Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Aunty e]

Our serengeti queen had her litter two weeks ago - she had been sneezing a bit before they were born, but she had calici as a tiddler, and has always been a touch wheezy. Unfortunately it turned out to be a full blown, virus shedding, conjunctivitis inducing, hideously contagious relapse of calici. Our pregnant mau has turned into Darth Kitty, and stopped eating for two days, only starting to eat again this morning, our Mau stud is sneezing gently and our retired mau queen sneezed solidly for two weeks and stopped a few days ago.

 

All of this would be fine, if the kittens hadn't contracted it as well one died suddenly at five days, two more rather more gradually at a week old, and we have one healthy and one sick left. Sick kitten doesn't seem to be nursing, so I've been syringe feeding not very successfully for a day and am off to the vet later. Hope they'll agree that tube feeding might get kitten through, but he's fading by the hour

 

I've lost kittens at birth before, but this is a whole new kind of horrible. We were going to spey this queen anyway, as she doesn't tolerate pregnancy well and this is her second litter, but I'm leaning towards speying them all now, as its likely they'll continue to carry calici

[Old Speckled Hen]

Oh dear that is so sad. I must agree with your solution though. They will all be calici carriers and any stress may cause a relapse as you have seen. Calici is shed intermittently even though the cat appears healthy. It is a devastating thing particularly if you have bred something special but it is the right decision. I wish all breeders shared your ethics. I have lost count of the number of sick kittens I used to have to treat that came from breeders that refused to cull. Best of luck Aunty e

 

Edited to say that you can have healthy kittens if you caeser them and have them fostered in isolation straightaway but that is quite cruel on mum I always thought.

[chickencam]

How horrible for you and them

 

We have 2 moggies who both had cat flu as kittens and they are still prone to wheezing and sneezing from time to time. They are now about 6 years old and i worry about them in the long term. Having said that we had a rescue cat years ago, she was about 18months old when we got her and she got flu, recovered and went on to live for a further 17 healthy years.

 

I hope that all are better soon.

[Aunty e]

No, that is cruel. OUr retired girl always knew when she was short a kitten or two from her litter, never mind a whole litter It's a shame, especially as our Mau boy is wonderful, but he's had three litters with Saffy (if this one to be born survives) and two with Minnie, so I wouldn't have bred him much more anyway. Sadly, we've only had one brilliant litter, which was this one, and the best kitten of the bunch is the one that's terribly poorly now.

 

Our vet can't guarantee that revaccinating will kill this variation of Calici, and I just couldn't do this again

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that Aunty e, I hope that they recover.

 

My rescue cat had flu before we adopted her and she's always been a bit snuffly.

[Aunty e]

Well Saffy aborted her litter this morning Probably the best thing for her health but very sad of course and not nice for her or us. One kitten still fine, the other is fading fast. Part of me wants to stop feeding him and just let him go gently, but I can't quite give up on him yet...

[Old Speckled Hen]

Oh Aunty-e I am so sorry.

On PM a lot of these sickly kitties have ulcers right down their gullet. If you can..... wrap him up warm as toast and let him go. I am gutted and in tears; poor little man, poor you and poor Saffy

[The Dogmother]

I'm sorry to hear that, best to let the wee s"Ooops, word censored!" go Eirean, if he survives he migth (as OSH suggests) Have insurmountable problems

[Aunty e]

He's tucked up with his mummy now, I don't think it will be long. He seems happy with her, so no more intervention from me

[Olly]

How awful - so sorry to hear that.

[Groovychook]

So sorry to hear about this... It must be heartbreaking for you x

[Seagazer]

I'm so sorry, its so sad. I've never heard of calici. Dave my cat came to us with flu but thankfully has been fine ever since.

 

It must be heartbreaking for you at the moment.

[Chucky Mama]

How awful I am so sorry.

[Snowy]

That is so sad Aunty E - poor you and poor kittys

[Aunty e]

Kitten died this morning - he obviously couldn't breathe hardly at all by the end, and the vet did say that he suspected his lungs were badly affected by the flu Last kitten remains healthy, but every tiny sneeze and snuffle is horrifying. Mum has taken to hiding him, as I think she suspects I'm going to take this one too. Saffy seems much much brighter today, and is breathing much better, so hopefully we're past the worst of it. No sneezing at all today from any of them. We're going to revaccinate once they're all recovered, and spey the girls. If little kitten survives, we have a very good home lined up with some friends of ours, and he'll be an only cat, so no chance of him infecting anyone else. Otherwise I think he'll have to stay with us, as I hate the thought of spreading this pernicious strain to any other kitties

[Goosey Lucy]

so sorry to read your posts, it's heartbreaking you obviously care so much x

[Seagazer]

So sorry

[Old Speckled Hen]

Oh Aunty e I'm sorry...poor little kitty.

Fingers crossed for everybody else.

[fluffyfeet]

So very sad.

 

Sending hugs and strokes to all.

 

Dawn x

[Aunty e]

Well it's a few days later and last kitten is still healthy looking. Saffy took a few days to stop bleeding but seems all better now and has taken to nursing Minnie's kitten. Cats do tend to cross feed if there are two queens with litters, and Minnie and Saffy littered together last time, so Minnie is relatively relaxed about it. I'm not really allowed near the kitten, in fact we keep losing him when Minnie finds a new hiding place. He's HUGE for a three week old kitten, so I really really hope he stays well. Our stud boy and retired queen both got over their sniffles in a few days, so I have a sort of healthy cat household at the moment. We're waiting a couple of weeks to make sure they're completely better and then it's off to the vets for everyone to be revaccinated and neutered as appropriate. Minnie has to wait until this kitten is about seven weeks old before she can be speyed, but even a serengeti shouldn't come into season that quickly! I'm trying not to get too hopeful (hence little kitten doesn't have a name) but I do feel like we've come out the other side now.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Oh fingers crossed.

Can we have a picture when he's out of danger?

[Aunty e]

Kitten went to his new home last night - still called Kitten, but robustly healthy, friendly and charming. Minnie is all booked in to be speyed on Friday, but Saffy looks to be presenting us with a litter in the next week or so, following which she'll be speyed as well. All the cats have been revaccinated on the advice of our vets and Nero's boy bits are on the chopping block shortly to try and persuade him to stay home more. I feel a bit sorry for Minnie, as she's hunting about for Kitten, but she'll forget about him soon and be much happier as a neuter.

[The Dogmother]

Glad to hear it E, perhaps Minnie will help with the new litter?

[dancing cloud]

Good to have a happy ending for Kitten after all your care and I'm sure Minnie will be fine. Fingers crossed all goes well with Saffy and you get a lovely litter of healthy kitties to give you the run-around !

[Aunty e]

Minnie might well cross feed - Saffy nursed Kitten for a few days after she lost her litter. Minnie is in my bad books at the moment as she brought in a squirrel earlier. Poor thing was still warm and it was really upsetting.