Welcome to Catstar’s Wednesday Cat! Every week we share stories from one of the cat-loving cat stars. This week we’re talking about Isabel and her cocky rescue, Millie.
Helping Millie breathe new life into this world was probably one of the most stressful and beautiful experiences I have experienced of all of being a cat owner. And being around five adorable, energetic little fur during the national lockdown during the Covid-19 global pandemic turns out to be an absolute lifesaver!
I “truly believe.”everything happens for a reason.” Millie’s pregnancy was completely unexpected and unplanned, but it turned out to be such an incredible chapter in our lives. Something you can’t imagine if you don’t have it.
Now, let’s talk a little more about the night when Millie became a teenage mom. I became the grandmother of Tommy, Shelby, Alfie, Basil and Miley.
As you can see, it’s very difficult to guess what series I saw, the food I ate, the music I was listening to at the time!
Accidental impregnation
“So, how did Millie get pregnant?” you ask. Well, that was shortly after I graduated from university and Millie, and at the end of 2019 I went home to Johannesburg with my family. Includes seven other cats, Chicky, Winsey, Smockle, Lurie, Nibby, Pummy and Mimi. All were castrated or castrated.
That December, I visited my fiancé who was visiting my parents in Stellenbosch, Cape Town. Millie was about nine months old at the time, but in my eyes it was still a small baby. I knew a lot about cats back then, but I was definitely not a cat expert today. I wasn’t entirely aware of how quickly you should be castrated or castrated cats. Ideally, you can start castration of female cats between 5 and 6 months.
I had just graduated from university and had planned to go home and go on my deserved holiday. So I wasn’t thinking about castrating her at the time. I took her to a health check and told myself that I would book sterilization for the new year if I returned from my holiday.
Too little, too late.
During that December she sneaked (our cats are all outdoor/indoor cats, including her) and became pregnant with an unknown gentleman in the area. Probably a stray cat. My parents live very close to the shopping centre and have stray cats living in and around the car park.
A week or two later, my sister called and said that Millie was acting unusually affectionately and affectionately, and they said that she ran down the street from the side of the shopping centre several nights. I saw it coming. We were worried that she might have become pregnant as we knew it was obviously dangerous allowed her to roam freely unharmed, but I was able to get her home I decided to get pregnant within two weeks of my return and didn’t really think I was enthusiastic and not castrated.
Nonetheless, it was totally my fault. I would have been the more responsible cat owner in that scenario and castrated her earlier. But in the end, everything went well. It’s not helpful to cry with spilled milk!
Cat experience during pregnancy
So after my sister called me, we were about 60% sure she was Maybe Get pregnant. By the time we got home from our holiday, we were sure. That’s what Millie was like absolutely Pregnant.
She was the cutest pregnant gal ever, so it was hard to be sad or worried! It appears she was pregnant. Her belly began to show, and it looked very adorable. And her nipples were more prominent and pink. You can easily say that she was in her nesting time. She’s so chilled and adorable. Millie is not the most loving cat, so it was a blessing to have her very hugged and cute.
She also increased her appetite, had more thirst than usual, had lower energy levels, had been playing with all the other cats and wanted to be by my side the whole time. You don’t need to know me too well to know that it was a dream for me! And she looked really happy and healthy.
As you see in the video, as you are approaching the third stage, the fetal movements were clearly visible and you could see the kitten swaying around and swinging in her belly. We’ve started to get really excited about bringing Minimilli to the world!
Over time, she began to search for a comfortable place around the house. She inspected all cupboards and drawers in every room, looking for the best place to have a baby. I helped her browse. My mother’s instinct was overdrive seeing my little girl get pregnant and look like her mother. I wanted her to be as comfortable and content as possible! I think she definitely knew and realized right away that she could turn to us to help her do this.
I’m ready to pop
Around mid-February 2020, a lot was about to change. At this point, Millie was very pregnant and had to decide whether to get a job or continue his research to become a clinical psychologist. Panic has begun to spread around the world about the coronavirus outbreak and the potential for a global pandemic to approach.
We had a bet and everyone guessed the due date. If I remember correctly, I think I said it on February 19th. I missed it all day. On February 20, 2020, Millie went to work in the afternoon. I knew because she was acting differently. She became very pregnant and turned from lazy to a girl. She was focused on pacing, so I felt that today was the day.
Naturally, I had a much bigger convulsion than anyone else in the house, including the pregnant Queen herself. I was also increasing the pace. You are looking for boxes, blankets, towels and other supplies you need to ensure a smooth birth.
My sister and I are self-appointed midwifes and we took our work very seriously, but both of us are helping cats to give birth, and cats to give birth. This was very new to both of us as we had never seen it. Luckily, my father is a dentist with a background in military medicine, so it felt a little more at ease that some people had medical knowledge.
It was ready.
Millie giving birth: The wildest experience of my life
Around 18:00, Millie was restless. In the end we found her in one of the places with some nests we made for her. It was in my sister’s home office so we decided to close it, especially since the other cats were curious and we didn’t want to emphasize Millie. It went from my home office to the cat birth ward within an hour.
We talked between me and my sister, overthinked, worried, asked hundreds of unanswered questions, messed up Millie’s comfort, Millie’s pace from one nest to the next. . It was a controlled chaos. Me, the most dramatic person in the family, my sister, is basically a calm yet passionate version of me, and my teenage mom cat gives birth on a Friday night.
Around 8pm she was contracting, but that was when things got a little harder. Millie was generally a small cat and she was still young. She says to us, “I don’t know what we’re doing here, please help!” But we turn to how much she wanted us to intervene or confusion. I wasn’t sure I wanted you to help me with that. It was a natural process driven by instincts and we didn’t want to overwhelm her, distract her or annoy her, so she didn’t seem to know what to do or what to do It looked like that, so I made things hard. Of course, no one was surprised, but I was in total panic mode.
1 kitten… 2 kitten… 5 kittens? !
After about 15 minutes of Millie contracted and looked extremely uncomfortable, we noticed that a bit of a cat’s paw was protruding out of her. We were a bit worried as we were hoping they would be delivered first in our heads, but it turned out to be very normal. However, this was still a bit of a long time, so it was a busy start to the birth process, with Millie uttering up and down as she pushed her first kitten out, which was emotional. We were worried and Millie was stressed. Still, we didn’t interfere much, touch or touch her or touch her until we were forced.
After another 15-20 minutes, Millie was still struggling to get rid of the first kitten. The way she saw us, I wish she could have helped us. Wearing beautiful gloves, my sister gently pulled Shelby out of the Birth Canal into the world. Perfect, healthy, and cute as a button.
Another 20 minutes later, Tommy came. Millie was also moving the pace as he delivered him, but she seemed a little nervous, but she pulled out and he was born. Bite of the placenta was unusual to see, but Millie had no problem with that. She did it as if she knew exactly what had to happen. I”Wow, girl, how do you know how to do that?”
At this point, we’re okay, maybe there are only two? no. Alfie has arrived. He was a big boy. But now Millie understood the assignment. She jumped out of him this time into the nesting cupboard (the first two were outside the cupboard, on the floor). After that, it took a little longer and Basil and Miley came out directly to each other. We like to think they are twins.
We waited another 30-40 minutes to see if there were more kittens, and thankfully, 5 was a lucky number. Millie delivered five beautiful, healthy kittens and I was the proudest cat grandma ever. It was truly an unforgettable experience and I am happy that my sister and I shared it with Millie. It’s very special!
Tips for helping cats have a birth
Prepare a comfortable birth area
Knowing signs of work
- Nesting behavior (your cat may start looking for her own location)
- Increased love and withdrawal from people
- Restlessness, pacing, or excessive grooming, especially around the belly
- Reduced appetite and potential for vomiting
- Visible contractions and panting
We will support you as much as possible without any interference
- Cats are instinctive mothers and usually don’t need help, but are nearby in cases of complications
- Speak calmly and invitingly and avoid excessive handling
- If your kitten is stuck, you can gently support by grabbing it with a clean towel or gloves and pulling it very gently in the direction of delivery
Beware of normal birth patterns
- Kittens usually arrive within 20-40 minutes of each other.
- Mom breaks the amniotic sac, cleans the kitten, eats the placenta and umbilical cord
- If she doesn’t, you may need to gently break the sac and rub the kitten with a warm towel to intervene
Be prepared for an emergency
- If you are going through more than 40 minutes between kittens, or if she is struggling to pass one kitten for more than 10 minutes, call your vet
- Excessive bleeding, serious distress, or reactions in the mother must be urgently warned
- If your kitten is not breathing, try gently rubbing it with a warm towel to stimulate breathing
Postnatal care
- Make sure all kittens are breastfeeding within the first few hours
- Keeps the nesting area warm (approx. 85°F/29°C for the first few days)
- Beware of signs of illness in your mother or kitten (lethality, refusal to eat, abnormal discharge, bleeding, etc.)
Next time we will be raising a kitten during lockdown, seeing Millie being a cute mom, seeing her difficult decision to put two kittens for adoption, and going through her mind, next time I share a little more. The experience of losing Tommy with the hands of a reckless driver when he was about two years old.
Until then,
Please cheer!
(Cheers for now)
This article features Isabel and Millie in Wednesday’s Cat of Cat Star series.
