Expert: Kate Tilmouth - 4/12/2010

Question
Hi, One of my cats kittens just died this morning. It was a week old yesterday. We are all heart broken. My little ones stayed home from school today because of this.It was the only calico of the bunch and the one we were going to keep. mama cat had 7 in her litter and I thought they were doing fine. This morning she was out of the box and I went to check on the kittens.They were all huddled in a clump except for the calico so I gently moved her over to be with her siblings and she wouldn't stop crying. I put the mother cat back in the box to be with her and left the room to get my children ready for school. When I came back she was laying there dead. How does this just happen? I feel like I should have left her alone. Did I do something wrong? Maybe she wasn't getting enough milk. But she wasn't too skinny.Her belly looked like it was growing. We're all very sad over this. Maybe you can give us some closure. Thanks so much. Bambi Chambers.

Answer
Hi
i am sorry to hear your news. i know how hard it can be.

firstly let me say you did nothing wrong at all. it sounds to me that when you found her already away from the other kittens this morning that she was lilly put there my her mother. this means that she was already dying and a mother cat will abandon kittens they know are not strong enough to survive as they have to concentrate on looking after the others.

As to why she died. well i think this is impossible to say. Normally it just that they are not as strong as the others 7 kittens is rather a lot and it simply may be that this kitten has either a genetic problem or as I say was simply not as strong as the others.

i really wouldn't worry yourself too much on why she died. there really is no point. It is better to concentrate on the kittens and the mum who are still here.

Again I am so sorry

best wishes Kate
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