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My cat had a stillborn kitten and stopped labor. Vet emergency?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | 9 lbs

My cat got pregnant on her first heat cycle and went into labor last night, she had 1 stillborn kitten and no other kittens or contractions in 7 hours, I am out of town but I have a camera on her to watch her. She was very big towards the end and looked like she might have several kittens but I never really felt them move or kick much, she also never really let me feel her stomach. She's sleeping next to the dead kitten but doesn't seem in distress. do I need to have someone take her to the vet?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on May 29th, 2022

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and this is concerning. Yes, I recommend to get Cali to the veterinarian ASAP.

Cats can stop birthing and then finish up to 24 hours later if they are disrupted by something. But it's rare and that doesn't seem to be the case in Cali's situation. So I think it's best to err on the side of caution and get Cali into the veterinarian's office right away. She may need help having the kittens or she may need a C-section.

Here' is a link about normal birthing (called queening) in cats:

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/breeding-and-queening-cats

I hope everything turns out well for Cali! Please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Shaneez Wallani, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on April 30th, 2019
If there are more kittens but there are no more contractions, that is a medical emergency. Scruffy needs to be seen by a veterinarian immediately, or she and any kittens that may still be alive in the uterus may not survive.

See the links below for more information:

veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952101
veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951456
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jessica Desrosiers
Veterinary Technician
Published on May 11th, 2019
It is possible there could be a kitten stuck, or some other pregnancy complication going on. If it has been several hours without another kitten being born, it would be best to bring Hazel to your vet or an emergency clinic ASAP to have her examined, see if there is a stuck kitten, and check the health of mom and babies.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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It sounds like Callie is no longer showing signs of active labor, and some bloody discharge can be normal for days to weeks following the birth of a litter. It would be unusual however for her to have only one kitten and I would be concerned that there might be other kittens left behind. I would recommend seeing a vet as soon as you can - if there are other kittens that are alive but distressed a c-section might be necessary, and if there are other kittens that have died Callie probably would still need surgery to have them removed.

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