Why did my cat's newborn kittens die after birth? What happened?

Hi , I’m sorry about your loss. It is very saddening to hear all the kittens have died. I think if your dog hasn’t been near the other two kittens and unwillingly caused their death by playing with them, it could be that mum has killed them as felt the environment was not safe for the kittens anymore. Cats can get really frightened and protective with their kittens and failure to be able to provide protection could have led to your cat’s frustration and sadly causing death of the other kittens. It is just a supposition, you could also have your cat checked over at your Vets for any signs of illness that could have been transmitted to the kittens but it seems a strange coincidence or them to pass away shortly after the first one has without any symptom.

I am so sorry. Unfortunately there is a reason for kittens being pushed away by mom, or being separated: They usually have some birth defect and nature is cruel. It would take away energy and strength from the other kittens if it was to be raised or needed extra care. So there is a very high possibility that this kitten had a serious defect and therefore did not make it. There is also a reason for cats having up to three litters a year: Kitten mortality is high, especially in "the wild", so they have up to 18 kittens/year to make sure some survive. Again, I am very sorry you lost this baby.

I'm so sorry for the loss of the kittens. They may have had a parasite infection or virus such as panleukopenia. Salmonella can also kill them quickly. Without a post mortem exam there is no way to know what they dried from. Mom will probably go back into heat fairly quickly so you might want to get her spayed. Monitor her mammary glands that they don't get engorged or painful. You can apply cool compresses to them if she will let you.

This is very unfortunate, I'm sorry to hear your momma cat has lost her kittens. I would suspect that there was something affecting the mother that infected the kittens in utero. There is probably not much you can do to save the 2 remaining kittens at this point. You may want to consider taking them to the vet to be checked out and see if it is something treatable. At home just continue doing your best by supplementing their feedings if necessary, stimulating them to potty if the momma is not, and keep them warm and dry. I hope this helps. Best of luck with the remaining kittens. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I don't know what your question is exactly but this is highly abnormal. These complications could be from an incest breeding, an infection, a uterine abnormality (congenital) or a viral disease. This is not a cat that should be breeding. I suggest you give her a week or so to recover from giving birth and then get her spayed before she becomes pregnant again. She can still nurse kittens (if there are any still nursing) even after being spayed.

There is a possibility that she only had one kitten and this was it. Cats will eat seriously deformed or dead kittens in order to not leave traces for prey animals. This happens inside a house, too, as it is an instinct. It is a good idea to have a veterinarian give her an exam to make sure thatg there is no kitten left behind or a uterine infection. Very small or young cat having their first litter can have difficulty giving birth and sometimes a kitten cannot be born and can cause sepsis in a cat as it decays in the uterus.

Take them into the vet immediately. Newborn kittens are very fragile, and if they become ill, they will go downhill quickly. Only a vet can diagnose what is causing them to die, and if there is a way to prevent that. Best of luck.