# Do pink nipples always mean pregnancy?



## Kittyminky

I just noticed today my barn cat has rather pink nipples. The tissue under them is also quite thick if that makes sense. Weight-wise, she does not appear pregnant whatsoever.
I've never been around a cat in heat but from what I have read on the internet, it's relatively easy to tell. I honestly do not recall any signs or "cat-in-season" behavior at all from her. So, unless she is good at hiding it, I don't think she has even had her first heat yet.

So what's up with the large pink nipples?.. they were definitely not like this before. Aren't they supposed to be small and white/flesh-colored?


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## catloverami

Nipples "pink up" around 3 weeks after mating, so I would say your cat looks preggers to me.....Even matches your nail polish! Neat! She likely won't start swelling in her abdomen until after a month or a bit. She likely got bred as soon as she came into heat. Tomcats can smell a girl coming into heat before she actually starts vocalizing or rolling around on the floor/ground. Gestation is 63-65 days, so you should be getting prepared for her now. Are you going to let her have her litter in the barn or the house? Sometimes tomcats, especially ones that didn't sire the litter, will kill newborn kitties, as it will bring the queen back into heat.


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## Kittyminky

Ugh.. Why can't cats be like dogs and cycle every 6 ish months! :roll:
I can't keep them in the house due to allergies, but the older house is still on the property from when the new house was built, so she can stay in one of the rooms.
So, is there any chance she is not pregnant with nipples like that? If she is, it's probably around 3 week along then?


And, yes it does match my nail polish almost spot on, and the color is hot hot pink!!


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## kty78

If she's not spayed, she is probably pregnant.  How old is she?


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## catloverami

I should have modified my answer.....pink nipples don't always indicate a pregnancy, but _usually _do. There is the slight possibility that she's not pregnant, but it's fairly rare, and that is she is having a "false" pregnancy....pinks up and abdomen may even swell a littlle, but then nothing and goes back to normal. Another possibility is that she may resorb a fetus, and no kitten will be born, or it could be a stillborn. How old was she when you got her, do you know? It's very difficult to tell the age of a cat, but if she doesn't look to be full grown, and she's 8 or 9 mos. old now she got bred in her first heat.


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## Kittyminky

Well, I thought they were 7-8 months, but very recently found out they are at the very minimum over 9. They are tiny though, just over 5 pounds as of now.
As for why I have a male and female cat, well my neighbours bought 2 separate litters off of craigslist (like 9 kittens I believe it was) and before I moved they gave me 2 kittens (different litters) and assured me they were both female, as I told them I did not want a male and female. So fast forward to a few months ago, and I realized that the one is a male. Me being a noob thought that the males genitals were on the stomach (like a dogs) so I thought for the longest time he was a female.... :fust


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## librarychick

If you haven't already done so I'd suggest taking them in to the vet. A vet can tell you approximate age, gender (for sure), if this one is pregnant, AND you could get them their shots and parasite control.

If your girl is pregnant she shouldn't get shots, but the other one sure can. And if that one is a male then you should see about getting him neutered.

If you can't afford to take them both to the vet I'd suggest surrendering them to a local no-kill shelter.it wasn't very fair to these cats that you got them, gave them no vet care up to this point, didn't get them fixed, and then let them wander around outside where they could possibly get sick or pregnant. If you intended for them to be strictly outdoors then it's even more important to get them fixed (as you now know), and to get their basic care.

I know that sounds mean, but if you aren't able to take care of an animal then you should wait to get one until you can afford their basic care.


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## Kittyminky

librarychick said:


> If you haven't already done so I'd suggest taking them in to the vet. A vet can tell you approximate age, gender (for sure), if this one is pregnant, AND you could get them their shots and parasite control.
> 
> If your girl is pregnant she shouldn't get shots, but the other one sure can. And if that one is a male then you should see about getting him neutered.


I live in the middle of nowhere now, there are no vets and definitely no animal shelters. I was well acquainted with my vet before moving to where I am now, and he was kind enough to sell me a ton of dewormer, Novamoxin (amoxicillin), Clavamox as well as ear mite and ear infection cleaner than I will probably ever use so I can adminster it myself if need be. I also don't give my pets shots, and I do not get them either. I am anti-vaccines.



librarychick said:


> If you can't afford to take them both to the vet I'd suggest surrendering them to a local no-kill shelter.it wasn't very fair to these cats that you got them, gave them no vet care up to this point, didn't get them fixed, and then let them wander around outside where they could possibly get sick or pregnant. If you intended for them to be strictly outdoors then it's even more important to get them fixed (as you now know), and to get their basic care.
> 
> I know that sounds mean, but if you aren't able to take care of an animal then you should wait to get one until you can afford their basic care.


Whoa, way to jump the gun. Who said anything AT ALL about not being able to afford vet care? I most definitely can but there is no need. Just because they have not been to a vet does not mean that they are not taken care of does it? I certainly do not think so. They have been dewormed, have shelter, freedom, food/water and attention so what's the issue. 
And yes, they are strictly outside cats. They are there for a purpose and that is to keep the mouse population down. I have no one around me for miles and miles, so the chance of them wandering away/getting pregnant (by other cats, hence why I wanted 2 of the same gender) or sick is low as there is no contact with other animals.


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## kty78

I grew up in the middle of nowhere and feral cats showed up all the time on our farm. If there is a female cat, a male cat will find her. Even if you didn't have a male. Not judging, just trying to inform. I would get the male fixed asap, and there has to be a vet within driving distance. And if the female is pregnant I would have her spayed as soon as she is allowed after kittens are born. Good luck!


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## BotanyBlack

Kittyminky;845274 I have no one around me for miles and miles said:


> Used to live in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors for miles. People still dumped animals out nearby. People do it when they see a house or barn assuming the cat/dog will find a home. In the area I lived in all strays/feral/abandoned cats and dogs were shot on sight by anyone with cattle or other livestock. So don't assume they are not out there.
> 
> Good luck with your girl.


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## Kittyminky

Oh they can come wandering, but any stray animals will either get caught in the trap or killed by one of my dogs.
I have livestock and do not tolerate unwanted animals on my property especially when they can harm my other animals. 

So, back on track here, at what point will it be blatantly obvious she is pregnant? When should I stop allowing her to go outside?


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## spotty cats

Pink can indicate she's coming into call, but given her age and the fact she's outside she's more likely to be pregnant. 

She can still be spayed asap.

By 6 weeks along the belly will be well rounded.


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## Mimosa

Kittyminky said:


> Oh they can come wandering, but any stray animals will either get caught in the trap or killed by one of my dogs.
> I have livestock and do not tolerate unwanted animals on my property especially when they can harm my other animals.


In seven years of reading different cat forums I've seen this kind of reasoning time and time again, but it always turns out that the cats have found a way to do the deed.

Even if she couldn't get pregnant it is not a good idea to keep a female cat unspayed. There are significant health risks associated with going into heat time and time again without being bred. One thing that often happens is that the uterus gets infected and in that case the cat needs to see a vet ASAP for an emergency spay otherwise she will die. Spaying is part of basic cat care.

What is your back up plan for complications during the delivery ? I'm a volunteer for a rescue and we've had visits from the vet to inject oxytocin when the queen retained a placenta (it has to come out or the cat gets very ill) , we've also been to the vet in the middle of the night for emergency c-sections. Can you get help for her if need be ?


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## Kittyminky

Okay well I guess I just have to wait and see. When should she not be let outside? 
And no to the spaying or neutering. I don't spay or neuter any of my dogs either and do not have oops litters, my one female had to be spayed due to pyometra but if that had not have happened, she would still be intact. Animals need their reproductive organs for more than just reproduction. The male and female will just have to be let outside on rotating days and be kept separate at all times.

Thanks for the help people!


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## Kittyminky

Mimosa said:


> What is your back up plan for complications during the delivery ? I'm a volunteer for a rescue and we've had visits from the vet to inject oxytocin when the queen retained a placenta (it has to come out or the cat gets very ill) , we've also been to the vet in the middle of the night for emergency c-sections. Can you get help for her if need be ?


If she runs into complications she will be put down. Keep in mind here these are barn cats, NOT pets. They will get basic care and medecine when sick, but if it is something severe like that they will just get put down. IF she was a pet and I actually had a bond with her I would probably opt for a C-section. Animals get pregnant and give birth all the time and have for thousands of years, most of the time it goes well and others it does not, that's just the way it goes.


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## my5kitties

Kittyminky said:


> If she runs into complications she will be put down. *Keep in mind here these are barn cats, NOT pets.* They will get basic care and medecine when sick, but if it is something severe like that they will just get put down. IF she was a pet and I actually had a bond with her I would probably opt for a C-section. Animals get pregnant and give birth all the time and have for thousands of years, most of the time it goes well and others it does not, that's just the way it goes.


The problem is that there are many on this forum who have barn cats, and still consider them pets. And they get the same care as "real" pets. And while animals have been getting pregnant and giving birth for "thousands of years", that's not true for cats. They've been domesticated over time. Your lowly barn cats are more than likely descendants of cats that had owners at one time. How you can think less of a barn cat because it's not truly a pet is beyond me.

Another thing that bothers me about your answer is that your attitude is very cavalier. "My barn cat got pregnant. She's having a difficult birth...let's just put her down. No need to keep her or the kittens alive. After all, she's JUST a barn cat." The thing is, is she does have a difficult birth, it will be YOUR fault because you didn't have her spayed. Barn cats deserve to have a good life just like a pet cat does. Being a barn cat does not make it any less of a responsibility.


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## shan841

this thread makes me very angry. domestic cats are not wild animals. they have been tamed by humans and therefore are our responsibility. the population is out of control and thousands of cats and dogs are put to sleep everyday because people do not spay and neuter them. cats who have been altered are much happier and healthier. i will now leave this thread and never return. please educate yourself....


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## doodlebug

Kittyminky....the one thing you obviously don't understand about cats is that they are not like dogs when it comes to heat cycles. While a dog has a couple of cycles per year, a cat that isn't satisfied will go into perpetual heat for weeks, maybe a break for a few days and then start again. You will not be able to manage keeping her and the male away from each other...you will have oops litter after oops litter if you do not spay her. She will have to become a house cat, and even then the likelyhood of keeping them apart is extremely small.

I guess I also need to ask what's going to happen to the kittens, who will very likely not be all the same sex? If you keep them you'll find out just how fast they'll multiply. 

Quite frankly, your spay/neuter position when it comes to free roaming cats is completely inappropriate. It may have worked for you with dogs, but cats are not dogs and you cannot use the same approach with them.


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## Kittyminky

I'm not going to quote everyone, so I'll just answer everybody in one post...

my4kitties, I know they are domesticated, I meant that comment as all animals give birth and whether they are wild or not, some will have complications and some will not.

shan841, farewell!

doodlebug, the older house on my property has 2 separate sides, so they can both be in there one on each side, and they can be let out on rotating days, so they won't have any contact whatsoever.
For what will happen with the kittens, I will keep them until 8 weeks and then put ads up for free kittens. 

And to shan841's comment of "the population is out of control and thousands of cats and dogs are put to sleep everyday", so? thousands and thousands of cows/pigs/chickens etc etc get put down everyday for food, they have personalities and feeling as well, no different than a cat. It's all a matter of perspective and my cats are not pets and will not get preferential treatment for being a "domestic animal".


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## doodlebug

Well, I hope you don't have plans for anyone to ever occupy that house. The male will spray and the female might also when she's in heat. The place will stink to high heaven in no time. In addition, unless you live in a very cold climate, I hope you plan to air condition this place for the cats because I can guarantee that one or the other will go through the screens when the girl is in heat. And unless you have a double entrance, the girl will door dash on you. 

I get that you are treating these cats as working animals. They are providing a service to you by keeping your vermin down. In return the least you can do is provide them a good life. And a life on continuous heat cycles and oops pregnancies (they will happen, you will not be able to control it like you think you will) and locked in an empty house every other day is not a good one.


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## The Divine Miss M

I don't spay or neuter my dogs either. Miss M? She was spayed _as soon_ as she was healthy and big enough to spay. You missed one of doodlebug's points. Cats are not dogs. You can have intact dogs of opposite genders and not have oops litters galore. Your female dog is only going to go into heat twice may be three times a year (some dogs have 4 month cycles). Your cat on the other hand will be going into heat every 2-3 weeks until she finds a male. As to your kitten plan? Two problems:

1. Free doesn't mean they'll find homes. So now you have multiple females reproducing on your property. And unlike, if they were truly left to their own devices they have basic resources, so the kittens actually have some chance of becoming adults and again, reproducing. Oh, and you also have multiple males duking it out constantly because they all want to be the one to respond to all those females in season.
2. Even if you do find them homes, in the eight weeks you're planning on keeping them? Mama's more than likely already expecting the next litter.

Again, I understand your position. I also have intentionally intact animals, but I don't think you understand the ramifications of keeping a cat intact. Believe it or not, I even get that to you these two cats are not your pets. Not my cup of tea, but I get it and hold no judgement for it, but even by that mentality you need to spay her. This is going to become a problem for _you_. Intact cats are a nightmare on multiple fronts. Personally, I don't know how breeders do it. So just to sum it up, cats are not dogs. You cannot make the same decisions for one that you do for the other.


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## kty78

A cat in heat will drive you nuts. And the male will too when the female is in heat. Even in another house on your property you will hear them yowling and yes, they will stink up the house. Are you planning on putting litter boxes in the house for them or just leaving them to go where they may? And even if you let one out one day and the other out the next, the female will come into contact with a male on her days out. I guarantee it. Why do you think your traps or your dogs will catch any cat that comes on your property when you already have your barn cats roaming your property? 

Sorry, I'm new here and probably should just shut up now.


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## Kittyminky

Doodlebug, they already live in this house, and no, no one will ever use it. I put them in there every night. And yes, I live in a cold climate. And also a yes to having a door on each side.

to your "And a life on continuous heat cycles and oops pregnancies (they will happen, you will not be able to control it like you think you will) and locked in an empty house every other day is not a good one. "

Well I will give it a try. And locked in a empty house every other day is not a good one..really? So, what you are saying is to ALL the people out there that only have one cat and work 8+ hours a day should not have one as it is alone for a good portion of the time...? Mine don't have to be in there every other day, it can be one in there for a few hours, then the other back in the house etc.

Miss M, we'll see. And they probably will find homes, many people jump on the chance for a free pet, especially a kitten.

Kty78, my dogs (GSD's) know these cats and the cats are very friendly with the dogs. The dogs are smart and know who is not part of their "pack" and will kill them, it has happened before where I used to live as there was a big stray cat problem.


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## doodlebug

No I'm not saying the words you have put in my mouth at all. 

You will obviously do what you want with these cats no matter what we say. You'll learn the lesson the hard way...too bad your female cat will be the one to pay for your ignorance and unwillingness to take some advice from people who know far more about cats than you do. But I guess it doesn't matter because she's just a barn cat, completely expendable and easily replaced.


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## MowMow

Imo the cat isn't the only thing that should be spayed so it can't reproduce.


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## my5kitties

Kittyminky said:


> Well I will give it a try. And locked in a empty house every other day is not a good one..really? So, what you are saying is to ALL the people out there that only have one cat and work 8+ hours a day should not have one as it is alone for a good portion of the time...? Mine don't have to be in there every other day, it can be one in there for a few hours, then the other back in the house etc.


The difference between someone who works 8+ hours a day who owns a cat and you is that while the cat may be alone, he/she will have toys, food, water and a litterbox at their disposal. Nowhere have you mentioned that these expendable barn cats will have any of that. You're completely twisting and taking what Doodlebug said completely out of context. I feel sorry for your cats, both revered pets and lowly barn cats.


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## Carmel

Kittyminky said:


> And no to the spaying or neutering. I don't spay or neuter any of my dogs either and do not have oops litters


My uncle has barn cats, they have kibble and water and a barn with horses and hay and are locked up at night due to coyotes... and guess what else? They're neutered.

Like already mentioned, dogs aren't cats. The odds of dogs that are not neutered/spayed wandering an area is very slim, let me know the last time you saw packs of dogs roaming the street. It doesn't happen in most parts of North America, that's for sure. The odds of a cat wandering an area and going undetected is incredibly high - feral cats hide, you hardly ever will see them even if they live on your property. They also go a long way to find females in heat. You're comparing two totally different species and circumstances. Cats go in heat often, and are loud and will spray. Have fun with that, it's annoying and smells awful and destroys homes - from ruining drywall to getting under even the underlay in carpets and soaking into concrete.

Instead of being part of the _serious_ over population problem it wouldn't be hard to spay and neuter animals in your care that require it. Cats are one of those animals. Just because they're farm "stock" doesn't and shouldn't mean that they are not responsibly cared for - spaying and neutering is part of that, believe it or not. Of course there are other irresponsible people doing the same thing with outdoor cats (and look where that's got us - feral cats in the U.S. are estimated to be in the tens of millions) but that does not mean you need to be one of those people and hide behind excuses that work for the uneducated and uncaring.


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## Mimosa

Kittyminky said:


> And to shan841's comment of "the population is out of control and thousands of cats and dogs are put to sleep everyday", so? thousands and thousands of cows/pigs/chickens etc etc get put down everyday for food, they have personalities and feeling as well, no different than a cat. It's all a matter of perspective and my cats are not pets and will not get preferential treatment for being a "domestic animal".


Two wrongs does not make a right. 

Mahatma Ghandi said; "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its _animals_ are treated" in other words; the way we treat animals is one of the hallmarks of the civilisation that is supposed to seperate us from the other beasts.
You could also try to treat all animals well in stead of using mistreatment of some animals as a justification for not caring for the pets you are responsible for because you made the decision to take them on. 
Reading your twisted reasoning makes me sad because I'm volunteering for a rescue, spending my own time and money to try and clean up the mess of people who reason like you because it saves them effort and money. I wish every member of society would take their own responsibilty.

BTW; I don't eat meat myself but at least cows/pigs/chicken are killed for a purpose. Cats are destroyed for no useful purpose.

Neutering/spaying cats that are not meant for breeding is part of their basic care.


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## Kittyminky

Again, can someone enlighten me on how my cats are mistreated?
They have food, water, shelter, toys, treats, litterboxes, collars, freedom, flea and tick preventative, medecine when sick, get dewormed, have beds, get brushed and have attention.
Oh wait I forgot, since they are unfixed that automatically puts them in the category of uncared for and me labelled as a bad owner.


Just a side note:
Why don't all of you speuter and rescue fanatics spend your time on animals that are actually in need. Cats and dogs are bloody lucky to get humanely euthanised. They could be like cattle who get hung upside down and have their throats slit or male chicks who get launched into a grinder while alive. Where is the help for all of them? Just because they are used for food does not mean they should get tortured and brutally murdered while dogs and cats get the luxury of a needle. Now to me, those animals are in a much greater need of your time and money and thoughts than any dog or cat because it is almost a guarantee that no matter how mistreated a dog or cat is, it probaby does not come anywhere close to those animals in a factory farm.


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## Carmel

Kittyminky said:


> Oh wait I forgot, since they are unfixed that automatically puts them in the category of uncared for and me labelled as a bad owner.


Proper care is not just food, water and shelter. Neglect is a multifaceted term.

_Neglect may include the failure to provide sufficient supervision, nourishment, or medical care, or the failure to fulfill other needs for which the victim is helpless to provide for himself or herself._

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. Wandering cats are part of the problem; the actual problem is the owners that do not keep intact cats indoors or do not spay and neuter them. Don't care about that? Then that makes you uncaring, and yeah, a bad owner. Your female will go into heat continually, and she will have litters - for every kitten she has, it takes away from other cats that need homes. If you do not want litters - as she is not meant as a breeding cat - then spaying makes sense.

I get that they're working cats, that does not mean they deserve to have litter after litter and constantly go into heat and be at higher risk for cancers. That is not what you want them for anyway, and spaying is a simple thing. You don't have to be a crazy cat lover to see the logic behind it.


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## The Divine Miss M

Kittyminky said:


> If she runs into complications she will be put down. Keep in mind here these are barn cats, NOT pets. They will get basic care and medecine when sick, but if it is something severe like that they will just get put down. IF she was a pet and I actually had a bond with her I would probably opt for a C-section. Animals get pregnant and give birth all the time and have for thousands of years, most of the time it goes well and others it does not, that's just the way it goes.



I think it's this attitude that's riling people up. I know it's starting to irk me. I don't think you're a bad owner, just a misinformed one. However, the way that you're responding is changing that view. I will, however, give you the benefit of the doubt in the hopes that your tone is due to the fact that you feel attacked - which you actually aren't, people are being much more civil than they'd usually be - and not from either plain and simple unapologetic bad ownership or from the intent to get everyone going. Still assuming that your intentions are honorable, here's the breakdown once again.

- Dogs go into heat every 4 to 6 months. Cats go into heat 2 to 3 _weeks_, not months, *weeks* until spayed or bred. That means that for everytime you have to separate your dogs, your dog will have had approximately 5-8 heat cycles. Because of how often they go into heat, it is nearly impossible to avoid an oops litter. I will not include this first one as a failure in your plan because you did not know yet, so were not actively trying to avoid it.

-Unaltered cats a PITA. Your female will yowl, and trust me if that other house on the property is anywhere even remotely close to the one you live in, you'll be enjoying quite the symphony at all hours. Your male will start fighting with any other males he comes into contact with to defend his right to mate. The sounds a cat makes when fighting are equally unpleasant to a calling female. He will also spray to warn "intruders." Since he is not truly free roaming, all of that urine will be concentrated at the other house, and again unless you have considerable and I do mean considerable distance, it's not a pleasant aroma. Not to mention, seeing as you would need to go out there daily to feed, water, and do a general check on them, you would be walking into the stench daily.

-After a while, unbred females go into perpetual heat. This means that one cycle simply won't stop. She will not come out of heat until she's either spayed or bred.

-Perpetual heat will not likely be a problem for you. Simply because, unless we're talking Fort Knox. Your female and male will find a way to each other. They will knock out screens, the whole nine yards. When it comes to mating, cats are not to be underestimated.

-Finding homes is not that easy especially seeing as kitten season crop is coming. Every body and their mother is going to have free kittens available. If you do live that removed, why are people going to go all the way out to where you are when there are probably 3-4 litters if not more in their immediate neighborhood.

-If by some miracle you find homes for some or all of this litter, you're still in a pickle because she will most likely already be pregnant again. A litter 3-5 kittens plus your two is already *seven* breeding cats within the 4-6 months it will take the litter to reach breeding age, the second litter will bring that number up to twelve breeding cats within 8-12 months, and that's not taking into account the litters that the kittens in that first litter have had reaching maturity.

-You're quickly going to be overwhelmed in vet bills between all the kittening females and the fighting males. The likelihood that you will have numerous females kitten without a hitch is slim, and even having the PTS - as you state you would do in case of a complication - costs money. On the part of the males, you will be dealing with abscesses and other injuries from the constant fighting.

-Working animals need *more* care than pets. A sick or dead animal cannot do it's job or at the very least cannot do it as well as a strong and healthy animal. A sick or dead cat is not going to hunt for you any better than a sick or dead chicken will lay eggs, or a sick or dead cow produce milk.

I doubt any of this will sink in, but for your sake I hope it does before you come to realize all of this on your own when it's too late and you are overwhelmed.


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## Sinatra-Butters

Why would you even come on this forum? You obviously don't care very much about the poor girl.


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## doodlebug

I think we've all made our points over and over. If it hasn't penetrated by now, it never will...so it's time to lock this thread.


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