Expert: Karen Craft - 4/20/2008

Question
Hi Karen, I needed some advice:my cat(actually to me is still really a kitten herself(she is about 8 months old) 2 days ago had her kittens.
She had 4 really healthy babies, and all seemed to have gone well, she was eating and drinking ...etc. But the next night after she was taking a break from the babies, she ventured out and as she was walking thru our kitchen all of a sudden there was a gush of a pink-red watery substance from her vagina, which did eventually
turn blood red(then it was definitely fresh blood).
I wasn't really alarmed because it didnt keep up for a long period of time,
(only about 45 minutes off and on)and I made her o lay back down with
her babies and then it stopped. All was ok , she ate and drank all day, was her usual self until I realized about 8 pm  that night(even though most cats tend
to stay a few days with their litter and then come out for abit, but she isn't like that, she is a really good mom even being this is her 1st litter making
sure they are fed and ok, she then will come look for me and stay with me until she hears them wake back up, and then she goes back to them. ( but she is pretty much my baby and up my rear 24/7 lol) - anyway I realized
I hadnt seen her and went to check on her. She was in her box with her babies and just kinda laying around, not lethargic, but I could tell she didnt feel well. Then as I was going to get her some water to see if she would drink she started throwing up, it was like a person who is sick, she had dry heaves & it was watery-bile stomach lining looking. I wasn't with her when the 1st kitten was born only when I heard the kitty cry I realized she was giving birth.......so I didnt see the placenta with that 1, but did see the other 3 and theirs and like I said it seemed to go fine, just like it should from your site here as I read up on what to expect when she did queen, but why now would she be all of the sudden sick? I will get her to the vet but it is the weekend and where I live there isnt a 24 hr animal clinic and it's sunday as of now........I don't want her to die.....do you think she will make it till monday morning? (I apologize for my long windedness lol, I just wanted to make sure you got the jest of what is happening with her & I thank you for taking time to hear  and help me God Bless you Karen............michelle

Answer
Hi Michelle,

Check her belly. She may still have a kitten in there. If there weren't the same number of placentas with the kittens then most likely that is the problem. Check her temperature if you can. Under 100 or over 102.5 means there is a big problem. See if the kittens are getting enough milk. You might want to get some KMR and help the mom out until you can get her to the vet. She should be ok until Monday morning but get her right in then. Mom cats showing signs like that need to be checked out right away. If she gets worse call your vet. A good vet will see you on Sunday. Good luck and let me know what happened.

Ciao, Karen