Weighing the risks and benefits involved in this decision is essential to ensure that both the mother cat and other kittens are cared for in the best possible way. Bury It. This will include any that were stillborn or that died soon after birth. By removing the deceased kitten, the responsible owner has prevented a cannibalistic attack from taking place on her kittens.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'21cats_org-leader-1','ezslot_7',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-21cats_org-leader-1-0'); A mother cat in the wild will either ingest the body of her deceased littermate or leave it alone to decompose naturally. Its not easy to deal with the loss of a kitten but its important to act appropriately. Their behavior toward that kitten might surprise you. They dont want anything else to smell the kittens body and come to eat it. In the wild, if a kitten does not survive the birth, their body can attract predators. What might happen in these scenarios? Its very unsafe for the mother to consume their dead kittens so its advisable for the owner to remove it from the side before she starts biting it. Lay the kitten on its right side, with its head slightly lower than its body. If you consider spreading the ashes, be careful about choosing a location concentrated quantities can damage plant population by changing soil pH levels. However, she does this to stimulate the kitten to breathe because it wont feel natural for them at first. Becoming a parent brings out instincts for any animal, including for a mother cat. However, in colder climates, this process may take months or even years to complete. Raising kittens is a large undertaking that can put a lot of additional stress on the mothers body. Also Read:Why Does My Kitten Attack My Face? 1.Should I Remove A Dead Kitten From The Litter? If the mother cat doesnt see her dead kitten, she may continue to look for it and remain uneasy. However, due to the nature of bacterial infections, its difficult to pinpoint which bacteria cause stillbirths. She will eat it in time. The death of a small kitten can be heartbreaking, but it is important to consider whether or not to remove the deceased kitten from its mother. It is important to recognize the physical stress and mental anguish the mother cat will experience when losing a kitten. This is thought to be an instinctive act. These defects can be inherited or caused by exposure to a drug or disease that affects development.Many kittens are born with minor abnormalities like cleft palates and bone deformities. 9. The instincts for mother cats don't only apply to taking care of their live kittens. Grief in cats is often overlooked and misunderstood. If you have a question about your pet's health, please contact your veterinarian. One is that she might eat the dead kitten. See answer (1) Best Answer. Cat Harness with Leash, Fits Average Cats: Size measuring:Neck Girth: 8.5 -11 Inches, Chest Girth: 13.5 - 16 Inches. When they trust their pet owner and rely on you for comfort, they will often turn to you in times of grief and need. It may do it for quite some time until it gives up and abandons the kitten to take care of the surviving ones. Causes and TreatmentsContinue, The topic of homosexuality in animals, particularly in dogs and cats, has been a subject of curiosity and controversy for many years. Offer her comfort through petting and talk to her in a calm reassuring voice. The cat may show signs of distress such as pacing, litter box changes, and avoidance of people and other animals. If the cat has already given birth, the dead kitten may need to be removed. Step 2: Applying steady traction, gently pull the kitten at a slight downward angle. If they are born dead or die soon after birth, you wont see her give up on them too quickly. However, do make sure the mother cat knows her kitten has passed away or she will continue to look for it. Carefully remove the dead kitten and take it to your vets if you wish to have it cremated. If this is something that you dont want her to do, you might want to take away the dead kitten before she can eat it. However, she does this to stimulate the kitten to breathe because it wont feel natural for them at first. Letting things continue as they are is not the right way to go.You will want to remove the kitten safely and make sure it is out of the way.Infection is common in kittens that interact with a dead kitten due to the development of bad bacteria.For those asking Should I remove a dead kitten from the litter? this is one of the major issues with leaving a dead kitten near the mother cat.They will want to avoid ruining the litter and will take action on their own. What happens if a cat gives birth to a dead kitten? If the kitten is cold, you can try to take it out with . Then use some soft cloths or blankets as a barrier between your hands and the kitten, if necessary. If the kitten is cold, you can put it in a warm area, like the litter box. She might want you to fix the kitten or to take care of it because she cant. This will include any that were stillborn or that died soon after birth. You never know how a mother cat will behave until they become a mother for the first time, no matter your bond. This website provides general information about pets and their care. That means she will often leave the body alone for hours, just in case the kitten revives. DecompositionThe main reason to remove a dead kitten from the litter has to do with decomposition.A lifeless kitten is going to naturally decompose. There could be a few reasons why your cat ate her kittens. It can also cause the mother to become infected and die herself from septicemia. The good news is that eventually, all of them manage to come around. Otherwise, your cat may become distressed at removing one of her kittens without knowing they had passed away. Its quite uncommon behavior, but when it happens, it starts with obsessive licking and grooming of the dead kitten. Should I show my cat her dead sister? Born for Pets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. If one of your kittens dies suddenly, its essential to remove it from the litter. The kitten can be placed in a small box or container, and then buried in the ground. Here are some tips on how to do it: 1. Most mother cats will already be in tune with the negative effects of a dead kitten on the other kittens. She instinctively knows that the kitten might be dead for some kind of health reason and wants to move the body a safe distance from their other kittens. This is a major reason why keeping the kitten with the mother cat is smart. As mentioned in the intro, the advice is mixed. Exploring the Reasons Behind This Behavior. Required fields are marked *. This is to separate the dead far from the live ones to avoid any health risks. It is also necessary for her to clean away placenta and liquid that might be blocking the kittens lungs from taking in the air they need. It can take anywhere from days to months for a cat to go through these three stages. Although this is a distressing sight for humans, this is a normal behavior for animals. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, as it depends on the individuals cat and their relationship with their sister. An instinctual drive for some female mother cats, especially the inexperienced ones, is to eat their dead kittens. It is not uncommon for one or two kittens in a litter to be stillborn. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that cats get sad when they lose their kittens. Required fields are marked *. Let your child know it is normal to miss pets after they die and encourage the youngster to come to you with questions or for reassurance and comfort. There are a few ways to do this:-Put the cat in a freezer for a few hours, then take it to a veterinarian who will euthanize it.-Take the cat to a local animal control center and have it put down.-Put the cat in the garbage and cover it with a lid. They include: This problem in kittens is caused by a variety of things. When it comes to handling a dead kitten, your actions will play a role in the overall development of the litter. I got a second-hand litter box and litter mat the other day for free. Eats ItSlightly macabre, but mother cats are known to eat dead kittens hell, they are even known to eat kittens that are deformed or otherwise weak if they are suspected of not being long term viable, but are still alive! If the kitten is cold, you can put it in a warm area, like the litter box. They also feel a pinch and react in a way.A kittens death may occur before even being born or just lives for a short time.The mother cat tends to react in a way to respond to the sad occurrence.Just like human mothers are protective of their children, even cats are generally protective, and such a loss traumatizes them.Their protective instinct usually is strong. Removing the dead kitten will prevent the mother from eating the corpse of her young and help to prevent the living babies from becoming sick due to the presence of the rotting carcass in their home. Having a dead kitten in the litter may make the mother kill her other kittens. 4. If the kitten is still warm, you can put it in a warm area, like the litter box. This is why you will want to act as soon as you can!3. The length of time a mother cat remembers her kittens depends on their communal or familial status. Mother cats are very protective of their young; they will fight anyone that tries to harm them in any way, including consuming their own children. They move slowly, sleep a lot, and have decreased appetite and motivation to play. This will prevent the mother cat from accidentally ingesting the decaying corpse of her kittens. Premature birthPremature birth is a possible cause for stillborn kittens. Maybe her current nest feels too noisy or exposed, or there are too many people coming over to look at her and her kittens when she really wants to be left alone. The other reason that cats do this is out of affection for their kitten and safety for the live kittens. Cover the kittens nose and mouth with your mouth and blow softly until you see the chest rise. Its important to learn about stillborn kittens just in case the unthinkable happens. Here is more on cats calming down a male cat, dealing with a kitten that is about to die, cats that make bird-line noises, and finding a quality scratching post for cats. Instead, show it, love.2. The box should be twice as long as an adult cat and wide as the cat is long. Newborn kittens are extremely vulnerable and sometimes a kitten is born dead. Lay the kitten on its right side, with its head slightly lower than its.. Is caused by a variety of things kittens in a litter to be.... Buried in the intro, the advice is mixed cat will experience when losing a kitten does survive! Behavior for animals to fix the kitten to breathe because it wont natural. Two kittens in a warm area, like the litter box has passed away die herself septicemia... Cause stillbirths newborn kittens are extremely vulnerable and sometimes a kitten this process may months. 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