Conference misery::feline

    Holly,
    
    Have you spoken to your vet about maybe putting her on Ovaban?
    
    Deb
    

    Holly,
    
    I am sure having Silver spayed decreased her status in the hierarchy. 
    Because Kyra is still "whole", this might be a hormonal thing... a
    battle for control so to speak.
    
    One thing I have learned over the years from other experienced breeders
    is that it is very difficult to keep both intact cats for breeding and
    altered pets in the same household.  Many breeders feel placing the
    altered cat into a new home with other altered pets is the best
    solution.  I know it is sad for you, but it would not be a horrible
    thing to do.  Silver might actually benefit from it in the long run. 
    Confinement is difficult enough for a breeding cat but it has to be
    done.  It is not the right lifestyle for an alter.
    
    I am not saying do it, but it is worth considering if all other options
    fail.
    
    Have you tried using the spray bottle on them when they fight?  I
    literally have to sleep with mine because Taja and Kelsey usually end
    up duking it out after I've turned off the lights (and these are two
    neutered males!).
    
    Good luck!
    
    -Roberta
    

    Holly, I have been going through the same thing for the past two
    years!!  My queen Ruby has visciously attacked my spayed applehead
    siamese, Wing.  She has for the past year gone after my rex, Smeadge. 
    Now Smeadge and Wing go at it even through a screen door!  We love all
    the cats very much and on occasion have tried to place these two.  They
    are still looking for homes by the way!! 
    
    Anyway, something interesting has happened.  I brought my grandmothers
    persian home to stay with me until I could find her a new home.  Saints
    preserve us, but, most of the fighting has now stopped. (except when
    Wing and Smeadge want the same counter space, lookout!)  Bringing in
    this huge ball of fur has stopped everyone in their tracks.  She,as
    persians do, just sits there and wonders what the hey?!  The kittens
    and especially my deaf white girl Tippy go nuts for her!! They love to
    play with her fur and crab walk all around her, it is hysterical!  
    
    So, this seems to have helped our situation for the time being.  Maybe
    Ruby has decided she will never win the battle as the "Queen Mother".
    Karen

    Holly,
    
    I totally understand what you are going through.  My Black Thunder
    detests my newest addition, a beautiful grey Persian, Shadow.  When you
    find the answer, let me know too.  What does the dermititus look like.
    Thunder has lost a lot of her fur on her belly and inside back legs.
    
    Does Ovaban really work??
    
    Sandi (who also loves them all)
    
    

    Well, here's another chapter to put into this book. )-:
    
    Since Kyra and Silver don't get along, I've just kept them separated. 
    When Kyra's out, Silver is in the cattery.  When Silver is out, Kyra is
    in the cattery.  I've especially been trying to do this since Kyra's
    been pregnant.  It's working out ok, except for this weekend. 
    
    I was home all day on Saturday.  I was doing a LOT work moving things
    out of the spare bedroom.  Kyra was in the bedroom while everyone else
    was running loose.
    
    Well, I had just brought a big load downstairs.  I came up and sat down
    and Silver came to see me.  She was soaking wet.  I went into the
    kitchen and looked and saw that the bedroom door was open a crack. 
    Then I saw that there had been a MAJOR fight in my pantry.  LOTS of
    broken dishes, water everywhere (I had a brandy snifter full of colored
    water.  Not anymore!).  I rushed into the bedroom and found Tabitha on
    the bed and Kyra UNDER it.  I threw Tabitha out and shut the door. 
    Kyra has a big soar on her back (about a quarter inch circle) where it
    looks like a clump of hair was ripped out.  She also wouldn't let me
    near her for about 2 hours.
    
    She seems fine now, but I'm worried about her.  She's not quite the
    same.  She's eating, cleaning herself, and everything.  She doesn't
    want to play, though.  I guess my real concern is that she's due to
    have kittens in two weeks, and last time she lost her kittens due to
    infection.
    
    At this point, should I be concerned about Kyra and her kittens??  Like
    I said, she's not nearly as fat as PIMA is (my mother's rex is due two
    days after she is).  Of course, she may just not look as fat because
    PIMA is so tiny to begin with, and she's got almost no hair compared to
    Kyra's long hair.
    
    What's a mom to do??
    
    Holly

    I don't think you should be too concerned about the babies.  If Kyra
    was stressed enough for it to be a problem, I think she would have gone
    into labor already.
    
    But, you might want to put her on antibiotics just to be on the safe
    side.  In addition to the patch of skin with the fur ripped out, she
    may have bite wounds that you can't see that can become infected and
    abcess.  There are several antibiotics that are safe for pregnant
    queens, Amoxi for example.  Talk to your vet about it first.
    
    Next, I would keep Kyra isolated from all the other cats until after
    the litter is born.  No need to stress her out anymore than necessary. 
    And you don't want her looking over her shoulder all the time, worried
    about who might come after her.
    
    I have had queens get into major fights during pregnancy and I always
    worried myself into fits about it, but nothing ever went wrong.  I
    think that everything will be fine, just hang in there.  You are
    especially sensitive to problems since Kyra had trouble last time.  
    Just talk over the idea of antibiotics with your vet, and then try not
    to worry about her.  She should be fine.
    
    Jo

    Thank you so much for responding, Jo.  I figured I could be reassured
    by you.
    
    Kyra is doing much better.  Back to her old self.  Actually begging to
    play again.  She has gotten much fatter in the past week.  It seems as
    if the kittens have "dropped" a bit.  She's got a vet appointment on
    Thursday to have an ultrasound done to check to see how many kittens
    she's got and to be sure that there's no infection this time.  I'm
    getting nervous!!  Her first due date is Saturday, June 18.  Here's
    hoping that she has no problems this time!!
    
    Holly