# Maddie's Kittening Thread!



## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Here is a link to my first thread. http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-breeding/392891-pregnant-kitty-off-farm-help.html

Maddie is a kitty my friend brought off her grandparent's farm. I am caring for her till she has her kittens and once they are weaned we will get her spayed and find the kittens forever homes. 

I got her February 17th and here it is April 5 and still no kitties! She is very big though, and has lost more hair around her nipples. She has been nesting the last few weeks and just loves her belly being rubbed.

Cat pregnancy only lasts about 9 weeks - right? So she really must be due any day now I would think.

One thing that I am wondering about is her nipples. They are pretty large, but she doesn't seem to have any milk at all. Is that normal when she is so close to delivering?

This being my first time with a pregnant cat I'm a little nervous. I do have a tin of powdered KMR and some little bottles if need be. I sure hope I don't need them though!

I am posting some recent pictures of her and will keep you updated as I am sure she will be having them very soon!


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

She looks as if she should have them any day  Her belly will 'drop' shortly before she has them so that the bump looks more underneath than as if she has swallowed a football. It isn't unusual for there to be no milk until the kittens are actually born.
Good luck


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Oooooo! Good luck, mummy is beautiful. X


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Thank-You! I will watch for her belly dropping. I'm glad to know that about her milk - hopefully everything will be fine when she has them! She is eating tons of food and is super affectionate. I can't wait to see her little ones!


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Poor Maddie is so huge! She is eating three times as much as my other cats and is looking rather miserable. I sure hope she has her babies soon! 

She still has no milk, so maybe she will just get it when the kittens are born.


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Oh my word! I remember late pregnancy being incredibly uncomfortable. And I had people I could moan to about it. Poor kitty. I hope she has them in the next few days. Good luck x


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## m1xc2 (Mar 19, 2015)

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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Any news?


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Not much  She is just big and uncomfortable. She looked kind of droopy yesterday, but looks better this morning. 

I'm a little worried as I think she must have been bred at least a week or so before my friend brought her off the farm. I sure hope she isn't over due. Hopefully I'm just worrying for nothing! She will have been at my place for 8 weeks this next Tuesday.


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Well I wouldn't worry until you think she's hit over 10 weeks. She looks ready to drop, I think your in for an interesting weekend is she nesting? Please keep us posted.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

She has been nesting for a few weeks now! She has ripped up some of the cardboard in her boxes and is arranging the newspaper and blankets I have for her. 

I sure hope she has them this weekend. I will definitely keep you all updated! I'll see if I can get more pics today and post them.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Here is another picture of Maddie! She has lost all the hair around her nipples. Strange thing is while they are pretty big, they are very dry and feel almost flat. They seem to have gotten more so lately. I sure hope she will have enough milk for the kittens :/ 

I'm probably just getting overly worried, but this is my first experience, so I'm a little nervous!

She is still eating tons and seems to be drinking well too. Her favorite thing is for me to rub her belly!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

I'm keeping an eaglel eye on this thread lol
She's looking content in the last photo. X


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## Citruspips (Jul 6, 2011)

idris said:


> I'm keeping an eaglel eye on this thread lol
> She's looking content in the last photo. X


Me to.... Hope there will be some good news soon


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

No kittens yet! Maddie is scarfing down tons of food - both canned and dry. She would love to get outside - I think her instinct is to get out as all her other kittens were born on the farm. So we all have to be very careful she only looks out the window!!


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Your wrote:


> So for starters I think I have a pregnant kitty! My friend brought a cat to me off her grandparents farm and she said she saw the cat being mated I think about 2-3 weeks ago. She was bred by at least 2 toms. I am going to keep her till she has kittens (if she does) and then we will get her spayed.


This was on the 19th Feb and she looked large then. That's strange - if she was due tomorrow she would have been 2 weeks pregnant on the 19th and cats that are 2 weeks pregnant don't look like they are.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Yah, it is weird. The only thing I can figure is that her belly was still large from her previous litter. My friend said she was heavily pregnant last November and she thinks she had the kittens in December sometime. We don't think the kittens survived as it was so cold and my friend couldn't find them. Maybe that is why her nipples were still larger too - I dunno. 

I don't see how she could not be pregnant as she has gained a ton of weight, her sides are sticking out, her appetite has markedly increased and the hair is gone around her nipples.

The only thing I can figure is she was bred just a few days before she was taken off the farm.


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

When did she last see a vet?


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

I don't know. She has lived most of her life on my friend's grandparent's farm. I doubt they ever took her. When the kittens are weaned she will go in to be spayed. I talked to my vet and got some dewormer for her but he said not to give it till the kittens are about 3 weeks old. He gave me a regular dewormer and one for tapeworms as well. 

If she doesn't have these kitties soon I think we will need to take her in and have her looked at.


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Perhaps she needs worming, that can produce big bellies and insatiable hunger and the nips just might be from before


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Yah, I dunno - her belly is awfully large for just having worms. And the last couple weeks it is sticking out at the sides. But if she doesn't have them real soon we will take her in and figure out what is going on. Otherwise she is doing really well, so other than her seeming to be close to overdue I'm not terribly worried about her.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

There are wormers which are safe in pregnant cats. Milbemax is one and deals with roundworm & tapeworm. She should be wormed before she delivers otherwise she can pass roundworms in her milk.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Oh what a shame, she could have been spayed soon as you got her since she had only just mated.

She doesn't look much different from the other thread to this one many weeks later.

Can you feel kittens move? You should be able to both see and feel them move at this point.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

spotty cats said:


> Oh what a shame, she could have been spayed soon as you got her since she had only just mated.
> 
> She doesn't look much different from the other thread to this one many weeks later.
> 
> Can you feel kittens move? You should be able to both see and feel them move at this point.


I was thinking the same - she doesn't look different. I hope nothing sinister is going on.

Agree you should be able to feel the kittens moving if she's pregnant, but it can be very subtle, like a tiny flutter under your hand.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

I will ask the vet again about dewormers. I do have some pyrantel pamoate on hand that I have used for my other cats. I did some reading and supposedly it is safe. I am going to check with my vet first before giving anything.

I do not know anything for sure with this cat. I have never had a pregnant cat or even been around one. All I know is that my friend said she and her grandparents had seen her being bred by toms on the farm. Maddie has also lost a lot of hair around her nipples since coming, her appetite has increased dramatically, she has been nesting, acting very affectionate and has not been in heat once since she has been here.

So if she is not pregnant, the only other thing I can think of is a false pregnancy. My vet did mention that was a possibility. I think I am going to have to give it another week and just "wait and see". 

Her belly has gotten larger - especially wider. I can definitely tell a difference. She isn't huge though, so maybe it would be a smaller litter?

I'm not sure if I have felt the kittens or not. I have felt some movement that I think may be kittens, but it isn't very distinct movement. Again, this is my first time at this so I am not positive.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

What country are you in? In the UK Panacur can be brought without seeing a vet and the data sheet says it's safe for pregnant cats:

NOAH Compendium of Animal Medicines: Panacur Small Animal 10 % Oral Suspension - Dosage and administration

Drontal contains the drug you mention, but can't be used in pregnancy:

NOAH Compendium of Animal Medicines: Drontal Cat Tablets - Dosage and administration

If you don't want to go to the vet and pay for Milbemax (if it's available where you live), treat her with Panacur if you can get it. It will get rid of roundworms, but if she has other types of worm she will need further treatment once you have worked out if she is pregnant or not.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

I'm from Canada actually. I haven't seen either dewormer just "over the counter" but maybe there is some somewhere. I will see if I can get one of those for her definitely. When I talked to the vet he recommended deworming her after, but it makes sense that she should be done before as well.

On an exciting note! I spent a bunch of time with her this morning rubbing her belly and I started feeling a little movement. I kept my hand there and I could feel a little head (I'm assuming a head) pushing against my hand! !

So I'm pretty positive she must have babies in there. I just hope she hurries and has them!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

yay! Movement  I've been worried it was phantom. Go kitty "


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

OTC wormers here are now mostly brought on the Internet. It looks like you might be able to buy Milbemax online in Canada without a prescription:

http://www.vetproductsdirect.com.au/usacad/Items.asp?CC=Catwormers


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

That is awesome, thanks for the link! I'll see if they ship to our address. It might not arrive before the kittens are born, but at least I can give it as soon as it arrives.

I was wondering if it was a phantom pregnancy too! I'm glad this confirms it. When I get home from work I will see if I can feel them move again.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

Google is your best friend


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Here is a picture of Maddie after I asked her when her kittens would be born! She looks kinda like, "I will have them when I please, thank-you very much!" 

She sat on my lap tonight for a long time cuddled up and purring. I felt a little head poking almost out her side! Felt kind of like they might have been rolling in her belly too. I am very anxious to meet these babies!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

She looks completely composed and in controlling of the situation.
God's I hate waiting , dearest lady, I don't suppose you could move a little quicker


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Sigh! :Yawn:


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Still nothing :frown2: 

I don't think she ever intends to have them. Meanwhile she is eating me out of house and home! !


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## m1xc2 (Mar 19, 2015)

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## kerryelizabeth134 (Dec 14, 2012)

lizbsn said:


> Aww I keep checking this thread hoping for kittens!


So do I! haha


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

:Yawn:..........:blink: anything?


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Nothing yet! :Yawn: This is getting ridiculous! She seems to be getting milk though - it feels very full around her nipples. 

Here is a picture of her. Any guesses how many babies are in there?! I felt them "swimming" around last night. I think they are going to claw their way out if she doesn't hurry and have them! They might end up coming out full grown!


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## Maldives (Mar 12, 2015)

Just caught up with this can't wait till she pops! I hope for your sake it's not in the middle of the night!! Hurry up Maddie we're all waiting for you to do your stuff girlie.


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## m1xc2 (Mar 19, 2015)

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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Azura said:


> Nothing yet! :Yawn: This is getting ridiculous! She seems to be getting milk though - it feels very full around her nipples.
> 
> Here is a picture of her. Any guesses how many babies are in there?! I felt them "swimming" around last night. I think they are going to claw their way out if she doesn't hurry and have them! They might end up coming out full grown!


My goodness! I don't think her belly can drop any further :thumbsup: Kittens within the next 24 hours I would guess


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

lymorelynn said:


> My goodness! I don't think her belly can drop any further :thumbsup: Kittens within the next 24 hours I would guess


I was just thinking it can't go any lower than that, may as well tie a duster round her and get her to polish the floors as she walks its that low.

I think you'll likely be a midwife tonight/early hours. But then again, shes a cat and cats work to their own rules


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

lizbsn said:


> Can we guess what day and time she'll have them and the person with the closest answer gets a kitten?
> 
> (My guess is 00:48 on Saturday night / Sunday morning.)


Sure! Might be tough to ship one from Canada though! Lol. I sure hope I can be there for the birth. I am working today and have to work Monday - Wednesday too. 

Thankfully my mom will be around and can keep an eye on her. Also, living most of her life on a farm, she has had other litters and definitely knows what to do!

I can't believe how low her belly is either!! Completely crazy! :eek6:

All I know is that if she had her way the kittens probably wouldn't be born till August!!!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Im not even going to try and guess with this particular cat. I thought she would have them last weekend.  
Go girl :thumbsup:


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

I bet she'll have the babies late at night/early morning on the days you have to work! Murphy's Law


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Ugh! Still no kittens!! She probably will have them when I'm gone to work. That is just like her!! Lol


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Maddie is still holding tight.  :Yawn:

She feels very full with milk, so at least it seems she will be ready to feed them if she ever has them!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Sigh!:
By my calculations , if you got her say 18th/19th February and she fell pregnant only the day before you got her then she is now entering her 9th week. She can't hold out much longer. If she has not produced by this time next week I'd be off to the vet. But a week is a long time in pussytics. come on missy you have no idea how many people are hanging on your every shudder and twinge


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Azura said:


> Also, living most of her life on a farm, she has had other litters and definitely knows what to do!


Having previous litters won't help if a kitten is stuck or placenta retained, so hopefully your mum will be with her if you can't be to make sure all kittens are born successfully.

Hope all goes well.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Yes, she better have them this week or I will be very concerned. We will definitely take her into our vet if she holds out past this week. Thankfully she seems fine right now, eating well and not in distress. 

I am certainly going to try my best to be around when the kittens are born. Sure is frustrating I have to work the next three days. All I meant by saying Maddie has had lots of litters before is I know she will clean them and feed them - I'm sure she won't reject them like a new mother might! But I totally agree that if something goes wrong during labor it is important someone is there. We will try our absolute best - we really love this girl!!


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## m1xc2 (Mar 19, 2015)

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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

This might be the night! Maddie is not very interested in food and she has tons of milk! She is kind of flopped around and is also super affectionate and clingy. I will be right beside her all night and if she don't have them till tomorrow my mom will be with her while I am at work. I really hope she has them while I am here though!!!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Fingers crossed, I hope she has an easy time of it, good luck


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Three are here already!! 2 grey and 1 black. I think there are more to come. One kitten is already trying to nurse but I don't think the milk is coming down yet.  I can feel the milk, but her nipples are not filling Is this normal? She had the first kitten about an hour and a half ago.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Three are here already!! 2 grey and 1 black. I think there are more to come. One kitten is already trying to nurse but I don't think the milk is coming down yet.  I can feel the milk, but her nipples are not filling Is this normal? She had the first kitten about


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

No more kittens so far. Maybe she is done. They are nursing now and seem to be getting milk. Maddie is one proud momma!! I will post pics in the morning. I have to get them from my camera to my cell phone.


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## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

Yay!! Congratulations!!!!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Oober yay! She might just be having a rest, she was very big for just three. I'm so proud of her. ( wipes away a little tear) can't wait for pictures.


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

So she was mated on or about the 16th - just before you got her.


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

OrientalSlave said:


> So she was mated on or about the 16th - just before you got her.


Yeah! Hindsight is wonderfull thing ,she could have been spayed way back then couldn't she ,but she looked a lot further on than she was to everybody. Azura has already said she will be spayed after this litter. From even the early pictures she looks like her little body needs a very long good rest. Thanks Azura for looking after her. x


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

But it's really hard to tell from a photo, compared to hands on, and as vets rarely deal with pregnant cats they are awful at knowing when they are due.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Well done Maddie


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## debshar (Mar 10, 2015)

Congratulations xx


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Well three seems to be the limit! I've been napping a little on and off since she had them - she still seems fine and is happily nursing them. They are so, so adorable and tiny!

Yes, she will definitely be spayed as soon as these babies are weaned!! I promised her she would NEVER have to have another litter and I mean it! It is really wild how she had just been bred a day or so before - I would have never guessed that she wasn't at least a few weeks along. But then this was my first experience with a pregnant cat!

Here are some pictures of the little trio


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Thank-you for all your help over the last couple months! I would have been a lot more nervous otherwise. I am very proud of Maddie - she is an amazing mother! She made my part easy - I just had to be there and make sure everything went smooth.


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Awwww, babies! They look quite big, have you weighed them?

She looked like she had an absolute bellyful of babies but she's looking quite svelte now (lying down anyway) And she looks so relaxed and content.


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

Gorgeous babies with their gorgeous mum
You have absolutely done wonderfully. I'd have had kittens if it was me.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Yes, I was getting pretty anxious about her - I am so glad they are here safe and sound! 

I weighed them a couple hours ago. The black one is 4 1/2 oz, the larger grey is also 4 1/2 oz and the smaller grey is 4 oz. Can't tell yet which are males or females!!


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## Polski (Mar 16, 2014)

Azura said:


> Yes, I was getting pretty anxious about her - I am so glad they are here safe and sound!
> 
> I weighed them a couple hours ago. The black one is 4 1/2 oz, the larger grey is also 4 1/2 oz and the smaller grey is 4 oz. Can't tell yet which are males or females!!


If thats 4.5oz then thats around 130g...thats a really good weight!


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## m1xc2 (Mar 19, 2015)

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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

lizbsn said:


> Yay, so glad she finally popped!  Congratulations, you've done an amazing job of guiding her through her pregnancy. You should be very proud of yourself. Also - gorgeous kittens!


Thank-you  I am so glad I was able to be there for her and she didn't have to have yet another litter in a barn! She will have a much easier life being spayed!

And yes, they are fairly big kittens. I'm glad - they should be healthy! I love them all so much already! They are so beautiful - I hope the grey ones stay dark grey, kind of the Russian blue coloring. The little black one has a tiny white patch on it's chest!


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## Maldives (Mar 12, 2015)

Oh sweet well done Maddie they are beautiful just like their Mum.


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## Samara (Nov 2, 2014)

Beautiful kittens. Well done Maddie and well done Azura


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## Citruspips (Jul 6, 2011)

Congratulations I'm so pleased they finally arrived safe and well


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## GingerNinja (Mar 23, 2014)

Well done Maddie! 

Congratulations on your new arrivals


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Thank-you everyone! I have passed on your congratulations to Maddie. 

She and the kittens are doing awesome. She is such an amazing mother! I will try to get some more pictures soon and post them.


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Maddie and her little ones are doing great! The kittens are gaining weight steadily and I can notice a size difference already! I can't wait till their eyes are open and they start running around!


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

I would absolutely love some pictures of the kittens with their eyes open pretty please


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## Azura (Dec 18, 2014)

Sorry I didn't update sooner! It has been very busy and I forgot. Sadly the littlest kitten didn't make it, he died a little over a week ago  The vet said he most likely had something wrong genetically. Maddie stopped feeding him one night and although I tried to bottle feed him he died a few hours later.

On a happy note the other two are doing great! Growing so fast and crawling around. Here are a few pics!


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

Sorry to hear that you lost one of the babies  Mum's do seem to know if a kitten isn't going to thrive but it is still upsetting to lose a tiny one 
The others are looking gorgeous :Cat and will soon be causing chaos when they start running around


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## Samara (Nov 2, 2014)

Oh my, the little pinky paws on the second one   I'm in love


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## idris (Feb 19, 2015)

I'm sorry one did not make it. It's sad to witness I'm sure. The two remaining are little cuties, the grey one is particularly sweet. Thanks for the update


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