My cat Harriet gave birth on 3/28 to 6 healthy kittens. They’re all perfect and no concerns. Harriet has also seemed in perfect health other than voraciously hungry which is to be expected. However, I’ve noticed a lumpy mass in her belly since the birth. I thought maybe it was the uterine horns just taking their time to shrink back to nornal, though the mass size hasn’t really changed. I was worried it might be a stillborn kitten but figured if that was the case she would have a fever or otherwise show illness and never did. She is scheduled to go to the vet with the kittens in two weeks when they are 8 weeks. I left yesterday for a week vacation and today the cat sitter found this. (Warning the pic is gross). She didn’t witness where or even who it came from but there’s absolutely nothing they could have eaten that would look like this. Harriet is still appearing completely healthy. Is it possible for a cat to expel a decomposed stillborn kit 6weeks later and not be sick? Could this be some other postpartum uterine material? Or really what could this possible be. To me it looks like decomposed organs and I definitely see fur. This stuff always seems to happen when I’m away.
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Urgent postpartum advice needed!!! *graphic photo*
- Thread starter MamaJen77
- Start Date
Please, if you feel this an urgent matter take her to an emergency vet now if you have one near you. Someone else may reply here but it could be a while as it is Mother's Day. As stated site is not to replace veterinary care or advice. Best to you and your kitty.Not everyone has experience in cat postpartum care.
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- #3
If I were home I
would. But I have a teenage pet sitter with her right now and she seems 100% healthy. I’m more curious if such a thing is even possible. She is starting her next heat cycle. I wonder 
f the hormones from that could have caused her to pass a stillborn kitten that somehow she’s carried this long.
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Well, that is disturbing. I wish I could help more. Yes a cat can carry a dead baby for quite some time. I think, even though she seems fine, she needs to be seen.
Remember, cats don’t show any signs of discomfort and pain. You thought she was fine when you were home with her, but she really wasn’t.
At the very least, I would send this picture to the vet and ask them what they think.
If you can call the vet office with a credit card number, there is no reason you couldn’t have someone else take her in for you.
You said it might not be from her. How many other cats could it be from and any chance any of them is pregnant? I don’t know your setup or situation is why I am asking.
How soon till you return.
The risk with her is that there could still be more remnants inside that can cause sepsis if left untreated.
Remember, cats don’t show any signs of discomfort and pain. You thought she was fine when you were home with her, but she really wasn’t.
At the very least, I would send this picture to the vet and ask them what they think.
If you can call the vet office with a credit card number, there is no reason you couldn’t have someone else take her in for you.
You said it might not be from her. How many other cats could it be from and any chance any of them is pregnant? I don’t know your setup or situation is why I am asking.
How soon till you return.
The risk with her is that there could still be more remnants inside that can cause sepsis if left untreated.
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- #5
Currently 8 cats. Harriet, the mama in question. Her six healthy 6 week old kittens. And a 13yo spayed female who’s never left the house in her life other than in her carrier to go to the Vet. So zero chance of another pregnant cat. I read some articles about cats sometimes mummifying an unborn fetus and because it’s sterile they can stay inside them sometimes indefinitely and have been found by accident later when the cat is spayed. I’m going to send our vet the picture in the morning. Unfortunately I won’t be home until Sunday.
I wouldn’t worry. Sounds like she expelled leftover, undeveloped fetuses and now her uterus is hopefully clear, though she should be spayed after this litter weans. All sorts of crazy things can happen with cat pregnancies — they can give birth to undeveloped kittens, then produce a full healthy litter later; and they can eject things like this after a litter and be fine. We want to be sure no bacterial infection remains.
If she’s acting fine, nursing fine, eating and pooping well, then she’s likely expelled old, non-viable fetuses from her uterus, and consider it healthy and lucky. Not all cats can do this without becoming ill and needing vet care. It sounds like your cat has healthily expelled old material. Best case scenario and not unheard of. When you’re back in town, get an ultrasound to make sure, but sounds like mom is doing fine. And sorry your cat sitter had to see/deal with this. But do make sure your cat is okay in case she needs antibiotics to clear any leftover infection from having dead fetuses inside her. It may not show right away, but your cat may need an antibiotic to clear infection from her uterus from the dead babies.
M MamaJen77
If she’s acting fine, nursing fine, eating and pooping well, then she’s likely expelled old, non-viable fetuses from her uterus, and consider it healthy and lucky. Not all cats can do this without becoming ill and needing vet care. It sounds like your cat has healthily expelled old material. Best case scenario and not unheard of. When you’re back in town, get an ultrasound to make sure, but sounds like mom is doing fine. And sorry your cat sitter had to see/deal with this. But do make sure your cat is okay in case she needs antibiotics to clear any leftover infection from having dead fetuses inside her. It may not show right away, but your cat may need an antibiotic to clear infection from her uterus from the dead babies.
M MamaJen77
I think I agree with SArthur. Either its an old dead foetus... Which happens. After all, there happens they find old calciferated foetus inside a female.If I were home I
Which thus carried a dead foetus perhaps for years... So this, although potentially dangeorous etc, isnt always killing.
Next possible variation; it happens they have two different litter simultaneously, and deliver them perhaps 3 weeks apart. Not common but not unique either.
One of my neigbours had a cat from such an second litter.
So, it can have been a non viable fresh foetus from such a second litter...
If the momma seems ok, you dont need to panic.
But send anyway this pic and description to your vet or a vet whom answers e-mail question, to get an opinion. Perhaps a veterinary college?
The pet sitter doesnt need to do anything at this moment, aside of extra careful observation.
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- #8
Thanks guys for the reassurance. She has an appointment when I get back to be spayed so hopefully during that they can make sure she doesn’t have anything else left in her abdomen and the vet already planned to give her post op antibiotics. Thanks again for all of the advice.
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- #9
Hope all is well at Harriet's spay appointment. Grateful for the responses here as well.
That was a handful of big healthy babies. Including one pointed - I presume lynx point with white. Mammas pattern.
Do I also see an older kitten? Her own or?? Does it nurse too? Perhaps not the best at this moment, these biggish kittens take a toll on her.
Do I also see an older kitten? Her own or?? Does it nurse too? Perhaps not the best at this moment, these biggish kittens take a toll on her.
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- #12
This is her one and only pregnancy. They are all the same age and yes they are BIG kittens. They were all born above average size. Not a single runt. We have been providing her unlimited Kitten kibble, canned kitten food 3x per day and some supplemental KMR to help get her enough nutrition to keep up with them. And she’s been eating all of it. The kittens are all eating kibble now as well and nursing less.
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- #13
Yes she has one long haired masked linx point. She’s beautiful. Harriet is half domestic tabby and half ragdoll so she has all those pretty recessive genes.
