Hi everyone, my dad’s cat gave birth this morning. Everything went well except for the second kitten to be born; he wasn’t breathing, and even though his mum licked him and properly cleared everything away, he still didn't start breathing, so she moved on to look after the others. I noticed that the little one had blueish, purply-pink skin (especially on his tummy) with some visible veins – he looked a bit like an embryo, really, but didn't seem malformed. The other babies were born pink or dark pink, but not 'purple' like the one that died. I’d like to get your thoughts on this... even though we can’t know the exact cause of death, I’d value your opinion... just to 'reassure' me (if that’s the right word) as to what might have happened to the poor little thing.
Thanks in advance.
Translated from French
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It’s perfectly normal for the little ones to scrap over a spare teat; sometimes you’ll have three of them all over the same one even though there’s another right next to it. There’s no need to worry unless the mum refuses to let them nurse, which isn’t the case here.
Alright then, thanks again, have a lovely day :)
It's perfectly normal for the little ones to squabble over a spare teat. Sometimes you'll get three of them trying to pile onto the same one, even when there’s another one right next to it.
There’s no need to worry unless the mum starts refusing to let them nurse, which doesn't seem to be the case here.
Hi, the kitten that passed away at birth showed all the signs of cyanosis (a lack of oxygen in the organs and tissues), the cause of which will remain a mystery. It was almost certainly dead before the mother cat went into labour. You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did she.
Thanks for your reply, that’s a bit of a relief to hear anyway.
This happens quite often and I know it's a real shock, but the main thing is that the mum is alright. Sometimes they struggle to deliver a stillborn kitten... excuse the bluntness, but there's a good chance the little one had already passed away before being born and wasn't in the right position during labour. It's common with first-time mums or sometimes for other mystery reasons (an accident or just weakness). You really mustn't blame yourself!
What matters now is making sure everything goes smoothly from here: i.e. because there's one less kitten, the mum's milk might start to dry up because there isn't as much nursing going on as usual. So, just in case—and please don't panic—be ready to help the mum by bottle-feeding the little ones a bit (only if necessary). You'll know if the mum starts rejecting them too early (before they're a month old) or if she starts hunting and bringing back prey prematurely. If you have any more questions, just ask. Honestly, it's not your fault, nor the mum's, and there's nothing you could have done. Try to put it behind you and focus on the survivors; they'll be little terrors soon enough... haha!
Thanks so much for your reply! The kittens are nursing several times a day and the mum isn't rejecting them at all—quite the opposite.
But sometimes two of them 'whimper' because they're looking for a teat, and as soon as they find one, they quieten down. Is that normal or could there be a problem? Anyway, I've ordered some kitten milk just in case, as I'd rather have it on hand if I need it!
This is quite a common issue, and I understand how upsetting it can be, but the most important thing is that the mum is okay. Sometimes they can have trouble passing a stillborn kitten... please forgive my bluntness, but there’s a strong chance the little one had already passed away before birth and wasn’t positioned correctly during labour.
It happens quite often with young mums, or sometimes for other mysterious reasons (an accident or just weakness). But it’s really not your fault!
What matters now is making sure everything goes smoothly from here: i.e., because there’s one less kitten, the mum might (or might not) produce less milk as there’s less nursing than usual, which could accidentally cause her milk to dry up.
So, just in case and don’t panic, be prepared to help the mum out by bottle-feeding the kittens a little (but only if necessary).
You’ll notice if the mum starts rejecting the kittens too early (before they’re a month old) or if she starts hunting and bringing back prey prematurely (before a month).
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. In any case, it’s not your fault or the mum’s, and there’s nothing you could have done.
You need to put it behind you now and focus on the surviving kittens—they’re going to be real little terrors! Hehe.
Hi there,
The kitten that passed away at birth showed all the signs of cyanosis (a lack of oxygen in the organs and tissues), the cause of which will remain a mystery. It was almost certainly dead before labour even started. You haven’t done anything wrong, and neither did the mother cat.
Hi, I'm so sorry for what you’re going through 😔 Based on your description, the kitten had likely already passed away before the birth, as it sounds like the blood was no longer circulating in its little body. A heart defect, an issue with the cord... there are so many possible causes. Please don't blame yourself; these things are unpredictable even with the best possible pregnancy monitoring. Take care
Thank you so much for your reply, it 'reassures' me to know that I don't need to blame myself
From your description, it sounds like the kitten had probably passed away even before the birth, as it seems blood was no longer circulating in its little body. It could have been a heart defect, an issue with the cord... there are so many possible causes.
Please don't blame yourself; these things are unpredictable, even with the best possible veterinary care during the pregnancy.
