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Expert: - 5/19/2011


Question
This is my cats first litter she had a kitten yesterday at 11am, 2nd at 1pm, 3rd at 5pm 4th at 7.30am this morning then 5th at 1pm this afternoon. When the 5th was coming out I smelt this awful the smell, I was there when all other kittens were born and there was not a smell, when she have birth to it it was dead, and stunk some more, it was black and White and the White was yellow, she tried to eat the legs of the dead kitten but I took it away. I never saw the afterbirth but assumed it has been eaten as she has been washing alot. She then started shaking but is ok now just tired.  So I was wondering if you no of any reason why this kitten was born dead. It was fully formed and normal size, I did rub it for over half an hour but
Nothing came of it. Thanks for your time

Answer
Hollyann,

Sometimes in nature there aren't any easy answers, unfortunately mother cats do sometimes have stillborn kittens just as human moms do. My concern based on the history that you've provided of mom having a foul odor coming from her vaginal area as the kitten was being born would be that mom has some sort of uterine infection so it wouldn't be a bad idea to have mom and the kittens evaluated by a vet promptly to ensure that everyone is healthy...If mom does have a uterine infection she may  need to be immediately spayed but this won't affect her ability to care for her babies beyond the few hours she'll be away from them for the surgery - during that time you'll need to keep the little ones warm, as close to mom as possible and if necessary give them a formula feeding to ensure that their little bellies aren't empty for long enough to cause problems with blood sugar. In the event that mom does need to be spayed on an urgent basis due to a uterine infection I would strongly caution you to reunite mom with her babies just as soon as she's awake so that she isn't separated from them too long because you won't want to break the maternal bond and have to hand rear the entire litter. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me again at any time - I'm more than happy to help in any way that I can.

Kind regards,

Ali

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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