Why did my newborn kittens die suddenly? Caring for the mother cat.

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.

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 am so sorry you came home to two dead kittens! Newborn kittens are very fragile, and it could the one who was cold simply wasn't strong enough to make it. As for the one with the intestines out, it could be a birth defect causing the intestines to be outside the body. Without seeing them in person, I can't say for certain. I can say keep the father away from the kittens until they are older. Mother cats can be very protective of their kittens, and the father should not be around until the kittens are weaned. I hope this helps, and again I'm sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry for your loss! Rescue work can always be heartbreaking. I worry that since the mother abandoned the kittens, she may have known they were sickly. They could have had a congenital issue or mom could've been infected with a disease that severely affected the kittens. You could take the kitten to have post-mortem performed if you would like a final diagnosis, but unfortunately, this is something that happens and we don't always get closure.

It's really difficult to know the cause of her early demise without having seen her. I will say that it's not uncommon for kittens to be born with a problem that causes them to be unhealthy and prone to an early death. Often times, there's really not much you can do about it. If her appetite was declining, then there must have been some disease that was making her feel really bad. I would not worry about the flies and roaches, because they have little chance of causing a disease severe enough to kill her. It is not always obvious how to care for a cat, but I'm sure you at-least gave her a comfortable place to stay and plenty of food; so I wouldn't be too hard on yourself. I've given a link to an article below that has good information about how to care for a kitten in case you want to get another one in the future. https://www.petcoach.co/article/new-kitten-101/ I hope this helps.

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.

Hello, This could be several different things. Not eating following by seizures makes me concerned that they may be hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) from not eating. This usually leads to seizures, which can be associated with changes in urination and defecation. Infectious diseases are also very common in kittens. Many of the mother cats are not vaccinated and can pass viral diseases to their young. Feline Leukemia Virus, Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline Herpes Virus, and Feline Panleukopenia can all cause kitten deaths. Unfortunately, with kitten rescue, we can't ever be sure of the mother's health beforehand. The better controlled the feline overpopulation problem is and the more cats are vaccinated, the better it will be overall. Thoroughly disinfecting bowls, litter dishes, floors, etc and quarantining cats in your home is the best way to minimize disease spread. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!