Can you tell how pregnant a cat is if you've just met her?

splishsplash

djp64 wrote: »

Splishsplash - with all the mums I've fostered they tend to only move kittens if they feel threatened. Once the kittens get to 6 weeks or so it would be good from a developmental / socialisation perspective if they were able to meet the other cats and the dog and have a bigger / unfamiliar area to explore as this develops confidence. Once they reach 5 / 6 weeks old they will be able to climb and they are very adept at climbing out of boxes etc.

Are you other cats neutered / spayed? What sort of temperaments are they? I presume your dog is happy with the existing cats and doesn't harm them :-) A territorial male cat may see the kittens as a threat but most cats are just curious or indifferent and sometimes simply afraid. Has mum met the other cats / dogs - what was her reaction?

Once my foster families reach 5/6 weeks I usually get rid of the box and put down blankets / bedding in various places. They still sleep together as a family but raising them in normal family life makes them confident and sociable.

If you wanted to try an introduction in a few weeks time (when the babies are old enough) then a good idea is to put the new family in a dog crate / pen (if you can borrow one). This provides a safe barrier between all parties but they can all see / smell / hear each other and you can get a good idea of the potential response.

Thank you for this, I can't wait to see them exploring and climbing! We have three cats and a dog, all female, all spayed. The dog is fine around cats, the oldest and middle cats are fine with other cats, the youngest doesn't like having her place usurped though, and she's the one we'll be keeping a sharp eye on.

djp64 wrote: »

I can post pictures now :-) Here are some of my foster babies:
Teddy Alfie
TrufflePigShakira

They are the cutest little babies :T.

gettingready

OMG - I want them all..... now... LOL

All my cats are chipped, they were chipped at the same time when they were neutered, to save them pain of the needle, while there were asleep....

splishsplash

dundeedoll wrote: »

What a lovely Thread! I loved seeing all the pics, both of the new mum & her babies and the others.

Splishsplash I would loooove 1 of those kitties..............I lost my girl aged 5 in January due to her having a saddleback embolism

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...s/DSCF0605.jpg

Hi dundeedoll, I'm so sorry to hear about your girl. She looks lovely - very regal. You would be very welcome to one of these little babies - but I think you're even further away from here than all the others!

pigpen

ooooh them so cooooot... me wants them all... is 10 cats excessive???

splishsplash

oops, almost forgot the latest photos...







I don't understand how the one on the bottom doesn't get squished, especially when mum comes back and just flops down on top of them all:eek:.

Mellowyellow_2

pigpen wrote: »

ooooh them so cooooot... me wants them all... is 10 cats excessive???

yes:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

what lovely kitties

wish I could have one, but OH is allergic:mad::(

I may chuck him out though:j:D

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I has teh solushun!




That'll get them over here!



Just one cautionary note:

gettingready

pigpen wrote: »

is 10 cats excessive???

nahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - sounds about right to me

gettingready

splishsplash wrote: »

I don't understand how the one on the bottom doesn't get squished, especially when mum comes back and just flops down on top of them all:eek:.

Wait till they learn to do that

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bmhjf0rKe8

gettingready

Soon enough you will be singing this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qit3ALTelOo&feature=player_embedded