You worry about your girl, you kiss your planned vacation goodbye to cover the expected C-section bill, you pray for a couple of surviving kittens to help offset that bill. . . but in the middle of all of this, we are willing to bet that you’re also asking yourself: “Could I have done something to prevent this?”
You probably won’t like our answer, because it is “very possibly, yes.”
There are definitely several things that breeders can do to help reduce the incidence of emergency C-sections. Unfortunately, the time to put them into practice starts long before you find yourself heading to the ER. Additionally, they take up your time and cost money, two commodities that tend to be in short supply when you are managing a breeding program with multiple females. Finally, sometimes the way to reduce the likelihood of an emergency C-section is to arrange for a scheduled C-section; still an expensive proposition, but typically $500 to $1,000 less than emergency surgery, and in our opinion, a very worthwhile alternative.
Given the disclaimer that we cannot offer you a “magic bullet,” we still believe our recommendations are worth your perusal.
Count the Days. . . Every Day Counts!
First of all, we are not expecting breeders to follow this exact protocol with every single breeding and recognize that it may very well be too costly and/or time-consuming. Three vet appointments, in particular, may be more than your budget can handle. But for firsttime moms or for queens that have had prior birthing problems, it makes sense to consider this approach.
Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
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Denne historien er fra February 2024-utgaven av Cat Talk.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please
Tonkinese
When You're Well and Truly Tonked
AVOIDING The Kitten Fear Period
Young kittens seem fearless.4 As soon as those eyes open and they can get their legs under them, they are off to see the world if their mama and humans let them.
No Milk For You!
Milk Issues and Kittens
Fostering Kittens
When asked if I would be interested in fostering a queen and her eight newborn kittens, I volunteered without question.
Do You present ? Polish! OR DO YOU
IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS!
No Kitten! Cats Are Part of the Military!
Felines have graced the decks of boats and ships back nearly to the beginning of time, roaming freely on passenger ships, war vessels, and merchant schooners, keeping vermin at bay.
Feline Summer Movie Fun!
School is almost OUT! Huzzah! But raindrops are plunking against the window, the amusement and water parks haven’t opened yet, camping is out, and roasted hot dogs and S’mores are another month away.
Kittens Are Special...
...and so are some of the show rules for them:
Genetic Pleiotropy and the Risks in Breeding Recessive Mutations
Nearly everyone loves what’s rare and unique. A slight defect in the minting process of a coin can create a demand and a value well beyond the face value of the coin. The coin is functionally no different than its perfectly minted counterpart, but its scarcity and uniqueness alone make it more desirable than the rest.