Still born kittens

[Ellinads]

Hi all. I’m just looking for advice.
My cat was scheduled to be spayed and ended up pregnant before that happened. Yesterday she started going into labour and chewed a hole in my couch for that to happen. It was a very unsafe space and we had already set up a quiet room and space for her so we moved her.
We are really regretting that now and I feel so horribly guilty and awful. She stopped her labour and ended up giving birth to 4 still born babies. Our vet said there is nothing to be done and just wait for all the babies to be born and bring her in if she doesn’t pass them all. We can feel at least 2 more but no movement anymore. There was a lot of movement this morning before she started pushing.
I don’t know where to go from here.
She is scheduled to get spayed again so she doesn’t have to go through another traumatic experience.
When do I take the dead kittens away? How do I help her heal? Do cats mourn their babies? I’m just so lost.

 

[IndyJones]

I woud dispose of the deceased soon or she may eat them. It is upsetting but also just natural instinct to keep things clean, don't scold or become angry with her if she tries to eat them.

I doubt moving her had anything to do with it, not all babies make it, pregnancy is very complicated and things often do go wrong. They very well could have died long ago in the womb.

Just try to stay calm and not upset as she will pick up on your feelings.

 

[fionasmom]

My experience with pregnant cats has only been with ferals and I have seen all sorts of circumstances and places in which birthing took place. I do not think that the fact that you moved her had anything at all to do with the stillborns. It is even illogical to think that carefully moving a cat caused the demise of all the kittens.

I agree with removing the kittens. A mother cat will often try to revive dead kittens and sometimes will hesitate for a while to see if the kitten does appear to be alive. After that, yes, she may take matters into her own hands and eat the kitten.

I am sorry that you have had to go through this traumatic experience. If the other kittens are not delivered, get her into the vet and allow her to be spayed as you had planned.

 

[StefanZ]

Yeah, let her see and notice the kittens are dead, and take them away.

Were the deceased normal, furry kittens, or were they visibly premature or disfigured in any way?

IF they did looked normal and furry, and you have such an occasion again with a stillborn, it may be wise to try to revive them... No quarantees given, but sometimes they come into life. Its essentially to massage it and warm it up... Perhaps try to get fluids out from the mouth...

Pig farmers, if they have a stillborn piglet, they simply submerge it in warm water... Rough, but some become revived, and its not much work for them.

A cat caretaker is of course willing and able to give more individual, dedicated help... But the idea is the same; actively warming up, getting blood flowing, get water out from the mouth.