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I doubt that you'll find one single person on this board who doesn't agree
with cybercat.
Best regards,
---Cindy S.

That response is neither ignorant nor nasty.  First, we can't possibly know
if anything is wrong, but a delay of 7.5 hours clearly calls for a visit to
the vet ASAP.  Second, the response may have been abrupt, but most of us on
this group have seen the heartbreaking results of people who continue to let
their cats breed.  We have a dreadful problem with overpopulation of cats
and dogs (at least in the US), and only an aggressive spay/neuter program
can help.  Even if a person has the best of intentions and finds homes for
all of the kittens produced by his or her cat, that means that there are
other cats that will probably be euthanized in shelters because there are no
homes for them.  By coincidence, I attended a press conference last week at
our local shelter.  The conference was set up for interviews by members of
the Humane Society and several rescue groups and was intended to call
attention to this very problem.  The local shelter had to close its doors
(temporarily) on Tuesday because there was no room available.  Forty-seven
animals were euthanized Tuesday.  Employees opened the doors again at 10
a.m. Wednesday, and the shelter had already taken in 59 new animals (37 cats
and 22 dogs) within and two hours -- and closed again.  This is a continuing
problem.  Moreover, a larger shelter will not solve the problem.  Only
spay/neuter can solve this problem.  Our little town averages about 5,500
animal surrenders annually -- 4,000 of which had to be euthanized last year.
And that does not include the large number of cats and dogs that are simply
abandoned and suffer a far more painful death than humane euthanization.
Moreover, this town is not unique with the problem I cited.  Far from it!  I
might add, spay/neuter has beneficial aspects for the cat because there are
certain medical conditions that the procedure will prevent or reduce (such
as ovarian or uterine cancer, reduction in breast cancer, and reduction in
prostate cancer).  Whenever I read that a parent says that he or she wants
their children to witness "the miracle of birth," I wonder if they are also
prepared for their children to witness "the miracle of death" because that
is what happens to an incredibly large number of animals as a result of pet
overpopulation.

So, we are not being cruel when we tell someone to have their cats spayed or
neutered.  I do understand your pain at seeing the stillborn kitten and your
concern about what to do now.  The advice may have sounded heartless under
the circumstances, but the advice was actually sound.  First and foremost,
of course, is to get your cat to a vet because people on a newsgroup cannot
have any way of knowing if there is still a medical problem.

MaryL

What in the world was nasty about what Cybercat wrote???!

Personally, I think her advice was spot on.

CatNipped

This was her first litter, is this normal?

I must start by saying, "No, this is not normal".

Many of you in the group will understand what I mean when I say that
this post sounds exactly like one of my own posts only 9 months or so
ago.

I feel for you.

I was a breeder of Birmans & Ragdolls, & I said everything that you
have just posted too. I also understand your outrage with cyber,
because I felt exactly the same way that you do, then. However, I
decided to stick around and keep reading & posting, if only to further
my knowledge of cats in general, & talk to other people regarding cat
issues, that I wouldn't normally have been able to had I not bothered
doing so.

The reason I didn't like her remarks and took them personally was
because I felt they were rude & directed @ me personally. I was wrong
there & I can see that now. It is simply frustration of people asking
the same question time & time over. But I couldn't see that @ that
time.....

I had been breeding for several years before coming here with a
problem with one of my Queens, who turned out to have ringworm in the
end. It took me roughly 5-6 months of reading to understand that *I
was part of the problem.*.

I have since done what you are deciding to do right now & I applaud
you for that.
I am going to show you a photos that was posted to me when I announced
that I had decided to give up breeding, for guilt, love, & being able
to live with myself too.
Now this poster could have posted this photo@ any time in all of the 5
months that I had been posting, asking advice & adding my own
contribution: in fact anyone here could have posted it, had they
really wanted to hurt my feelings.

Believe me when I tell you that no one would choose to hurt your
feelings here. It is merely frustration @ the same question being
asked time & time over. People here can't see your cat, so it would be
highly irresponsible to tell you what was right, or wrong, based on a
few lines of writing.

However, your vet does know your queen, so It would be best for you to
talk to him / her., & decide where you go from here.
Finally, I am so sorry that you went through this. No one deserves to
cope with miscarriages, be they feline or human

http://maxshouse.com/heartache.JPG

Now this really made me look @ life differently. Phil could have
posted this any time he chose to.. but he didn't, he waited until I
saw my own mistake, & I thank him for that.

I wish both you & your cats well. Please believe me when I tell you
that it is better to love your cats & loose her kittens, than it is to
loose both, because this is what you face if you allow her to become
pregnant again.

If you look up the word pyometra, you will understand that what I tell
you is true.
Good Luck & Best wishes,
Sheelagh