Nugget was about 8 months old when we realized that she was pregnant. Since we had gotten her as a kitten over the summer, I figured I would have a chance to have her spayed over the winter and avoid kittens.
Well, we ended up having a tiny cat who looked like she had swallowed a volleyball. Nugget was very pregnant and it was my fault for procrastinating.
Nugget had her kittens the last weekend in April 2013. We had been away for the weekend and when we got home Shannon asked if anyone had seen Nugget. "She must have had the kittens because she does not have a belly anymore." Then the search began for the babies and they were found in the basement up on a shelf.
I was able to pick up all 6 of the kittens and bring them upstairs and found them a safer place to sleep. I noticed that they all seemed to be attached and that I basically had a "ball of kittens" in my hands and was unsure how to separate them.
Shannon did a little online research and found that most likely the kittens had tangled umbilical cords. With some patience I was able to cut each kittens cord and found that they had all been wrapped around one poor baby's foot.
Nugget took the kittens back and nursed them, but in the morning the little one with the injured foot had not made it. However, Nugget had 5 healthy babies who were fascinating for RJ and Lily to watch. They wanted to hold the kittens so badly, but I told them that at the beginning they were only allowed to look.
Once the kittens were a couple of weeks old RJ and Lily made a beeline to the basket everyday. The first thing they wanted to do in the morning was hold the kittens and the last thing they wanted to do at night was give them a kiss. RJ and Lily did a great job helping the kittens learn how to become good pets.
When it was time to find homes for the 5 kittens the hearts of 2 children were broken, but they were proud that they helped make these kittens good pets (basically by good natured daily torture).
I made Nugget an appointment to be spayed so that Nugget would not have more babies. Unless you are planning on breeding or keeping the animals for yourself, it is your responsibility as a pet owner to have them spayed or neutered. Nugget's appointment went well, but I found out that Nugget had already gotten herself pregnant again. If I had neglected to get Nugget spayed there would have been more kittens and possibly kittens without homes. So, just like Bob Barker always said, "Get your pets spayed and neutered."
Well, we ended up having a tiny cat who looked like she had swallowed a volleyball. Nugget was very pregnant and it was my fault for procrastinating.
Nugget had her kittens the last weekend in April 2013. We had been away for the weekend and when we got home Shannon asked if anyone had seen Nugget. "She must have had the kittens because she does not have a belly anymore." Then the search began for the babies and they were found in the basement up on a shelf.
I was able to pick up all 6 of the kittens and bring them upstairs and found them a safer place to sleep. I noticed that they all seemed to be attached and that I basically had a "ball of kittens" in my hands and was unsure how to separate them.
Shannon did a little online research and found that most likely the kittens had tangled umbilical cords. With some patience I was able to cut each kittens cord and found that they had all been wrapped around one poor baby's foot.
Nugget took the kittens back and nursed them, but in the morning the little one with the injured foot had not made it. However, Nugget had 5 healthy babies who were fascinating for RJ and Lily to watch. They wanted to hold the kittens so badly, but I told them that at the beginning they were only allowed to look.
Once the kittens were a couple of weeks old RJ and Lily made a beeline to the basket everyday. The first thing they wanted to do in the morning was hold the kittens and the last thing they wanted to do at night was give them a kiss. RJ and Lily did a great job helping the kittens learn how to become good pets.
When it was time to find homes for the 5 kittens the hearts of 2 children were broken, but they were proud that they helped make these kittens good pets (basically by good natured daily torture).
I made Nugget an appointment to be spayed so that Nugget would not have more babies. Unless you are planning on breeding or keeping the animals for yourself, it is your responsibility as a pet owner to have them spayed or neutered. Nugget's appointment went well, but I found out that Nugget had already gotten herself pregnant again. If I had neglected to get Nugget spayed there would have been more kittens and possibly kittens without homes. So, just like Bob Barker always said, "Get your pets spayed and neutered."