010
Winston Nov 15, 1999 - September 15, 2011
Sophie Aug 30, 2011

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
-Unknown
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