Our Sweet Baked Beans

[Sleepyheadkitten]

I am so exhausted and sad today...

I had a SV girl who had a silent heat and was pregnant- we didn't know when she was bred because her heat was silent, so we just watched her pregnancy grow and felt the babies move and waited for her to give birth...

She has been crazy for the past week or so now... Last night was the worse and I barely slept. Today, I sat with her often and finally, at my little boy's nap time, I fell asleep with her lying next to my side.

Well, she gave birth to two beautiful spotted babies, but neither were alive when I woke up. I feel horrible- I wonder if I could have saved at least one of them. She had cleaned both babies up and was being a good Momma- they just weren't breathing One was smaller then the other- looked younger gestation-wise- and the other had a twisted leg, but as we've learned- that can fix itself and might have been a result of her position in the womb.

I am just so sad and really exhausted. I feel worse for my girl- she is looking and looking for her babies. She keeps trying to find them under my pillows and blankets

 

[ckutkuhn7]

I'm so sorry. Don't "what if" yourself too much. I know its hard, especially to watch her search. (((HUGS)))

 

[gizmo6370]

I'm so very sorry for you and the mom...R.I.P. little ones....

 

[Candys]

I am so sorry. It must be heartbreaking to watch her looking for her babies.

 

[Mews2much]

Sorry about the kittens.

 

[Gadzukz]

Aww, Poor little momma, Don't beat yourself up, you would tell any of us that these things happen Does your mom have any babies your kitty could adopt?:Laugh:

 

[Sleepyheadkitten]

No- but that would've been a good idea. She is desperate for babies and if Mom had some- I'd foster them on her. She really wants Bug- but he's 16 weeks old and although he loves being groomed and playing with her, he isn't into being picked up by his scruff and carried! Not to mention, he's going to the show with me this weekend.

The good thing I'm taking from this is that Bean will be a great Mommy when she has viable babies, but I am just so sick of this. It seems the horrible breeders or whatever can have litter after litter and I just want one or two happy litters. I never had this sort of loss with my Sphynx

 

[Jennifer]

Poor Momma. Thats so sad.

 

[Mews2much]

I agree many bad breeders have great luck with kittens.
You will have nice healthy kittens one day because you take great care of your cats.

 

[MissMySphynxBoys]

How sad. Blessings to the sweet little ones and their momma.

 

[sphynxie]

I'm so sorry to hear about the kittens

 

[NinaGato]

This is the heartbreaking part of breeding. Sorry for your loss. I have been there.

 

[susi794]

Oh Trish,
That just breaks my heart....so sorry.
Susi

 

[tessblack]

Oh that is so sad but you can't beat yourself up over it. Just keep loving her. RIP little ones.

 

[Sleepyheadkitten]

I'm at a real low with my breeding program. If you don't count the litter of Sphynxes I had last year- I have had TWO live SVs born in the past year. That's it. I am really, really down tonight and seeing poor JB, who alternates between purring her head off and looking for her beans- it's killing me. Thanks, everyone, for understanding. Breeding just sucks. (And if anyone wonders why SVs cost so much- this would explain it).

 

[Gadzukz]

Trish, are SVs harder to breed than other breeds of cat? I mean do they have fewer kits per litter, and more problems raising them to adulthood? Just curious. It seems like Sphynx have some trouble with their kits, but DSH barn cats reproduce like mice Wonder why the purebred cared for cats have such small numbers?

 

[Sleepyheadkitten]

It's a whole mess of things with the SVs... First, African Servals usually have smaller litters- maybe 1-3 at a time. So a higher gen female may not have large litters like a normal domestic. Then you have the infertility issues with the males- up until F5-F6 generation, most males are sterile. Very very few males at F4 are fertile, some males at F5 are fertile, and most males by F6-F7 are fertile. Well, my male is fertile, but does he have a lower fertility then perhaps an F6 or F7? Maybe. Without zapping his winker and taking a sample, there's no way to know- but I do know that both my lower gen and higher gen girls have only had 1-2 kittens each.

And all of my girls are first time Moms too- and that can affect the first litter, whether it is viable, whether is a big size, etc.

But on top of all of that- Servals carry longer then a domestic cat, so I think JB may have carried the one baby too long while the other baby too short. Does that make sense? Cats are induced ovulators so if she went into a silent heat, got impregnated with the first baby on the first day and then the second near the end of her cycle- there could be a week's time there. One week early for a kitten is extreme! Remember, cats only carry for 63 days.

I'm looking at bringing in an extra male. I love my male. I think he gives me wonderful QUALITY, but I also need to have viable kittens when they are born. I'm just very depressed tonight, but trying to get things done for the cat show this weekend.

 

[mrwrinklesmama]

That's such sad news. It must be terrible to watch her looking for her babies. Ugh, heartbreaking.

 

[bellasmom]

I am so sorry.

 

[NakedNinja]

Hugs to you and momma kitty. So sad.

 

[bean406]

Sorry you are going through this...heartbreaking. ​

 

[Gizzymom]

That is just real dedication to this breed to deal with all the fertility issues!! You should be so proud of yourself for not giving up!! So sorry for your and JB's losses... Rest in peace little beans.... and may momma's next litter be a success.

 

[marlene]

I'm so sorry. Poor momma kitty. The next time you breed her maybe limit her to 2 days of screwing? That's what I used to do and it gets rid of the big gestational age differences.

 

[Sleepyheadkitten]

Marlene- that's good advice, but unfortunately, she had a silent heat in which I didn't hear it NOR did I see it! It was so frustrating since I couldn't figure out her due date. My other F1 has silent heats too, but she is very slutty- for lack of a nicer word- wiggling her butt everywhere and slinking all around... JB- didn't see it, didn't hear it.

 

[danimcd]

i'm so sorry about your loss... this must be very hard for you and the momma...
try not to get down on your self... it's difficult in times like this, but what's important is that you are caring for her now and hopefully she can bring you some comfort too.

sending you positive thoughts and a hug!