After a long time I am happy to post about good news, my darling daughter Diana who was pregnant in late September bore a tiny baby on the 27th of November. And up to now my entire time and energy was being diverted towards him making sure that he was growing up fine. Now that he is 18 days old I thought it would be the perfect time to introduce him to everyone.

After Diana’s disastrous first pregnancy I was really apprehensive and scared about letting her get pregnant once more since I was sure that she would not go through it safely. But It was too late for she mated just a few days after her visit to the vet, so I bit the bullet and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. She was due in the last week of November but a week before the birth of Tristan Galen I felt something was wrong but I chose to ignore it since pregnant cats can behave weirdly sometimes. How I love the “gut feeling” for 3 days later I was sure that something was wrong as she looked visibly fatigued, uncomfortable and kept drinking plenty of water. My fear was Pyometra and since 3 days of “nesting” yielded no kittens I decided to finally get her examined by the family vet.

After an X-ray we got both the good, bad and ugly news, the good news being that she was actually pregnant with what seemed to be a developed kitten (it has been circled). But next to the kitten you can see black mass which was supposedly poop (number 2); I was shocked to hear that she had so much since she was regular with her bathroom duties. Next came the ugly truth :-

The kitten is  to the right of the big white spot (light source).. And to the left of the white spot is what seemed to be gas, the doc could not confirm whether it was from the uterus or from the intestinal tract. Basically we did not know whether the gas was because of constipation/food or because the babies had all died and rotted inside her uterus. The vet visit happened at 7 pm on the 26th November therefore the earliest we could get my cat operated on was the next day in the afternoon. The night was indeed terrifying so with Diana nestled in my lap we spent the entire night cooing to each other with lots of tummy rubs to make her feel better. Later in the morning I decided to pack my knapsack with things I might need later or probably carry her in that in case she was not fit enough to be placed inside the cat cage.

I was told earlier that the surgery would be at 2:00 pm but I need to be at the clinic by noon in case she needed to be given an intravenous. The afternoon went fairly well as I spent my time with the other clients letting Diana nap. After a visit to the bank I was told that it was time for her surgery. Me and my friend were asked to wait outside till the entire thing was over. After a grueling wait which felt like forever the doctor let me in to look at her but he said nothing about the kitten so it was assumed that it would probably be dead. But then the doctor asked me whether I wanted to see it and I immediately went over to see it…

To everyone’s surprise I saw a little gasp which set us all in motion, “Save Baby Cat” was the mission and no stone was unturned in finding a way to get it to breathe. The vet was extremely awesome!!!! He did everything from swabbing the mouth to swinging it to get the fluid out of the lungs. A makeshift incubator was made for the baby to get it some clean air but we realized that we were out of oxygen so the doctor suggested that I let it sun bathe. Earlier I had packed in a rough napkin which was really useful since we needed something that would act like Mother’s tongue. Then the frantic effort of rubbing and cleaning while sitting in the sun seemed to pay off since the kitten was breathing much more regularly.. From 1 gasp a minute to almost regular breathing in half an hour was something that excited everyone in the room.

Day 1

Tristan was apparently a really special and lucky baby since the vet ordered another oxygen tank just for him and as Diana was coming out of her trance we all headed back home. Back at home I decided to hold onto the kid until Diana felt better which would not happen for another 12- 24 hours so every 2 hours I was expected to feed the brat. It was hectic but I survived the 1st day and from day 2  Diana luckily started feeding the baby but I had to still be with her every time she fed him to make sure he did not scratch her raw skin or the stitches. A good trick is to keep a cloth over her, the kitten on top and let him enjoy but you would be surprised about how quickly he can pull it off…

From that day on, my work load reduced but the stress on my food and sleep was not though it was a really joyful experience raising him seeing him develop and grow in front of my eyes. Constipation was a major problem but he seems to be doing much better now, eyes open and crawling about. It is incredible for he has started responding to my voice so much better enjoying cuddling, kissing and napping with me. Until 2 days ago we did not know whether he was a Tristan or a Tristania so my house had 2 campaigns where my friend and dad wanted a girl while my mom was sure that it was a boy. I for one did not care for anything but his health so merely enjoyed the entire thing. The name Tristan Galen is a two word name combined using Tristan, The tragic Arthurian knight and Galen which means little and lively. So here I raise a glass of kitten feed in honor of my darling little grandson Tristan Galen

Tristan Galen 18 days old

Having had cats for decades I sort of understood how their bodies worked and what are the typical problems a cat goes through. But cat pregnancy & kittens was and is still something that baffles me, my earlier cat (Pollux) had a really difficult time with her kittens, they all died days after they were born. In July my lovely lady Diana gave birth to her quadruplets but it was a sad beginning with a really heart breaking ending.

Whether it is a planned or an accidental one, pregnancy is difficult and a delicate stage for a mother cat. Diana mated with her half-brother who sadly has problematic genetics. The kittens were born 60 days later after a fast but troublesome labor. The first kitten died minutes after he was born but the other three were strong enough, sadly the kittens looked premature so I was already worried about their health. I let the mother be with the kids to nurse the kids but I noticed after a few hours that she was unable to feed them, I was worried but not too bothered because it sometimes takes babies time to suckle. Sadly she gave birth to the kittens in the night so I could not call the family vet for a temporary solution. The next day after much trying to get the babies to suckle I decided to immediately go to the vet and get a pack of kitten feed. But the babies refused to feed and we lost 2 of the kids. The last baby raised our hopes by accepting the bottle feeding but by night she rejected the bottle and we knew then that we were gonna lose her too. After many attempts which miserably failed we decided to leave the child with her mother in hopes that some miracle would change the situation. But it never happened and the baby passed away. It was a really sad experience and now I make plans on getting my darlings operated  not because I feel the pain of the loss or find the pregnancy tedious but because the mother is the main person who goes through the pain of carrying, nourishing and protecting the children.

From my experience I am writing a post that gives you the A-Z of how a female cat goes through the cycle of pregnancy and how you can manage any hurdles before, during or after the kittens are born.

A little bit on cats :-

Kittens are born blind, deaf and with no teeth.They are born furry so any kitten born with  bald patches or very little fur  are really immature and weak. They cannot walk but simply crawl from one end to another. A kitten like a human baby cannot control the heat in its body so you need to ALWAYS keep it comfortably warm as they lose heat real quick. Kittens usually feed immediately after they are born and open their eyes at 7 days but their eye sight is immature until the age of 10 weeks. They start walking from the age of 2 weeks, female cats go into heat (the time when they are ready for pregnancy) anytime from the age of 6 months to 14 months. The pregnancy lasts 64-67 days though it can be more or less by a few days.

Mating :-

Female cats go into heat anytime from the age of 6 months to 9 months but sometimes can be as young as 4 months and as old as 14 months! Females usually start “calling” for a mate but sometimes like in my case the cat did not. Sometimes they are full fledged yowls or really loud purring sounds. Once she has accepted the mate she will sit in position with her rear raised waiting for him, towards the end she will start screeching really loudly; don’t worry for it is normal and once he lets go of her she will start rubbing herself on the floor, wriggle about and then will proceed to initiate another mating session. The cycle generally lasts anything from a week to 10 days and if the cat does not get pregnant she will be ready for mating in a matter of 2-3 weeks since her last cycle. When a  queen (female cat) is not allowed to mate she will come out of the cycle quicker , hormonal injections and certain medicines can stop her cycles but this entirely depends on what is being administered to the cat and by whom. Cats unlike dogs do not bleed during heat but can sometimes have a slight discharge.

Pregnancy :-

A Queen releases an egg from her ovary (ovulation) 1-3 days after mating, if the egg gets fertilized successfully 10-15 days later it implants itself in the uterine lining thus starting the actual pregnancy. The pregnancy lasts 64 days but can be a few days less or more, a vet can confirm a pregnancy early on (17-20 days) either by gently massaging her belly or an ultrasound. The common signs are :-

1. She will stop “calling” for a mate thus signaling the end of her estrus.
2. Her appetite will noticeably increase, many females start hunting during pregnancy to feed their young. Some cats also go through the “morning sickness” phase in the initial week of pregnancy.
3. At about 20 days her nipples become pinker and she may or may not milk.
4. At about 35 days you will see her stomach looking bigger and her appetite increasing.
5. Towards the end she will spend a lot of time “nesting” (clawing at spaces, couches or any isolated part of the house)
6. She may get more and more lethargic as the pregnancy progresses but queens tend to get insecure around other queens. They also get really affectionate and clingy during the pregnancy.

Birthing :-

Queens usually give birth a few days before or after the 64 day mark. It is always good to have at least a rough idea of the due date so that you can be accordingly prepared since there are chances that the babies would be immature or the pregnant would need to be induced. Before the actual due date, sometimes a day or 2 before your cat might get REALLY clingy, anxious and clearly restless. If she already has a “nest” she will sit in there more often and might keep scratching it or circling in it but if she does not already have a nest she will sit in boxes, under the bed or such places. My cat Diana started crawling under my blanket while I was asleep a few hours before giving birth, she would crawl in and stick really close to me. On the onset of labor your cat would keep licking her vagina to clean up the discharge, the normal “arrival time” for the first kitten should be anything from 5 minutes minimum to an hour maximum. Females cats instinctively for the safety of her young would want to give birth to the babies alone away from”any” danger. The mother after giving birth will eat the sack that covers the baby and the umbilical cord attached to it, if any of the babies are dead she will eat that too. Sometimes the mothers will pass gas or excrete during labor.

Kittens :-

The kittens start crawling about in search of their mother’s nipples to start feeding immediately, like I mentioned before they are born blind, deaf and without teeth but they can meow, crawl and have claws. They are born with fur covering their bodies but are incapable of staying warm on their own and will continue to lose heat rapidly if they are in a cold room or kept away from their mothers for too long. Babies will huddle together to keep each other warm.

My darling boy bears with any kind of torture I inflict on him ranging from visits to the vets, baths and of course my twisted humor. He was actually awake when I was placing the candy on his tummy and waited until I removed it too

The normal ritual me and Diana go through is that she fluffs out the trashbag I would use for the trash. Now she is too big for the trashcan but she does walk inside the trashbag to “inspect” it.

After having given a lot of thought as to what my first post should be, I decided that the best post would be a post about my 6 adorable children. I have 1 fish, 2 dogs and 3 cats and the heirarchy is :-

1. Delphi (6 years old; fox hound stray dog mix)
2. Castor (3 years old; regular tabby cat)
3. Muffin (2 years old; cocker spaniel & Doberman mix)
4. Gourami (1 year old; gourami fish)
5. Diana ( 8 months old; Persian short hair cat)
6. Cleoptra  (3 months old; odd eyed white cat)

I absolutely love animals and have always been around some kind of an animal or another, my family always encouraged me to love and take care of animals. My Mom tells me that my cat Goldie was the first *house* member to kiss me (Of course Mom, Dad and the Gramps had their share at the hospital). We always had some kind of a pet be it a fish,parrot, squirrel, cats or dogs; at one point we had 20 cats and 2 dogs So getting back to my current children.

Delphi

After spending my entire childhood and some of my teenage years in my hometown Dad got a job that required for him to shift to a new town. He did not want us staying back so we shifted too but sadly we had to give up for adoption the two dogs we had ( One was too old & the other too big). I cried my eyes out silly when they left . So after we settled into our new place & after loneliness got too much for me I decided to get a puppy to keep me company. I wanted a poodle similar to what my neighbor had but he instead got me a stray pup from the local orphanage. Delphi is the “Mommy” of the group eternally taking care of someone or the other. She is very playful, mature and an excellent beggar, my friends & family sometimes accuse me of starving the mutt when they see her begging >_< . She loves her walks & is always there when you need a hug. Even when we shifted to a new town she was really sweet & did not make a ruckus

Castor & Pollux

When we shifted to a new town Mom started working so that she could kill some time. And a yeah & a half later I had a road accident so I had to stay at home until I healed completely. It was then I realized that Delphi was really lonely, she had no one as a companion. And I could not be her companion for long as I had to get back to college, so to solve this problem I decided to get a cat (Boy! Mom was livid when I told her of my ingenious plan ). When I did go to the orphanage the lady there did not have an Adonis for me but had the Gemini twins Castor & Pollux waiting for me, I was really apprehensive about taking 2 instead of 1 cat but I did any way (Thanks to Dad! He gave me the ok first ). The elder female was Pollux while the younger male is Castor, when we shifted to a new home in the same town Pollux got lost

They were complete opposites, She was extremely curious, head strong, fearless, playful & possessive; He was timid, quiet, calm, reclusive & laid-back. After we shifted to my recent home, in all her adventurous glory Pollux got lost but Castor still is here. He is my darling baby boy . Every time I have cried or gone low he makes sure to nuzzle my chin & lead me to the terrace for some fresh air. He also is very co operative when I get mischievous & use him as my canvas

Originally adopted to make Delphi happy these guys ended up helping me with my depression & loneliness .. Crazy how life is surprising me all the time

Muffin

The Gibbon herself LOL .. Now here is a baby who was definitely not planned. Me & my best friend G gal found a litter of puppies one day in a park, there was a cute little black pup who I was sitting with when I decided to make G-gal hold him. There was instant love between the two & she ended up adopting the little rascal, a day or two later Mom saw the little tyke and took pics of him to show at the office. Later in the evening I get a call from Mom asking me whether there were more puppies there at the park because one of her colleagues wanted to adopt. I went over to the park & picked up the 2 pups that I saw and me and my friend headed towards home on his motorbike with pups in hand. One of the pups (the male) got adopted en route at a traffic signal LOL so we were left with the little female, she was a darling and was immediately rejected by Pollux but ended up allowing the baby to sleep with me. The next day mom told me that her colleague did not want a female pup so with the help of Dad again we ended up keeping the puppy…

Naming the pup was hectic because I wanted to name her something greek while Dad wanted her to be “Princess” (eeesh), even worse was my best friend who wanted to name her “Devil Spawn”. Then she slowly became a cupcake which ended up with me changing it to MUFFIN… She in reality is a gibbon who climbs any surface if it has food, very playful & extremely mischievous she is the perfect medicine for a person learning to be patient

Gourami

My little gourami fish who mauled all my other fish which resulted in him isolated in another tank >_> … But he is sweet too, every time I snap my fingers he comes to the top expecting some food. He loves swimming (?)… What else can I write? XD

Diana

One day as I went to pick up new fish (replacing the ones my gourami killed >_>) The pet shop owner pointed me to a little wicker basket which to my surprise & ecstasy had kittens!!!… After days & days of thoughts I finally decided to take the calico kitten I had fallen in love with. Naming her was easy, her sharp eyes & alert nature got her the name Diana but I soon realized how she resembled both the Goddess of Hunting and the Queen of Hearts.

She is exactly like a princess, anything she did was graceful, cute & beautiful; she could burp and you would look at her in awe like you had never heard anything more beautiful than that. Extremely playful & incredibly smart she is my favorite. She is MY mommy for she knows what,how, when & why I am doing something and I accordingly get to hear about it.

Cleopatra

The baby brat herself. Dad found this little one at his office, she was being abused by dogs & men alike so Dad got her home knowing that Mom would be pissed off & hoping that I was not in a bad mood ( I am not too supportive when negative ). But everything worked out because I pounced on Dad to get the kitten the instant he pointed the bag.

Out of the bag came an adotable snow white kitten with odd eyes (1 blue and the other green). She is a true brat, very noisy, picky about whom she wants to sit with. She will play only if she initiates the fun but will hiss at anything if they make the first move (Diana & Castor are not used to this because they usually play no matter who makes the first move).

So this is only a little about my favorite children, hope you guys too would tell me about your pets