Awww I'm so sorry to hear about the lil fella I will keep everything crossed for you. Sounds like you have had a bit of an ordeal on your hands

Still keeping everything here crossed for you

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www.abooksigunbengals.com

I know I haven't been in touch for a while. I have had my hands full.

It is very, very sad news......all the kittens have died. The first little boy died on Thursday evening. I lost three within half hour of each other on Saturday evening and the last two died in the early hours of this morning.

I got good advice from an emergency vet on Saturday afternoon as I could see the others were going downhill. He told me I could do no more than I was doing already.

I am at present waiting to hear from two more vets on what to do next. I have another litter of three kittens in another room which seem OK at present and they are just 12 days old. I also have a litter due next Wednesday. I have an outside pen so it might be best to put Mum-to-be outside just before her kittens arrive. I hate to do it but it might be best. The pen has a heater in it and is quite roomy.

I think my next step is to get all my six breeding girls tested for carrier status assuming that it is one of the Calicivirus strains. I cannot let this happen again.

I have been very upset especially on Saturday evening after I lost three of them. I worked hard at feeding them by syringe but they just got weaker and weaker until they couldn't actually swallow the fluid. I knew then that I was going to lose them.

I have heard of this type of problem with other breeders and some people call it Fading Kitten Syndrome but then that's a general name for something they can't identify. I have to know what caused their deaths so that I can stop it happening again.

Thank you for your interest.

I'm really sorry for you - (((((((((big hugs)))))))))

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please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins

Oh nooooooo I am so so so sorry! huggs!

I am sorry, this is rotten for you.

Liz

I think the best thing to do in this situation is to not even consider breeding for at least a year or more as the virus can remain in the body for up to 18 months,and stress and change can incur a flare up.Also you need to be sure no one has been left a carrier

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(formally clare7577)

My 6 breeding girls are going to the vets today for tests for the Calicivirus. If any are found to be carriers (I expect 3 of them) then they will probably need to be rehomed. Heartbreaking decision as I am so attached to all of them. If I am to continue breeding, I must do what is necessary to prevent losing kittens again. It has never happened to me till now. I have heard of others losing kittens but I suppose I thought 'it wouldn't happen to me'. I consider myself to be very careful but maybe I have become too complacent. Who knows how the virus got into the house. I also have 2 outdoor farm cats so it could even have been one of them. The two farm cats have got into the kitchen before now. They sleep in the boiler room/garage.

I also have a stud cat. I think he will need to be tested too. Can't take any more than 6 cats in my car though.

I will let you know the outcome of the tests whenever I get the results. Nail biting few days then!!

my thoughts are with you, fingers crossed when you got to the vets with your cats,

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Is there a reason you are testing for calici but not herpes?

Liz

so sorry to hear about this, it's horrible to lose a whole litter

Calicivirus isn't necessarily the end of the world - a good percentage of infected cats can eliminate the virus and then they're no longer carriers - it takes a few months though. I wouldn't rush to rehome any of your girls straight away even if they do prove to have the virus, I'd just wait 6 months or so before thinking about breeding again and maybe retest the girls.

Calici is so common - and so infectious - that virtually every breeder is going to encounter it at some time or other. You did nothing wrong - no matter how careful you are, viruses can and will outsmart you!!

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