How to Tell if Your Cat Still Has Kittens Inside. Stillborn Kittens While it can be barbaric to watch, it's almost second nature for your mother cat to eat her stillborn kittens. A mother cat may also eat her young if she is stressed. You shouldn't wait for an appointment at your vet when your cat is experiencing an emergency. A newborn kitten can not wander off because they are still unable to walk so if a kitten or two is suddenly missing then it is probably because the mama cat devoured them. Contact your vet if you your cat does any of the following: Stops eating. The uterus may be considered as a muscular, sausage-shaped bag, capable of contracting both around its diameter and along its length. Feline Skin Diseases. A later subcutaneous injection may be required to maintain the recovery. It is important to give extra loving care and attention to your mama cat during an important phase in her life and provide her with ample food, water, and an ideal place to nurse and nurture her babies. moving the kittens from one place to another, mama cat is aggressive towards kittens or may even eat them, mama cat does not bring moved kittens back to the nest, the cat has enlarged nipples and is over-developing milk, the cat attempts to guard or nurse kitten-like objects, the cat steals kittens from another mother cat, genes that control the maternal behavior of cats, separating mother cats from their kittens, if necessary, feeding the kittens yourself or you may also look for a surrogate mother for the newborn kittens, hormonal therapy or spaying for cats with excessive maternal behavior, mama cat does not want to suckle or nurse the kittens, the mammary glands are hard and moderately swollen, there is a bloody or pus discharge from the mammary glands, the mama cat has a fever and shes vomiting. All of these situations may give rise to either a temporary delay and necessitate extra efforts by the cat or, at worst, result in complete obstruction. Keep information about after-hours veterinarians handy in case you need to rush to one. The most common cause of a mother cat eating her kittens is stress. The kitten should be supported and the cord held at the kitten end so that the risk of pulling on the kitten is minimised. In most cases a cat will simply reject and walk away from her kittens in preference to actually eating them hence eating kittens is actually quite rare. How long can a mother cat be away from her newborn kittens? You can expect her to eat double what she ate prior to pregnancy. Lactation tetany could, in theory, occur during, or at any time after, parturition. Think stress reduction and a safe environment when you choose a spot and you will be on the right path. However, others have found foetal malpresentation to be the most common cause of dystocia of foetal origin, while relative foetal oversize was very rare. As we touched on, handling kittens too early can be risky. The next move imitates the licking of the abdominal wall and stimulates respiration. Looking for a convenient way to access your pets health records, refill prescriptions, view upcoming appointments and more? Though mother cats naturally leave their kittens at 12 weeks old, they are still the primary caregiver up until this time. It is uncommon except in cases of illness, infection or prolonged delay in a late-coming foetus. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Obstruction, on the other hand, shows as a cat that strains without producing any results, may pant, cry, or appear exhausted, is restless and unsettled, and finally desists in an attempt to recover sufficient strength for a further, although decreased effort. Early cases are well known in the bitch. Cabbage leaves compress is also advisable and the kittens shouldnt be allowed to nurse from the mother. Follow this, if the mother is ill or not co-operative, by contact with a warm, well-covered hot water bottle and conserve heat with a covering blanket. It is not unheard of for cats to eat a single kitten in a litter or the entire litter depending on the circumstances. It is speculated that male feral cats may be eating their own kittens to limit or manage the size of the feral colony, maybe exerting dominance on the colony or may have accidentally mistaken the kittens for prey items. Learn from a Veterinarian: Discover some vet-recommended advice about common cat digestive problems, including how to deal with worms, hairballs, and more. The alternative may be removing the remaining health littermates to a separate location which carries its own risks.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'kittyinsight_com-leader-2','ezslot_8',173,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-kittyinsight_com-leader-2-0'); If the mother is malnourished and gives birth to a large litter she may reduce the size of the litter and renourish herself by eating the less viable kittens. Cookie Consent Tool. The problem could be as simple as changing your cat's diet. If your cat has developed signs of illness by the time you bring them to a clinic, the vet may recommend an abdominal ultrasound or radiographic contrast studies (X-rays using a contrast dye to help organs show up easier). In these circumstances, she may decide the litter is unviable, feel stressed, or decide to withdraw resources. If you try to remove the string yourself, you risk damaging the esophagus and causing choking or vomiting that could result in aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection). Learn important information about giardia in cats, including signs, diagnosis and treatment options for dealing with this parasitic infection. [7] Part 2 Caring for Kittens During Weeks Three through Six 1 Monitor the kittens' movement and walking. Cornell Feline Health Center. Also, look for signs of abdominal pain, which your cat may show by hiding or being unusually aggressive when picked up. Learn about IBD in cats, including differences between IBD vs. IBS, symptoms & how it's related to colitis, and steps your vet might recommend to treat it. Signs a cat is pregnant includes loss of appetite, weight gain, and possibly little lumps you can feel which are the kittens developing in her stomach. Follow these tips to provide a safe and stimulating environment for your cat, and to avoid wondering whether they've swallowed their toy: Kittens, with their seemingly unlimited energy and curiosity, are at an increased risk of swallowing string. If the mother cat is stressed during birth or feels unduly stressed by her surroundings following the birth she may act to reduce the stress by eating her kittens with the aim of alleviating the stress she feels she is under. The vet may find minor abnormalities on the exam that indicate a minor problem before your cat gets really sick. Colorado State University. You may also see bloody diarrhea. If the signs are very mild, see your regular veterinarian as soon as possible. Breathing into the kittens airway through a small endotracheal tube or drinking straw may help to reduce the risk of over-inflating the kittens lungs, and be more hygienic than direct mouth-to-mouth. Diagnosis and treatment of the serious dystocia must be in the hands of the veterinary surgeon. One simple way to know if your cat trusts you is if her tail stands straight up, especially when she sees you or walks toward you. If the mother cat is not engaging in this behavior, you'll need to step in: take a warm, wet washcloth and gently wipe over the kittens' anus and stomach until the defecate and urinate. Posteriorly presented, or tail-first, kittens occur quite frequently, so much so that this could almost be considered a normal presentation, often causing no delay in birth. A good mother will groom her kittens as soon as they are born. Antibiotics should ideally be chosen according to culture and sensitivity. If you think your cat might've eaten string, contact your vet. Let's say she had 3 babies and next day, you see only 1 or 2. The kitten must then be eased gently out, alternating the direction of traction, first freeing one side then the other, and always directing the pull slightly downwards. Observation of the cats own methods show the order in which to imitate them to the best advantage. Malcolm Weir, DVM, MSc, MPH; Ernest Ward, DVM; Updated by Amy Panning, DVM. The presence of a dead foetus within the maternal pelvic canal can, in itself, result in functional or obstructive dystocia. Most pets that have ingested a foreign body will exhibit some of these clinical signs: Vomiting Diarrhea Abdominal tenderness or pain Decreased appetite or anorexia Straining to defecate or producing small amounts of feces Lethargy Changes in behavior such as biting or growling when picked up or handled around the abdomen Pawing at the mouth if there is string or thread wrapped around the base of the tongue. Among these may be listed brandy or other spirits transferred via a fingertip to the tongue, flicking the chest sharply but gently with a fingertip, and alternate hot and cold water applications. If your cat is not breathing normally, it may be best to go to an emergency clinic. Symptoms of Dead Kitten inside Cat. The above was a rather daunting, but by no means exhaustive, list of what can, but rarely does, go wrong. Examination will show a raised temperature and palpation through the abdominal wall will disclose a thickened lumpy area of womb containing the membranes. Next, with a nipping/licking action the cat picks up, then chews through, the umbilical cord and in the process provides a stimulation to the abdominal navel area, getting respiration going. Another potentially life-threatening condition may occur if the cat swallows thread. Although most foreign bodies do pass uneventfully through the intestinal tract, if an obstruction occurs for some reason, surgical removal of the blocked object is the only treatment. Cats do not purposely try to kill their kittens, even if they are not emotionally attached to them. We use cookies to improve our website to make sure you have a better browsing experience. Any signs of distress when feeding the kittens will need a vet check. If the cat is an inexperienced first-time mum or if the kittens have been born by cesarean, she may not recognize the kittens as her own and maybe completely confused with the situation. This is probably how the saying "curiosity killed the cat" began. She may only eat one or two kittens if she feels that it is enough for her to feed the remaining kittens. If untreated, this part of the bowel can collapse into a nearby segment and lead to partial or complete GI obstruction, compromised blood flow to the affected section of the bowel, and tissue death. Repeat this cycle every three to five seconds. This might include a perceived threat from another animal, but quite often it is us as humans that inadvertently cause our new feline family stress. Joints at birth are very incomplete structures and most apparent double-jointedness or rotation of limbs right themselves by the time the kitten is really becoming mobile. Dr. Laci Schaible, is a small-animal veterinarian and veterinary writer. A stillborn kitten represents a threat to the remaining kittens as they can encourage disease and infection in the other kittens if the stillborn kitten is allowed to remain with the litter following birth. If your cat is exhibiting life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, tremors, seizures, or other critical problems, take them to a 24 hour small pet hospital immediately. They should have been looking for behavioural changes in the queen, such as nest-making or visits to such desirable spots as in the owners bed or in the airing cupboard. Please call your vet! Then, if it is needed, a nudge towards the maternal nipples. The Calico Tabby Cat Caliby, Torbie Or What??? The Reasons Why Mother Cats Might Eat Their Kittens. Home Uncategorized how to tell if my cat ate her kittens. The medical condition is commonly treated with oral antibiotics and pain medication. How do I know if my cat has eaten a foreign body? Pet Health: Help your pet earn an A+ on his oral report. Conclusion. Already have a myVCA account? The kitten is usually passed eventually. Monitor your cat for symptoms. This is the cat that requires help. 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