Yikes. If Pru got down to mating on the day I dropped her off (& if that the first mating had succeeded) today is day 65. If the first mating was the next day (this was reportedly heard) then day 65 is Monday 23rd.
There have been clear signs that labour is ready to go… or begun…. but Prune has yet to begin any kind of physical effort. There was some digging behaviour today and lots of cleaning of her lady bits, some small mews (she’s usually silent, not given to speaking a great deal) which tells me she is feeling something. She’s laid for a while allowing me to softly rub her tummy which is unusual too.
I’ve been on an absolute knife edge since Friday and am exhausted with it but can’t sleep for fear that she will need me & I won’t know. The trouble is that there was no visual on her matings. She is right to dates and so I’m holding my nerve that everything is ok… but I won’t lie, I’m very tense & uneasy. I love my beautiful girl so very much and want everything to go smoothly. There’s no reason for it not to. Her previous 2 labours/Kittenings were textbook… but I can’t help but be afraid for her and her babies especially after what Noodle experienced with her 2 pregnancies (resulting in loss of kittens and a decision to spay) I feel so haunted by the trauma.
Breeding is such hard graft. It’s hellishly expensive. Heart and health testing, stud fees, breeder insurance, cattery & kitten registration, etc. etc, but it’s emotionally testing too because it is placing your cat at risk she would otherwise not be experiencing. While birthing is of course a natural thing - I also know that it’s very easy to lose neonatal kittens and it can happen that you could even lose a cat too. I haven’t lost a cat in these circumstances but know other breeders who have. These thoughts haunt me so much in the days where Labour is due. Please let kittens appear safely tonight Prune .
