Kittens’ feet wrapped by umbilical cord

[dzz]

Hi, recently my cat gave birth to 4 healthy kittens. On their second day, I noticed they were wrapped around together by their umbilical cords. 3 of them had the cord wrapped around their legs. The placenta was gone (possible eaten by the mom cat) but they still had really long cords.

I managed to cut the cord off and free their feet. Only 1 had no injury, the other 2 had swollen feet. 3 days after, 1 of the kitten lost a gangrenous foot from the ankle down, the other 2 lost the tip of one of their paws. The rest of their limbs including the upper part from the lost gangrenous parts looked healthy. They are also nursing really well.

I saw a post from a member here, Margret, regarding a similar condition in 2018. I tried to message her but could not find a message button (first time in a forum). Now I’m just wondering if theres anything I should do to help them.. growing up, and if they will be okay without a foot (ankle down) and tip of their paws.

This is my first time experiencing something like this, I’d really appreciate any input from anyone with similar situation and thank you in advance.

 

[Kieka]

You'll need to partner with a vet and monitor the kittens as they grow. Because of the method of the amputation, they aren't are risk from infection with the remaining limbs. However, especially the one who lost part of the limb, they may need medical assistance if the amputation effects their quality of life as they grow. I would guess the two who lost toes will barely notice the difference (depending on how much they lost). They may develop arthritis early or have some sensitivity similar to a declawed cat as they get older. The other one may need to have the rest of the limb amputated if they try to put weight on the remaining limb and develop sores (which could thereafter get infected).

It's really hard for us to know right now, but if you partner with a good vet they can help monitor as they grow up. I'd also consider some sort of joint supplement from a young age since their joints are likely to have more stress and it would help delay the onset of arthritis.

 

[fionasmom]

The other one may need to have the rest of the limb amputated if they try to put weight on the remaining limb and develop sores (which could thereafter get infected).

Partial limb amputations are not done for the reasons mentioned above. The cat will drag the remaining portion of the limb and will be uncomfortable and at risk of infection.

Margret

 

[Margret]

dzz I'm sorry to say that I don't recall the thread from 2018; was it the one about the paralyzed kitten who was getting hydrotherapy?

Kieka has given you good advice; making sure the kittens have good veterinary care is the most important thing and a joint supplement would probably be wise; I recommend asking the vet for recommendations.

Are we talking about front legs or rear legs here?

You're going to need to pay extra attention to keeping their litter boxes clean, and injured front paws may mean that they'll have trouble properly burying their waste.

As they recover and grow up, your vet may recommend physical therapy for them; a good veterinary physical therapist should be able to train you to do most of the treatments at home so they only need to see the therapist once in a while, for evaluations.

It's a very good sign that they're eating well; with proper care I'm sure they'll be able to live long, happy lives.

There are two ways to get another member's attention on TCS. You can start with the @ symbol and then immediately start typing the member's name, without leaving a space between the symbol and the name. At some point the editor will offer you a choice of members who match what you're typing; click on the correct choice. The other option, if you see a message posted by a member you want to talk to, is to click on the large round icon to the left of that message. This should get you a pop-up with information about the member and an option to "START A CONVERSATION." Clicking on START A CONVERSATION will enable you to send a private message to the member.

 

[Sarthur2]

Best to consult a vet experienced in kittens.