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Cats/cat has delivered 1 kitten---feels like more kittens are still undelivered

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Expert: - 4/24/2010


Question
We have a cat who is 3 1/2 years old and has had 5 or more litters of kittens. One kitten had to be pulled from the birth canal in a previous litter, but she has never had any other complications. With this pregnancy she has delivered 1 kitten, and more than 24 hours has passed. It feels as if there are more kittens still undelivered. Is there a way to know for sure other than going to a vet? Will a vet be able to deliver the kittens, and possibly spay the mother without causing the mother's milk to dry up? Would the kittens still have a chance of surviving?

Answer
Chris,

We have had cats who empty one horn of the uterus and wait a bit and then empty the other horn of the uterus. Sometimes that wait is 24-48 hours.  On the other hands, if you think there are still kittens in there, a visit to your vet would be the only way to know for sure. Palpation is not a sure way of determining whether there may be kittens unless you palpate no kittens. When in doubt, the vet can take an x-ray. The vet could still deliver the kittens either by inducing labor or a c-section.

Normally spaying soes not cause mama's milk to dry up. As long as kittens are actively suckling, the milk will flow.  We use marsmallow root three days before the estimated delivery and three days after the kittens are delivered to help with milk production. In addition, an oxytocin shot after kittens are all delivered also helps with milk production as does eating at least one placenta.

Please let me know how it all turns out.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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