Expert: Ali - 9/1/2008

Question
My moms cat had two babies that died instantly..we can even say they came out dead.We think it may be because our cat is stressed is that possible.

Answer
Lanell,

There are a number of reasons that kittens can be stillborn. The mother cat may have been sick. It's possible that she delivered her litter prematurely or that she has an infection somewhere in her body. It's also possible that she was the victim of animal cruelty and sustained injuries that caused her body to spontaneously terminate the pregnancy. You should have the cat examined by a qualified vet to determine whether or not there are any remaining kittens inside the queen's body as a deceased kitten left to decay inside of mom can cause a potentially fatal infection.

It's an extremely good idea to prevent this cat  from becoming pregnant again in order to avoid contributing to the extremely serious pet overpopulation problem worldwide. Cats and kittens in shelters are all too often destroyed because their stray hold period has passed and the shelter just doesn't have enough space or resources to hold onto these healthy, adoptable cats and kittens. Only 3% of cats/kittens admitted to animal shelters in North America are reclaimed by their owners, this paints a heartbreaking picture that all too clearly shows that many people view cats and other animals as "disposable" pieces of property that can be discarded at will. In a cruel twist of fate animal shelters require animal loving staff members to make terribly difficult and heart wrenching decisions to euthanise healthy, adoptable animals because sheer numbers of unwanted animals, time and space are serious issues.

If you are concerned about the potential risks associated with anesthetic you will be happy to know that for the most part the risks are very low because vets routinely use inhaled anesthetics, the cats' oxygenation, heart rate, etc are monitored at all times during the surgery. Cats are also given long acting pain relief that will prevent them from becoming uncomfortable as a result of the surgery. Many shelters offer low/no cost sterilization clinics for people who aren't able to pay for the surgery for one reason or another.

Spaying and neutering prevents serious behavioral and medical issues. A cat that has been spayed/neutered is much less likely to use urine or feces to mark their territory, wander through a fair sized territory that is protected by vicious fights, and the odds of aggressive behavior drop dramatically. There are also a number of medical benefits to spaying and neutering beyond the obvious population control. Spayed/neutered cats are less likely to develop infections or tumors in their prostate and mammary glands. The risk of testicular, ovarian, uterine cancers are virtually eliminated. Cats that have been spayed/neutered live longer, healthier lives and they are often much happier. Spaying/neutering saves countless lives every single year, please make the best choice for your cat, spay her to save the lives of any future kittens.