After Callie miscarried her litter I called the vet and asked if I should bring her out. I was told no, just watch her and bring her out if she starts acting sick or running a fever. Fast-forward to Wednesday morning, after a peaceful and uneventful Tuesday. Callie got a good night's sleep, got up to eat...and immediately crouched and began yowling. I thought "Oh great, she's retained a placenta." Unfortunately, it turned out to be worse. Callie had retained a fifth kitten, but that fifth kitten didn't make an appearance until AFTER I took her to the vet. I palpated her stomach and felt nothing, the vet palpated her stomach and felt nothing, and THEN the fifth kitten began to show.
Long story short, the retention of all that mess caused a nasty infection, so Callie's spent one night at the vet's and it looks like she's going to spend at least one more. The vet said I'd done a good job of bringing her in as soon as she started acting sick, but I feel guilty. I feel like I should've known, even though Callie acted completely normal after miscarrying four babies. She didn't start crying and acting sick until a solid twenty-four hours after the fourth kitten was born, but all the same I feel guilty. I'm also very angry at her prior owner for not having her spayed in the first place.
I've since learned from my sister, a person who is very learned in genetics, that polydactyl calico cats have a double dose of bad genetics, and problems with pregnancy in these cats should be expected. That would explain why two kittens looked deformed. Thus if any of you out there have calico cats with extra toes, PLEASE SPAY THEM!!! If you haven't done so already, please do it. I would've done so with Callie immediately had it not been obvious that she was already pregnant. I've always been for spaying and neutering, but this latest debacle has made me even more adamant that it be done.
Please pray for my sweet Callie!
Love always,
RagingMoon1987
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