diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/friendly/cat.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/friendly/cat.dm
index 3a64055819a..d9823b36322 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/friendly/cat.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/friendly/cat.dm
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@
 	icon_dead = "cat_dead"
 	gender = FEMALE
 	gold_core_spawnable = 0
-	var/list/family = list()
+	var/list/family = list()//var restored from savefile, has count of each child type
+	var/list/children = list()//Actual mob instances of children
 	var/cats_deployed = 0
 	var/memory_saved = 0
 
@@ -99,6 +100,12 @@
 		Write_Memory()
 	..()
 
+/mob/living/simple_animal/pet/cat/Runtime/make_babies()
+	var/mob/baby = ..()
+	if(baby)
+		children += baby
+		return baby
+
 /mob/living/simple_animal/pet/cat/Runtime/death()
 	if(!memory_saved)
 		Write_Memory(1)
@@ -115,7 +122,7 @@
 	var/savefile/S = new /savefile("data/npc_saves/Runtime.sav")
 	family = list()
 	if(!dead)
-		for(var/mob/living/simple_animal/pet/cat/kitten/C in mob_list)
+		for(var/mob/living/simple_animal/pet/cat/kitten/C in children)
 			if(istype(C,type) || C.stat || !C.z || !C.butcher_results) //That last one is a work around for hologram cats
 				continue
 			if(C.type in family)
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/mining_mobs.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/mining_mobs.dm
index 3478fff7ad0..75e22424426 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/mining_mobs.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/mining_mobs.dm
@@ -955,11 +955,11 @@
 		make_babies()
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/asteroid/gutlunch/guthen/make_babies()
-	if(..())
+	. = ..()
+	if(.)
 		udder.reagents.clear_reagents()
 		regenerate_icons()
 
-
 //Nests
 /mob/living/simple_animal/hostile/spawner/lavaland
 	name = "necropolis tendril"
diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
index 5d571abf654..b50ff204cad 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/simple_animal.dm
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 
 	//Hot simple_animal baby making vars
 	var/list/childtype = null
-	var/scan_ready = 1
+	var/next_scan_time = 0
 	var/animal_species //Sorry, no spider+corgi buttbabies.
 
 	//simple_animal access
@@ -353,11 +353,9 @@
 	..()
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/proc/make_babies() // <3 <3 <3
-	if(gender != FEMALE || stat || !scan_ready || !childtype || !animal_species || ticker.current_state != GAME_STATE_PLAYING)
-		return 0
-	scan_ready = 0
-	spawn(400)
-		scan_ready = 1
+	if(gender != FEMALE || stat || next_scan_time > world.time || !childtype || !animal_species || ticker.current_state != GAME_STATE_PLAYING)
+		return
+	next_scan_time = world.time + 400
 	var/alone = 1
 	var/mob/living/simple_animal/partner
 	var/children = 0
@@ -373,13 +371,13 @@
 				partner = M
 
 		else if(isliving(M) && !faction_check(M)) //shyness check. we're not shy in front of things that share a faction with us.
-			alone = 0
-			continue
+			return //we never mate when not alone, so just abort early
+
 	if(alone && partner && children < 3)
 		var/childspawn = pickweight(childtype)
-		new childspawn(loc)
-		return 1
-	return 0
+		var/turf/target = get_turf(loc)
+		if(target)
+			return new childspawn(target)
 
 /mob/living/simple_animal/canUseTopic(atom/movable/M, be_close = 0, no_dextery = 0)
 	if(incapacitated())