author Cristin Dillard Magnolia Rags
I am still a newer breeder. Magnolia Rags just had our third litter.
The day we anticipated so eagerly, quickly turned into a near nightmare. Breeding cats is not for the faint of heart. It’s very expensive when you breed for the health of the cats. High quality food, cat litter, cat shows, testing, and vet visits eat up the funds quickly. You learn very quickly that you aren’t in it for the money. And all the time preparing doesn’t always lead to smooth going!!
And thats where I was the Saturday before Easter. I knew my girl, Della, would probably have the babies that day Or on Easter. She had been clingy to me, and in and out of her birthing hotel. So that night, while I was ironing shirts, I realized she was in her box and starting to push. I checked in on her, got my pen and paper ready for writing down the births and weights etc, and sat down to wait. It was her first litter, and I was a little nervous. I was expecting 2-3 kittens. Two hours later the pushes got harder. I saw two little white feet emerge. I was not worried about it being breech. As my other queen had managed that just fine. But it wasn’t going to be easy for Della. She struggled to get the kitten out. Finally it was down to the head. I knew baby needed to get out quickly! But Mom was upset by this point and hissing at me as though I were causing the pain. It took my husband and me to manage to get the poor purple kitten out. I knew he was dead. It had been so many minutes. His gums were gray. Feet dark. I rubbed him. Cleaned out his nose and mouth. Did everything all the videos suggested. But nothing. I gave him a little breath. Rubbed and begged him to come back. Nothing. I told my husband he was gone. But suddenly he gasped! I rubbed him more and suctioned him and told him how brave he was!! He gasped again. Then again. Slowly his white skin colored pink. But there wasn’t time to celebrate. Della had feet dangling again! The same thing happened. Although it took less time to get baby out, he was also lifeless. I repeated the above, and he gasped minutes later. Slowly he too, began to come back to me. Talk about relief! I was never so happy for a small litter!!! I stayed awake with the new family until the wee hours, making sure they were breathing and finally nursing. When I saw the boys fighting over milk, I knew they were ok. Hopefully each passing day they grow stronger and don’t develop any complications.
So many think we breed for the money. Have all these cute kittens everywhere and life is good. But its not like that all the time. Its life and loss. Its litter boxes and vomit and hairballs. Its infertile hopes, and disappointments. We do it for the breed. We stay up late, pay the bills, and clean and plan and prepare, because we want RagaMuffins to be a name people recognize. A healthy beautiful breed for many to enjoy. Never take for granted the miracles we witness a long the way.
Owners’ from the United States wants and needs for their pets has become big business. In fact, over $103 billion was spent last year. In this growing business, owners need to be aware of a business trying to make a quick buck without regard as to your pets health. Toys fit into this category. We want to spoil our RagaMuffins. They are our babies after all. What must be kept in mind before purchasing any toy is how safe they are for your cat. RagaMuffins play hard and tend to need sturdier toys. Continue to examine and dispose of toys that are showing wear. A variety of toys are best for your kitty. Keep in mind toys that will keep them stimulated. They don’t have to be costly. Some of my cats favorites are the most inexpensive. The down side is that the inexpensive toys such as the springs, wool balls and boinks play havoc with vacuums. The upside is that replacing them costs little.
Pyramids and tracks that have balls firmly secured in them are favorites with our kittens as well as the puzzle boxes. They do not keep our adults attention very long. Hexbugs are very exciting to cats. The prey drive in our cats is highly stimulated. The down side is their size. Cats should not be left alone with them! Supervision is necessary not only for your cat, but if they get under something you can’t move, they buzz for hours. Teasers of all kinds are a necessity. Once again, because of the size of the RagaMuffin, it’s worth the extra cost to get sturdy ones. I hesitate to mention brands, but by far the ones that have lasted the longest are dabird by Go Cat. They have several different attachments which can be purchased to keep your cat interested. Feathers, rabbit fur, insects are just a few of them. These are also not to be left out unattended.
they work and dismantle them or are bored by them. The best in our RagaMuffins view is the one that goes in circles underneath the thin material. The adults learned very quickly to sit on the rod that makes the feather move making it a breeze to rip off the feather. The latest interactive toy we bought is great in concept, but made poorly. It’s a spinning ball that flashes different colors. On the ball you can latch on different attachments. This is placed in a poorly made small tunnel with ends that tie. When the cats see the flashing lights as well as the shadows, they get excited. It’s only good until the big cats rip open and destroy the tunnel. Game over!