Pregnant barn cat *update* We have kittens!

[LaynaDon95]

Any babies yet?

The wait must be killing you - I know how excited about it I am.

A thought on the birthing box - if she isn't using the new one yet, you might try making the entrance smaller - the original one seemed pretty open and kitties like to hide (probably why she was trying to get under the freezer). If the new box opening is large, just tape a piece of cardboard or fabric over it to make it smaller.

I made one that had a smaller opening and put it in a more private part of the room... She pooped in it too. :\

No kitties yet. I'll post the minute I know something.

 

[ailurophile23]

I made one that had a smaller opening and put it in a more private part of the room... She pooped in it too. :\

No kitties yet. I'll post the minute I know something.

LOL - just like a darn cat. Does she use the litter box as well? Maybe try giving her a basic cardboard box with just newspapers laid flat on the bottom. You could always add something soft like an old bath mat AFTER the kittens are born and you remove any soiled newspapers. I will keep thinking about other ways to make a birthing box that isn't attractive for pooping in. Does she have any particular favorite spots to sleep?

 

[LaynaDon95]

LOL - just like a darn cat. Does she use the litter box as well? Maybe try giving her a basic cardboard box with just newspapers laid flat on the bottom. You could always add something soft like an old bath mat AFTER the kittens are born and you remove any soiled newspapers. I will keep thinking about other ways to make a birthing box that isn't attractive for pooping in. Does she have any particular favorite spots to sleep?

Yes, she uses both. Her litter box IS a basic cardboard box with newspaper in the bottom. Her birthing box is a cardboard box with a sheet/fluffy towel depending on which one she hasn't pooped on. :\

Yes she has a favorite spot to sleep...


under the freezer. -_-

 

[LaynaDon95]

Maybe I'll wait until she goes into labor and then lock her up in a small corner where she will be forced to give birth RIGHT THERE!!!! hahahahahaha. *pleasecatjustpoopwhereyouaretold!!*

 

[ailurophile23]

Maybe I'll wait until she goes into labor and then lock her up in a small corner where she will be forced to give birth RIGHT THERE!!!! hahahahahaha. *pleasecatjustpoopwhereyouaretold!!*

Do you ever get the feeling that the kitty is mocking you?!?!?! I wonder if you fed her in her birthing box if that would stop her from using it as a litter box? Or maybe you need to have something other than a cardboard box for one of the two - something to hep her differentiate them. Remember, she was a poor homeless kitty from the streets so she may not have a sense of proper house cat etiquette. Try to look at it from her point of view - they are both cardboard boxes and she's supposed to poop in a box, right?! At least she isn't trying to pee on or under the freezer (I hope!).

 

[LaynaDon95]

Do you ever get the feeling that the kitty is mocking you?!?!?! I wonder if you fed her in her birthing box if that would stop her from using it as a litter box? Or maybe you need to have something other than a cardboard box for one of the two - something to hep her differentiate them. Remember, she was a poor homeless kitty from the streets so she may not have a sense of proper house cat etiquette. Try to look at it from her point of view - they are both cardboard boxes and she's supposed to poop in a box, right?! At least she isn't trying to pee on or under the freezer (I hope!).

hahahaha Yeah, yeah. Proper house cat etiquette... I'll buy her a book. =P No, thank goodness she's not trying to use the freezer as a litter box. I did feed her in the birthing box at first, thinking no cat would poop and eat in the same space, right? Wrong.
My dad doesn't like the smell in the laundry room and wants me to get real cat litter to help keep it to a minimum. I keep telling him that I can't get clumping litter because the kittens might ingest it (assuming they ever decide to come out and join the party) and it can cause intestinal blockages. (That's what I keep reading anyway.) He doesn't like the cardboard box anyway, so I'm gonna try to get her a real live plastic litter box. Maybe then she'll stop using her birthing box. I'll get her a new birthing box that doesn't smell like litter box, once I get it.
We'll see if that helps.

 

[ailurophile23]

I so wish I were closer to you - I have plenty of spare plastic litter boxes! Sounds like you have done lots of reading and have a good plan - now if the cat will just cooperate. You can always use the basic old-style clay litter (larger chunks) or one of the newer pelleted pine or recycled newspaper litters - they should help with the smell. Sprinkling a little baking soda on the litter and washing the plastic litter box once a week will also help minimize the smell. And remember that even if the kittens are born today, that gives you at least 3-4 weeks before they are moving about and can get into an adult size litter box.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Sounds like I need to research litter. :\ I knew there would be kinds I could use. (I mean, duh. It only makes sense.) I just don't know which kind I wanna go with. My dad doesn't care as long is helps with smell. =D I would just hate to use something and find out it kills kittens! I'm a paranoid pet parent sometimes. I mean, really how many people who didn't know about litter used clumping and the kittens were just fine. Probably a lot. Baking soda is a genius idea and I feel a tad bit stupid for not thinking of that. Don't they advertise that on baking soda commercials...? Yeah, they do. -_- lol

 

[Squawkbox]

I use Litter purrfect lemongrass from Costco if that helps. My kittens never tried to eat it..would they?? That is weird. It smells like lemon so that's a bonus although it does clump. I like it and it is cheap!

Oh, also it says right on the label that it is non toxic. It was put to the test when one of my GSD's went in and ate almost the whole contents of the litterbox (

) with no ill effects.

ETA http://litterpurrfect.com/

 

[ailurophile23]

Sounds like I need to research litter. :\ I knew there would be kinds I could use. (I mean, duh. It only makes sense.) I just don't know which kind I wanna go with. My dad doesn't care as long is helps with smell. =D I would just hate to use something and find out it kills kittens! I'm a paranoid pet parent sometimes. I mean, really how many people who didn't know about litter used clumping and the kittens were just fine. Probably a lot. Baking soda is a genius idea and I feel a tad bit stupid for not thinking of that. Don't they advertise that on baking soda commercials...? Yeah, they do. -_- lol

You can always call your vet for advice on litter - or your local animal rescue group - both have lots of experience and can tell you their preferences. Here are my personal opinions on litter based on lots of cats over lots of years - my adult cats seem to prefer unscented litters - I prefer unscented clumping litters but the cats do not seem to have a preference for either the clumping or the regular clay with larger pieces. I find the clumping easier to clean. I also recommend looking for a litter that is very low in dust - both the cats and I prefer this. I do try to clean the boxes daily though that does not always happen - however some cats are fussy and will not use a litter box that has been used already. When I have had momma cats and kittens, I have used the clumping litter for the mom cat and made sure the litter box was too tall for the kittens to get into initially. For the kittens themselves, I have always started with a very shallow pan or litter tray and filled it with shredded newspaper - once they quit playing in it and start peeing and pooping in it, I transition them to a clay litter (larger size pieces) by mixing some in with the shredded newspaper and then to a scooping litter. I have never (knock on wood) had a kitten try to eat the litter but I am sure there are some out there who would. And the scoopable litter does tend to stick to paws more than the larger sized litter. I have also used the pine pellet litter - very low dust and good odor control but it is more expensive and not all cats will take to the pellets or to the pine scent. Plus side for pelleted litters is that they do not track out of the box as easily so they may be less messy.