Congenital malformation and fetal defects are the most common cause of stillborn kittens. Congenital abnormalities arise due to problems in early development and malformation of genes. These defects can be inherited or caused by exposure to a drug or disease that affects development.
This unexpected status is often a result of an anomaly in the kitten's DNA or the cat mother's health condition and consumption (for example, stress, deficiency in nutrients, or the effect of drugs and toxic chemicals). Another common cause of stillbirth babies is infectious disease caused by viruses and bacteria.
Kittens may be passed stillborn, either before their due date or on their due date. In some cases, a deceased fetus may become mummified within the uterus. Mummification occurs when the body creates a protective membrane around the fetus, allowing it to remain encased and walled off within the uterus.
Yes, let her see her babies. She will realize that they are dead and she will grieve for them. Otherwise she will keep looking for them. Watch her close, give her some time with them and then remove the kittens.
When a cat loses a companion, whether animal or human, she most certainly grieves and reacts to the changes in her life. Cats alter their behavior when they mourn much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play.
Fading Kitten Syndrome refers to a kitten's failure to thrive during the period between birth and when they wean from their mother or from a bottle for hand-fed kittens. This period lasts about four to five weeks (when a kitten is most vulnerable to sickness).
As each kitten is born, the mother will tear open the membranes and clear the mouth and nose area of the kitten, bite off the umbilical cord, and subsequently eat the afterbirth. Intervals between kitten births are variable. On average the intervals last ten minutes to an hour.
In some cases, a dead kitten will not be expelled from the mother's body and will need to be removed surgically. If you think your cat may have a dead kitten inside her, it's important to take her to the vet immediately so they can determine if there is a problem and take appropriate action.
Although developmental problems can occur even under the care of their birth mother, without the watchful eye and gentle paw of their feline mom, orphaned kittens are more susceptible to being fearful and aggressive toward people and other cats, more sensitive to novel stimuli, poor learning and deficient social and ...
Recovery of Miscarriage in Cats
Some cats may need additional support if they seem depressed or lethargic or are pacing and acting agitated. In these cases it may be appropriate to isolate your cat in a quiet, warm and comforting space until the hormones triggered by the miscarriage and labor subside.
Most cats would prefer to be left alone, and they definitely don't want to be pet or touched while they are giving birth.
Time between delivery of kittens is usually 10 to 60 minutes and stages two and three are repeated. The birth is usually complete within six hours after the start of the second stage, but can last up to 12 hours.
Depending on the individual queen, kittens are usually born every 30-60 minutes, with the entire litter being delivered in less than six hours. Pregnant cats can have four to six kittens in a litter. You can use a timer to keep track of the time between kittens to make sure there isn't a problem.
You will need to bring your pet to the clinic but then they can arrange for disposal. Many pet owners prefer to have their pet cremated and have the ashes returned to them. If you do this, you can then keep the ashes or, if you wish, scatter them in a place that is special to you both.
It's a phenomenon called “heteropaternal superfecundation.” Think of these kittens like fraternal twins—genetically different and occupying the uterus together—but instead of one male fertilizing multiple eggs, each kitten could be sired by a different tom.
The mother will be extremely protective. Kittens that young are vulnerable to infection and disease and you may harm them by picking them up too soon. Once they reach two weeks of age, it is a good idea to introduce them to humans and touch (weeks two to seven are a good time for socialisation).
Signs of cat labour problems
If gentle traction on the trapped kitten causes the queen pain. Your cat is depressed, lethargic or has a fever (rectal temperature >39.4°C, >103°F). There is fresh blood loss from her vulva for more than ten minutes.
Newborn kittens are vulnerable because mechanisms which regulate temperature control are poorly developed, they are at increased risk of dehydration and low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia), and the immune system is immature. Therefore, regardless of the initiating cause, these kittens can rapidly die.
The rule of thumb is to avoid handling newborns until they are 2 weeks old, unless you have a compelling reason to do so. After two weeks, the kittens' eyes will be open, and their developing systems won't be quite so delicate. Mother cat will also likely need a break from her brood.
FKS can affect individual kittens within a litter, part or the whole of the litter. FKS can be a one off event or be an ongoing problem in a breeding colony.
Look at the cat's eyes to see whether they are open.
Be sure to put on disposable gloves before doing this test. If the cat is alive, it should blink when you touch its eyeball. Also, if the cat is dead, the eyeball will feel soft, rather than firm. Check whether the pupils are dilated and fixed.