Week 240 (28 March - 3 April 2008)

Cathay successfully gives birth for the second time

Sunday was day 103 for Cathay since becoming pregnant, which was her expected date to give birth. During Saturday night, Cathay had made herself a nest in the breeding box in the indoor cage, using the dry grass in it. On Sunday morning after wandering around in the quarantine camp for a while Cathay went back to the breeding centre and moaned a bit. She lay down and licked her vulva as well. It seemed that she was close to giving birth.

Although most records show that most tigers gave birth at night, this time Cathay didn’t have much patience to wait till then. At 12:40 she successfully gave birth to the first cub and at 13:25 the second cub was born. The placenta came out after about half an hour and Cathay ate it immediately. Both cubs found Cathay’s nipples and began to drink. Cathay looked after them very well. She moved very carefully to avoid stepping on them. She also put the cubs in between her front paws and licked them thoroughly. She didn’t leave the breeding box the entire afternoon. At times she and the cubs would sleep, but once she woke up she would focus all her attention on her cubs. After 16:00 Cathay picked up a piece of meat which she had hidden under the grass in the breeding box and ate it. Late afternoon several pieces of a meat were cut off a blesbok leg and put underneath the bars into the rear indoor cage. Cathay got up and drank some water, then came to the rear cage and took the meat away. Soon she entered the breeding box again, staying beside her cubs.

Both tiger cubs were very mobile since they were born. They cried a little bit but since their mother looked after them so well, soon they had no reason to complain any more.

Cathay was found feeding in the breeding box in the outdoor cage the next morning. She must have hidden some of yesterday’s meat in it. After giving birth Cathay was fed daily and she was allowed to go out to the quarantine camp for a while every day. She would roll on the grass, scent mark everywhere, scratch her claws and rub against the pole shelter, but once she finished relaxing herself she would go back to the breeding centre to look after her cubs.

In less than a week, Madonna is due to give birth as well. She was given her de-worming tablets this week. However, she did not look very comfortable in the smaller camp and she had not gotten used to the breeding boxes and the pole shelter either. She spent most of her time pacing along the fence in the sun as if trying to get back to the 4 ha camp. According to Li’s instruction the breeding boxes were moved and the sides facing the sun were sealed Some dry grass were put inside as well. But Madonna didn’t accept it. On the second day another breeding box was moved into the maternity camp from the breeding centre. Some meat was put in all three boxes to attract her in, but Madonna only ate the meat closest to the entrance. On Wednesday, Madonna and 327 were swopped, hoping that the big pepper tree in the small camp where 327 had lived would make Madonna calm down. However even here Madonna still kept pacing along the fence.