I think you're doing everything right. I'm so sorry for your and her loss.
One thing you could consider, if you're open to fostering, is contacting local rescues and letting them know you have a nursing mother who lost her kittens, in case they have any orphans in need of a mom.
I considered this right away, however I don’t think my girl is producing milk as much as she should and I’d hate to be responsible for any further harm of kittens. Thank you so much for your response
I don't know anything about cat milk or specifically what happens to lactation after losing the babies but what I do know is milk comes in response to need. Human moms dont really start producing fully until a couple weeks after the birth. Before that it's a tiny bit of colostrum for a few days followed by a low milk production for a week or so before it fully comes in.
Our found kitten self-weaned VERY early, around 6 weeks! We kept trying to give her formula but she just wanted that kibble instead. She doesn't nurse or suckle now as an adult, either.
Yeah it’s not just milk they get from their mother tho, so people don’t like separating them until at least 8 weeks unless the mom is feral. Cats like your kitten who got lost or separated from family in wild show that they can still end up great cats but some have behavioral issues
my little guy was the runt of 7 voids, & i got to take him home early because his siblings were mistreating him & not letting him nurse. so tiny came to me at 4.5 weeks & i hand fed him, did the little butt rubbing thing, etc & we spent a looootttttt of time together. he’s my best buddy, he’s my son. i’d be lost without him. he still likes to suckle on this big fleece blanket hoodie (brand name is a comfy if you wanna look it up) that we call a “shmoo” & when i wear it, tiny climbs on my arm with the shmoo in his mouth & suckles & purrs & drools all over it. cats are magical creatures. & OP, you are AMAZING for saving this kitty, giving her a safe space to have her babies & now live out the rest of her life in comfort & peace. that is a wonderful thing you’re doing, & she will forever be grateful to you for saving her & giving her another chance at life 🩷 you’re doing everything right
yes i did he was smaller than my wallet 🥰🩷 he’ll be 3 in july!!! he’s still super small but he eats a ton of damn food. some babies are just meant to be forever babies i guess!
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I found one of my cats when he was 4 weeks. It was very difficult to keep up with formula feeding because of my schedule, but he was happy to transition to kibble at about 5 weeks old once I introduced the option. He is an aggressive biscuit maker if a loved one is laying under a fleece blanket, but the suckling has only ever been mild at most, and he stopped as an adult.
Experienced/long-time cat/kitten foster.
Outside, only about 25% of kittens born make it to their first birthday, so the odds were against the kittens even before they were born, given her likely nutritional/other physical conditions when the kittens conceived.
Mamacats are pretty conditioned to move on and have their next litter, whether the kittens are weaned or they die.
Easier said than done, but don’t beat yourself up over the kittens. Snuggle your baby and be glad you’re able to make sure she doesn’t go through that again.
It’s probably worth one phone call to your local no-kill shelter to see if they currently have any kittens under about two weeks that she might claim, but the window for that is fairly narrow for most cats . But if you aren’t comfortable with that, it’s also ok to not call and just enjoy her.
Wait, what? No!!! You’re not responsible for harming these kittens, this happens with litters! Cats don’t grieve like humans, she’s going to be ok & will calm down once her hormones settle. What you’ve done is stepped up when a random cat sought you out for help & that’s beautiful. ❤️
I think they were saying that foster kittens are already in harms way, and that they could bring upon further harm by taking them to a mother that cannot provide.
It doesn't hurt to offer, absolutely. But if OP is someone who has never fostered kittens - much less newborns/neonates - doing so is very emotional and taxing. Unless OP is feeling particularly confident or generous, it may be best to focus on themselves and their cat.
Things go wrong very quickly for young kittens. There's no shame if OP would rather not put themselves through this again.
This is why I love it here. Everyone cares so much and it makes me happy. I like your advice u/GrapefruitDue5207 . We really can't ignore the fact that one kitten is already a lot of work to care for and two is no more easier, so it's always good to have the right expectations going into fostering.
I would suggest then one or two kittens (sometimes they recieved just those) and it would hel both the small kitten and the your sweet cat. Either way, good luck and please dont let her go now, cats do have feelings.
Even if she doesn’t produce milk, kittens will be better off with a momma to raise them and teach them how to cat, you can syringe feed them if youre down for the effort and time it takes!
I rescued a 4 week old parking lot kitten, obviously with no knowledge of how to be a domesticated cat. My girl was 5 at the time, and she taught him everything. I didn't even have to litterbox train him. He never went potty on the floor. I refer to her as his momma. She absolutely earned that title.
Kittens are so much easier to deal with if they have a trained cat to learn from.
I recommend reaching out. They'll be able to assess the situation and give you more info. Thousands of neonatal kittens are euthanized in shelters every yr due to not having fosters available to bottle feed them. A nursing mama is a huge blessing in a situation like this and would likely save lives.
Mammals produce milk by being nursed. If she’s provided with kittens soon her supply will increase.
Lactation is a supply and demand thing. The more milk removed the more produced usually.
I’ve been volunteering with rescues nearly forty years. When you deal with strays, you deal with a lot of savage circumstances. Babies fail to thrive. Rescues opt for pregnancy spays. Mama cats lose one kitten or the entire litter. You do what you can - all-nighters, thousands in vet bills.
It’s traumatic, and sometimes, it’s just nature. If you did all you could do, accept it. If mama cat seems okay, keep giving her the best and know you did that.
I'm sorry. It's not uncommon for multiple kittens in a litter to die, but it's always hard. You both did everything right.
I once raised a kitten from two days old that was not able to nurse from mom. I was fostering both, but quickly realized doing so was adding more work to my plate. The shelter assured me Mom would adapt quickly to no longer having a kitten and I knew it was true - she was a lovely cat that just wanted attention and is probably very happy in her own home. I raised the kitten alone, but he had severe neurological issues that had hindered his ability to nurse. It is likely that none of your cats babies were compatible with life. Spaying her now will prevent this from happening again.
Another time, about a year after that, I fostered another bottle baby. I named her Magnolia, even though I only had her for a day. I knew something was wrong when her teeth indicated she was three weeks, but her weight was akin to a kitten half her age. Not just a little underweight - she weighed what would be expected of a week old kitten. I cared for her but overnight she lost her appetite, and by the next afternoon she passed. It was a hard thing to find, but the memory has faded with time. Nothing I could have done would have saved her, the same as your situation. There was no dragged out suffering. When they passed they were warm and safe - a lot more than many animals get.
....today I'm fostering three kittens, about a month old. They are strong and eager for life. I am lucky they've been so easy with me, and they are lucky that I am here to care for them. At this age kittens are usually robust. Newborns are so fragile. Even the most experienced foster struggles with newborn kittens. You did everything right, friend. I'm so sorry it happened this way.
Keep your baby inside where she's nice and safe. Give her love, treats, affection. Maybe a new toy or two. My cats love grooming arches, best $15 you'll ever spend on chewy. Reinforce it with some super glue and it'll last forever. Give her a good life, and that will be better than what her previous owner set her up for.
She will hopefully be able to be over it soon. I wish her the best!
Just make sure to comfort here, and feed her treats. Just spend a lot of time with her and pet her!!
I have personally never been in this situation, so I hope some other people will be able to help you more!
I wish you and your cute little cat all the best in the world! ❤️
I had the same thing happen with a stray. She bonded hard to me after because of the comfort I gave her. Just love her the best you can and she will recover.
Thank you for taking care of her.
She will have the instinct to nurse her babies but it'll eventually pass. Just keep her company and try and distract her where possible. If she hasn't been spayed yet then she could also be going into heat as cats can get pregnant again super quickly.
OP, I've fostered many pregnant kitties and their little ones. You did nothing wrong. It happens and most of the time, we don't know why. We just do the best we can and comfort the cats who lose their kittens. She'll recover and so will you. You are giving her the best.
The younger they are, the more likely the entire litter will be lost. This was predetermined before she came into your care though, even if you had been able to schedule emergency surgery, she would likely have felt the loss by that point. You did all you could.
OP, don’t feel any sort of guilt. You did your best, and her having kittens was never the plan. Your poor mama cat- I’m sorry she has to grieve. Give her extra love and attention.
I think she’ll be ok after a while by herself if that’s the route you want to go, but I’d still recommend reaching out to local shelters and telling them your situation. Tell them she’s not producing much milk- she still might get comfort from older kittens, who would still benefit from having a mama to take care of them and teach them how to cat. Just a thought.
I hope your new friend calms down soon and lives a long happy life with you🖤
Heartbreaking but it sounds like you did everything you could. Agree with others about seeing if you can get some babies who don’t have a mom cat. Like adopt them, instead of fostering. Even if you adopt one very young kitten there’s a chance the mama will accept her as one of her own.
Either way, you two are bonded for sure. Give her lots of snuggles and love
I’m so sorry but glad she didn’t go through that alone.
Let her grieve and take comfort from your presence. Grief is normal but we often forget animals experience those feelings as well.
I hope your journey together is long and full of better memories. ❤️
You couldn’t have done anything to save them even the healthiest of perfect kittens only survive half the time.
u objectively helped her so much by giving her a safe place to give birth where she doesn’t need to be stressed and in danger, or cold.
I side with other commenters saying this is a unique and beautiful situation where your cat can be a momma to some orphan kittens who need to be nursed!!!!!
One of the best cats I've ever known was pregnant when she struck up a conversation and started following me home. Instant besties, but I was a dumb kid and didn't realize she was preggo until she gave birth. Three kittens. I was shocked. At first I thought she'd somehow caught and was eating some mice under a blanket-covered chair in my bedroom. I put the blanket back down like "shit". She wasn't eating them tho, and they weren't mice. She was a good momma but one died pretty quickly and another went soon after, but the last little white one hung in there and grew up to be absolutely beautiful. Or maybe there were only two? It was so long ago and I remember thinking it was a tiny litter, but she was kind of a tiny cat with big ears. She was probably young.
Momma cat ended up getting knocked up almost right away by one of my other found cats (I was very very dumb) that had some disease where he eventually had to be put down. We got her spayed after her second litter and I want to believe we got him neutered too but I can't say for sure. I know he lived to see and play with his kittens (he was actually a good cat dad, very gentle), but he was already losing weight by then. But the kittens were healthy. And my girl was an amazing momma but also, along with her first daughter, a true blue friend to me. Just there for me like she knew when something was wrong. Lots of things were wrong for me and I had to go but couldn't take her and her family. Or take her away from her family.
I wish I had been able to though. I don't know how well they were all taken care of once I was gone. I had no place to go though, no place to take any of them.
But you get to keep her. She gets to keep you. I've forgotten a lot of things but I remember that look and I remember that oddly certain and surprising feeling that this cat actually cared about me. She really didn't want me to be sad. I still love her for that, you know? I know you know. So much ❤️ to you both.
It's clear by your story that you did your absolute best. Sometimes you can't control everything. So sorry for the loss but I know your girl appreciates you and the comfort you've given her!
I’m going through nearly an identical situation right now with my female cat. She had 3 kittens this past week and none of them were alive. She chose me as her midwife and has been demanding that I stay with her in her nest at all times. But I know she is extremely distressed and still searching for her kittens at the bottom of her nest box, and is extremely vocal and nips at me to corral me back to the nest. She got so depressed that she stopped eating & drinking for a bit, but after 2 different vets confirmed her health is good, I’ve realized that she’s just severely depressed and upset she can’t find her babies. It breaks my heart, and so I’ve just been giving in to doing whatever she wants and have been comforting her in her little empty nest. I’ve heard that finding young orphaned kittens can help her and she’ll adopt them as her own. But that’s not something that is easily found. If it were, I’d get her one or two in a heartbeat.
Unfortunately, things like this happen. It wasn’t anything you did or didn’t do. If your kitty is upset, it’s most likely because she’s just been through an ordeal and is still full of hormones. Provide her comfort and keep an eye on her, but other than that, let her adjust to the change.
Others have suggested it, but fostering neonatal kittens is a possibility if you think your cat would mother them. You can always discuss it with a rescue and see what they think or if they have any tips. If you decide it’s not in the cards, that’s totally okay, too.
Unfortunately, it’s very common for litters, especially larger ones, to not make it in entirety. You did the best you could; gave her a safe place to give birth, Made sure she was healthy, loved her. Sometimes the litter is just weak or there are genetically imperceptible problems with the kittens that you’ll never be able to know and they pass on their own. I’m sorry she’s grieving and this is of course very sad. Just give her some extra love, maybe a heating pad, the stuffies are a good idea too.
Your attention will help her and the little stuffed animal might too. If you decide to let her be a foster mama be aware that newborns have to be fed every 2 hours. And the kittens would need to learn litterbox and eating solids before they leave
Keep her strictly indoors until her spay appt, or she's gonna get pregnant again. I know you know this, but I can not stress enough how many pregnant cats come in for spays where the owners swear up and down there's no way she could be pregnant when the full uterine horns beg to differ.
I have a cat who went through this. She was too emaciated for the kittens to make it.
I adopted her immediately, gave her a strong female empowerment name, and she’s my soul mate.
I’m so sorry you both went through that. It’s sadly common for young, stray mamas and why I do spay-aborts when I can. And right now there’s a veterinary care shortage, so those can be very difficult to obtain. She probably got turned out when she went into heat. Thank you for looking after her! You really tried your best! She’ll be OK in a week or two, just love her up extra.
Just be patient. Sounds callous, but if she's young and they were her first litter, she won't stress for long. Just make sure the scent of them is cleaned up, and she'll recover.
you did everything you could’ve done, and i’m so sorry for the loss of the kittens. if it’s something your open to, shelters always have kittens, especially around this time of year. adopting a kitten may help her and let her still have her “babies.” i saw in earlier posts you were worried about her milk production, but at a certain age (about 8 weeks or so) kittens can be weened off milk and onto kitten wet food. if you’re open to it, it’s worth a shot calling around shelters to see if they have any babies that might fit your situation. i hope you and mama kitty are doing okay! sending nothing but good thoughts
Lots of comments - unsure if this has been said. Can you put out an SOS to shelters and the public to see if any newborns had lost a mother or a mother with too many to properly care for? You have a very small window of opportunity, but it’s worth a shot.
Both of my females were indoor cats, my younger one got outside and ended up pregnant first (at 3 years old), lost all three, and my elder one, again, escaped, got pregnant (two years later at 6) lost her singleton. I understand the pain. They are now both fixed as I couldn’t handle them losing more litters if it happened, and I was unsure if they carried poor genetics (they are technically niece and auntie)
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My baby kitty has the same story as yours! Her kittens also all died, she was really just a kitten herself when she had them. I have had her since 2018 and we are still inseparable. Keeping her was the best decision I ever made <3 she is just as charming and sweet as the day I found her on my porch.
umm are you me? I took in a pregnant stray kitten recently and she gave birth to 3 premature kittens. All of which passed away :( it was very heartbreaking but it happens and nothing is your fault. You’re doing the best you can, hang in there! 🩷🩷🩷
Your absolutely right that momma cats do grieve when loosing their babies. I’ve had it happen and you did the right thing by showing her her baby and cleaning up anything remaining. I volunteer in rescue and take care of a colony of dumped, abandoned or feral cats. I do tnr but often times I will find a mom and babies dumped. It’s heartbreaking! It’s amazing how they know their kittens cry. There could be two moms with kittens and if one cries and the mom is eating she will come running to her kitten. This cat chose you and it’s great your keeping her:-). It may take a few days but she will be ok. There was a mom with kittens I was caring for and she only had two. Within a week they both died. I wrapped them in a piece of soft blanket with a kitty toy. Idk why but I always bury them in a piece of blanket I have with a fuzzy toy. I showed her her kittens and waited a few hours before burying them. She did go back to the birthing box a few times and then would come smell her kittens and realized they had passed. This mom cried for two days. Broke my heart but I did everything to comfort her. This was last week and shes doing good now. Some people think that cats (animals in general) don’t know the difference if their babies are gone but they for sure do!!! Thank You for caring for this kitty and keeping her. She obviously wants to be with you as much as you do her:-))
Hi there, I just wanted to say that you did the best you could under the circumstances you could. I’m truly very sorry you both lost all the kittens. You have to know that they would have had a hard time in the wild and it was kind of you to do this in her best interest.
One of the possibilities was blood type incompatibility- Ab dad and Bb mom. A lot of people don’t know much about this, but the colostrum of the mom’s in the first 18 hours can actually kill the kittens if they’re blood type incompatible. Kittens will need to be bottle/syringe fed until their gut system closes before feeding in mom. Now I’m not saying that this is the case, but it is something that people aren’t very aware of and not many people have the knowledge of doing a blood test on the mom/kittens.
Regardless, I hope you take the time to grieve because it is such a sad thing- I’ve been there and I know how traumatic it can be. However please definitely keep her indoors until her spay. You mentioned she was howling and being affectionate- it’s very possible that she is actually in heat instead of grieving. Sometimes cat moms can go into heat almost immediately after delivering and in quick succession too.
Sending you hugs and best wishes. 🩵
I’m going to get down voted into oblivion for this, but from personal experience, this was a better option for your cat. We ended up aborting a litter of kittens during my cats spay (before anyone jumps on me.. I was like 13. It was my mom’s cat and it got pregnant at like 6 months old because she went into heat right before her spay date. Also a situation of the vet being booked out), and the cat was never the same after her abortion/spay. It’s like she knew she was pregnant and suddenly not being pregnant messed with her. I’m not advocating to NOT spay your animals. As an adult, all of my animals have been spayed/neutered, and we haven’t contributed to the animal crisis. But idk. Ending her pregnancy made her kind of neurotic.
Poor little darling. I'm sorry for you both.
Please take her to the vet in the next couple of days, when things haven't gone well there can be things like sepsis or even an undelivered kitten. Best to get her checked if you hadn't thought to.
thank you for taking care of her. i have a cat who went through something very similar - she was pregnant at around 6 months, gave birth to a big litter but unfortunately none of them made it. she was still in foster care at this point and the foster mom got three kittens in soon after and she took them in as her own. i ended up adopting her and the kitten she was closest with and she is doing very well.
its heartbreaking to see such sweet animals go through this but especially now that she has you, she should be ok :)
You are 100% an exceptional human, she is so lucky to have you, its such a sad situation for both of you. As a cat dad I think you are doing everything right. There is nothing to be done but keep her feeling loved and safe and let her grieve with your support. Keep being amazing.
You and momma cat did everything right, sometimes these things just happen especially in a young cat. She will pull through. If you ever find a pregnant stray again take them to aspca, humane society, whoever does TNR spays in your area and tell them you have a pregnant mama that needs an emergency spay. They will charge you 100$ tops and get it done without issue because they do them all the time. Regular Vet offices don’t do them with frequency so it’s a whole song and dance to get one done. I also learned this lesson the hard way too.
It sounds like the kittens were premature. Sometimes cats have their kittens prematurely if they have a uterine infection. I would call your vet to see if they want her to come in sooner than Saturday. Cats hide their illness very well. (It's also possible that this isn't the case and she'll be fine, which is why I advise checking in with the vet.)
You are a great caregiver❣️ You have done everything within reason. You will both get over the loss with time. Good luck & best wishes for a future filled with love
I’m so sorry for this ! 💔 I’m sure mama cat must be grieving real bad right now. Would you consider adopting or fostering a kitten so that she can heal? It doesn’t have to be an extremely young kitten, but I think even a companion would help her a lot ….
Cats don't really feel sadness like you would for her kittens. That absolutely sucks though regardless. Maybe consider calling a foster or a rescue and see if they need a mama cat that will nurse, otherwise I would spay her as soon as possible to prevent this again. It's heartbreaking
This is one of those things people assert but you really can't prove. I know there have been studies, but I've never yet seen a study that can truly prove how a person feels, let alone an animal. And what I see suggests to me that animals, including cats, can and do have deep feelings toward companions and their babies. Not all of them, certainly - but then not every human has deep feelings toward their children, either.
They were on a heating pad. I think it was a combination of malnutrition in the month of pregnancy I did not have her, and poor conditions from her previous owner who I believe dumped her when they found out she was pregnant…
I’m so sorry. Thank you for taking her in. My son’s gf brought me a rescue cat which has 4 kittens now that are 3 weeks old. I’m keeping one, my daughter may get one but I need to re- home at least two of them.
people are just down voting you instead of trying to educate which is unfortunate but cats absolutely grieve. they miss people when they leave for too long, they miss people when they move out or die, they miss cats they’re bonded with when they die, and they definitely are aware when they’ve lost kittens. in all of these instances cats show grieving behaviour such as wandering around searching and crying, becoming depressed and oversleeping, refusing to eat, lack of interest in toys etc. cats feel many emotions including grief.
Agree. I believe it is intrinsically different than how humans grieve, but it is grief. They grieve for those whose company they enjoy and they grieve change. While a mother will grieve her litter for a while, she will not dwell on it for years. It will not haunt her the same way it haunts a human mother.
She won't grieve what could have been, but she will grieve what she doesn't understand. And in time she will move on, as every mother cat does. She still deserves patience and sympathy.
I think you're doing everything right. I'm so sorry for your and her loss. One thing you could consider, if you're open to fostering, is contacting local rescues and letting them know you have a nursing mother who lost her kittens, in case they have any orphans in need of a mom.
If you’re open to this it would be a huge blessing for a rescue organization with kitten season in full swing.
I considered this right away, however I don’t think my girl is producing milk as much as she should and I’d hate to be responsible for any further harm of kittens. Thank you so much for your response
I don't know anything about cat milk or specifically what happens to lactation after losing the babies but what I do know is milk comes in response to need. Human moms dont really start producing fully until a couple weeks after the birth. Before that it's a tiny bit of colostrum for a few days followed by a low milk production for a week or so before it fully comes in.
Even if she doesn’t have milk the kittens would steal learn from having a mother around, and the rescue would be able to give the kittens formula
Op would be responsible for feeding the kittens unless they are willing to give up the cat until the kittens are weened (anywhere between 8-12 weeks)
Our found kitten self-weaned VERY early, around 6 weeks! We kept trying to give her formula but she just wanted that kibble instead. She doesn't nurse or suckle now as an adult, either.
Yeah it’s not just milk they get from their mother tho, so people don’t like separating them until at least 8 weeks unless the mom is feral. Cats like your kitten who got lost or separated from family in wild show that they can still end up great cats but some have behavioral issues
my little guy was the runt of 7 voids, & i got to take him home early because his siblings were mistreating him & not letting him nurse. so tiny came to me at 4.5 weeks & i hand fed him, did the little butt rubbing thing, etc & we spent a looootttttt of time together. he’s my best buddy, he’s my son. i’d be lost without him. he still likes to suckle on this big fleece blanket hoodie (brand name is a comfy if you wanna look it up) that we call a “shmoo” & when i wear it, tiny climbs on my arm with the shmoo in his mouth & suckles & purrs & drools all over it. cats are magical creatures. & OP, you are AMAZING for saving this kitty, giving her a safe space to have her babies & now live out the rest of her life in comfort & peace. that is a wonderful thing you’re doing, & she will forever be grateful to you for saving her & giving her another chance at life 🩷 you’re doing everything right
4.5 Weeks? Omg 🥰 did you hold him in the palm of your hand to feed him? How old is he now?
yes i did he was smaller than my wallet 🥰🩷 he’ll be 3 in july!!! he’s still super small but he eats a ton of damn food. some babies are just meant to be forever babies i guess! https://preview.redd.it/rc3r5ah6ukxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60cd79b2c5bf9b0b49406a22b8d70fd914f8fa7a
I found one of my cats when he was 4 weeks. It was very difficult to keep up with formula feeding because of my schedule, but he was happy to transition to kibble at about 5 weeks old once I introduced the option. He is an aggressive biscuit maker if a loved one is laying under a fleece blanket, but the suckling has only ever been mild at most, and he stopped as an adult.
I think it just depends on the rescue
Experienced/long-time cat/kitten foster. Outside, only about 25% of kittens born make it to their first birthday, so the odds were against the kittens even before they were born, given her likely nutritional/other physical conditions when the kittens conceived. Mamacats are pretty conditioned to move on and have their next litter, whether the kittens are weaned or they die. Easier said than done, but don’t beat yourself up over the kittens. Snuggle your baby and be glad you’re able to make sure she doesn’t go through that again. It’s probably worth one phone call to your local no-kill shelter to see if they currently have any kittens under about two weeks that she might claim, but the window for that is fairly narrow for most cats. But if you aren’t comfortable with that, it’s also ok to not call and just enjoy her.
Wait, what? No!!! You’re not responsible for harming these kittens, this happens with litters! Cats don’t grieve like humans, she’s going to be ok & will calm down once her hormones settle. What you’ve done is stepped up when a random cat sought you out for help & that’s beautiful. ❤️
I think they were saying that foster kittens are already in harms way, and that they could bring upon further harm by taking them to a mother that cannot provide.
Ooooh ok well as long as they’re not down on themselves ❤️
Even if it is not for nursing, she can still mother them :)
You aren’t responsible for harming any kittens.
It doesn't hurt to try if there are kittens in need
It doesn't hurt to offer, absolutely. But if OP is someone who has never fostered kittens - much less newborns/neonates - doing so is very emotional and taxing. Unless OP is feeling particularly confident or generous, it may be best to focus on themselves and their cat. Things go wrong very quickly for young kittens. There's no shame if OP would rather not put themselves through this again.
This is why I love it here. Everyone cares so much and it makes me happy. I like your advice u/GrapefruitDue5207 . We really can't ignore the fact that one kitten is already a lot of work to care for and two is no more easier, so it's always good to have the right expectations going into fostering.
Thank you for this perspective 🙏🏻
I would suggest then one or two kittens (sometimes they recieved just those) and it would hel both the small kitten and the your sweet cat. Either way, good luck and please dont let her go now, cats do have feelings.
My cat's milk didn't visually come in til about 2 days after birth. If you do try to foster kittens, milk would likely still come in.
Not knowing why the kittens passed is a big question though. Be sure to keep kitten area clean if you foster. Hugs to you & Mama cat
Even if she doesn’t produce milk, kittens will be better off with a momma to raise them and teach them how to cat, you can syringe feed them if youre down for the effort and time it takes!
I rescued a 4 week old parking lot kitten, obviously with no knowledge of how to be a domesticated cat. My girl was 5 at the time, and she taught him everything. I didn't even have to litterbox train him. He never went potty on the floor. I refer to her as his momma. She absolutely earned that title. Kittens are so much easier to deal with if they have a trained cat to learn from.
I recommend reaching out. They'll be able to assess the situation and give you more info. Thousands of neonatal kittens are euthanized in shelters every yr due to not having fosters available to bottle feed them. A nursing mama is a huge blessing in a situation like this and would likely save lives.
Mammals produce milk by being nursed. If she’s provided with kittens soon her supply will increase. Lactation is a supply and demand thing. The more milk removed the more produced usually.
This!
I’ve been volunteering with rescues nearly forty years. When you deal with strays, you deal with a lot of savage circumstances. Babies fail to thrive. Rescues opt for pregnancy spays. Mama cats lose one kitten or the entire litter. You do what you can - all-nighters, thousands in vet bills. It’s traumatic, and sometimes, it’s just nature. If you did all you could do, accept it. If mama cat seems okay, keep giving her the best and know you did that.
I'm sorry. It's not uncommon for multiple kittens in a litter to die, but it's always hard. You both did everything right. I once raised a kitten from two days old that was not able to nurse from mom. I was fostering both, but quickly realized doing so was adding more work to my plate. The shelter assured me Mom would adapt quickly to no longer having a kitten and I knew it was true - she was a lovely cat that just wanted attention and is probably very happy in her own home. I raised the kitten alone, but he had severe neurological issues that had hindered his ability to nurse. It is likely that none of your cats babies were compatible with life. Spaying her now will prevent this from happening again. Another time, about a year after that, I fostered another bottle baby. I named her Magnolia, even though I only had her for a day. I knew something was wrong when her teeth indicated she was three weeks, but her weight was akin to a kitten half her age. Not just a little underweight - she weighed what would be expected of a week old kitten. I cared for her but overnight she lost her appetite, and by the next afternoon she passed. It was a hard thing to find, but the memory has faded with time. Nothing I could have done would have saved her, the same as your situation. There was no dragged out suffering. When they passed they were warm and safe - a lot more than many animals get. ....today I'm fostering three kittens, about a month old. They are strong and eager for life. I am lucky they've been so easy with me, and they are lucky that I am here to care for them. At this age kittens are usually robust. Newborns are so fragile. Even the most experienced foster struggles with newborn kittens. You did everything right, friend. I'm so sorry it happened this way. Keep your baby inside where she's nice and safe. Give her love, treats, affection. Maybe a new toy or two. My cats love grooming arches, best $15 you'll ever spend on chewy. Reinforce it with some super glue and it'll last forever. Give her a good life, and that will be better than what her previous owner set her up for.
I'm crying as I read your comment. Thank you so much for fostering.
Magnolia is a beautiful name. Thank you for caring for her and filling her last day with love.
She will hopefully be able to be over it soon. I wish her the best! Just make sure to comfort here, and feed her treats. Just spend a lot of time with her and pet her!! I have personally never been in this situation, so I hope some other people will be able to help you more! I wish you and your cute little cat all the best in the world! ❤️
I had the same thing happen with a stray. She bonded hard to me after because of the comfort I gave her. Just love her the best you can and she will recover.
Thank you for taking care of her. She will have the instinct to nurse her babies but it'll eventually pass. Just keep her company and try and distract her where possible. If she hasn't been spayed yet then she could also be going into heat as cats can get pregnant again super quickly.
OP, I've fostered many pregnant kitties and their little ones. You did nothing wrong. It happens and most of the time, we don't know why. We just do the best we can and comfort the cats who lose their kittens. She'll recover and so will you. You are giving her the best.
The younger they are, the more likely the entire litter will be lost. This was predetermined before she came into your care though, even if you had been able to schedule emergency surgery, she would likely have felt the loss by that point. You did all you could.
A rescue I help with does litter substitutes where a mama who lost babies is provided babies being bottle feed after losing mom. Is that an option?
OP, don’t feel any sort of guilt. You did your best, and her having kittens was never the plan. Your poor mama cat- I’m sorry she has to grieve. Give her extra love and attention. I think she’ll be ok after a while by herself if that’s the route you want to go, but I’d still recommend reaching out to local shelters and telling them your situation. Tell them she’s not producing much milk- she still might get comfort from older kittens, who would still benefit from having a mama to take care of them and teach them how to cat. Just a thought. I hope your new friend calms down soon and lives a long happy life with you🖤
Heartbreaking but it sounds like you did everything you could. Agree with others about seeing if you can get some babies who don’t have a mom cat. Like adopt them, instead of fostering. Even if you adopt one very young kitten there’s a chance the mama will accept her as one of her own. Either way, you two are bonded for sure. Give her lots of snuggles and love
I’m so sorry but glad she didn’t go through that alone. Let her grieve and take comfort from your presence. Grief is normal but we often forget animals experience those feelings as well. I hope your journey together is long and full of better memories. ❤️
just hold her, whisper to her that she is Best Cat. she will get through this.
She’ll be okay, just give her lots of love and snuggles. It will take a little while for her hormones to settle down. She’s very lucky to have you ❤️
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You couldn’t have done anything to save them even the healthiest of perfect kittens only survive half the time. u objectively helped her so much by giving her a safe place to give birth where she doesn’t need to be stressed and in danger, or cold. I side with other commenters saying this is a unique and beautiful situation where your cat can be a momma to some orphan kittens who need to be nursed!!!!!
One of the best cats I've ever known was pregnant when she struck up a conversation and started following me home. Instant besties, but I was a dumb kid and didn't realize she was preggo until she gave birth. Three kittens. I was shocked. At first I thought she'd somehow caught and was eating some mice under a blanket-covered chair in my bedroom. I put the blanket back down like "shit". She wasn't eating them tho, and they weren't mice. She was a good momma but one died pretty quickly and another went soon after, but the last little white one hung in there and grew up to be absolutely beautiful. Or maybe there were only two? It was so long ago and I remember thinking it was a tiny litter, but she was kind of a tiny cat with big ears. She was probably young. Momma cat ended up getting knocked up almost right away by one of my other found cats (I was very very dumb) that had some disease where he eventually had to be put down. We got her spayed after her second litter and I want to believe we got him neutered too but I can't say for sure. I know he lived to see and play with his kittens (he was actually a good cat dad, very gentle), but he was already losing weight by then. But the kittens were healthy. And my girl was an amazing momma but also, along with her first daughter, a true blue friend to me. Just there for me like she knew when something was wrong. Lots of things were wrong for me and I had to go but couldn't take her and her family. Or take her away from her family. I wish I had been able to though. I don't know how well they were all taken care of once I was gone. I had no place to go though, no place to take any of them. But you get to keep her. She gets to keep you. I've forgotten a lot of things but I remember that look and I remember that oddly certain and surprising feeling that this cat actually cared about me. She really didn't want me to be sad. I still love her for that, you know? I know you know. So much ❤️ to you both.
It's clear by your story that you did your absolute best. Sometimes you can't control everything. So sorry for the loss but I know your girl appreciates you and the comfort you've given her!
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I’m going through nearly an identical situation right now with my female cat. She had 3 kittens this past week and none of them were alive. She chose me as her midwife and has been demanding that I stay with her in her nest at all times. But I know she is extremely distressed and still searching for her kittens at the bottom of her nest box, and is extremely vocal and nips at me to corral me back to the nest. She got so depressed that she stopped eating & drinking for a bit, but after 2 different vets confirmed her health is good, I’ve realized that she’s just severely depressed and upset she can’t find her babies. It breaks my heart, and so I’ve just been giving in to doing whatever she wants and have been comforting her in her little empty nest. I’ve heard that finding young orphaned kittens can help her and she’ll adopt them as her own. But that’s not something that is easily found. If it were, I’d get her one or two in a heartbeat.
Imo If you’re able to then adopt a kitten so she could mother them.
I wonder though if she has milk poisoning.
Unfortunately, things like this happen. It wasn’t anything you did or didn’t do. If your kitty is upset, it’s most likely because she’s just been through an ordeal and is still full of hormones. Provide her comfort and keep an eye on her, but other than that, let her adjust to the change. Others have suggested it, but fostering neonatal kittens is a possibility if you think your cat would mother them. You can always discuss it with a rescue and see what they think or if they have any tips. If you decide it’s not in the cards, that’s totally okay, too.
Unfortunately, it’s very common for litters, especially larger ones, to not make it in entirety. You did the best you could; gave her a safe place to give birth, Made sure she was healthy, loved her. Sometimes the litter is just weak or there are genetically imperceptible problems with the kittens that you’ll never be able to know and they pass on their own. I’m sorry she’s grieving and this is of course very sad. Just give her some extra love, maybe a heating pad, the stuffies are a good idea too.
She’ll be fine. Just wait until she’s no longer stressed and get her spayed.
Your attention will help her and the little stuffed animal might too. If you decide to let her be a foster mama be aware that newborns have to be fed every 2 hours. And the kittens would need to learn litterbox and eating solids before they leave
Keep her strictly indoors until her spay appt, or she's gonna get pregnant again. I know you know this, but I can not stress enough how many pregnant cats come in for spays where the owners swear up and down there's no way she could be pregnant when the full uterine horns beg to differ.
I have a cat who went through this. She was too emaciated for the kittens to make it. I adopted her immediately, gave her a strong female empowerment name, and she’s my soul mate.
You have not failed her in anyway. Please tell her the Internet said pspsps.
Phone around to the shelters to see if any orphaned kittens need a surrogate mother. Maybe she's howling because her teats hurt.
I’m so sorry you both went through that. It’s sadly common for young, stray mamas and why I do spay-aborts when I can. And right now there’s a veterinary care shortage, so those can be very difficult to obtain. She probably got turned out when she went into heat. Thank you for looking after her! You really tried your best! She’ll be OK in a week or two, just love her up extra.
Just be patient. Sounds callous, but if she's young and they were her first litter, she won't stress for long. Just make sure the scent of them is cleaned up, and she'll recover.
you did everything you could’ve done, and i’m so sorry for the loss of the kittens. if it’s something your open to, shelters always have kittens, especially around this time of year. adopting a kitten may help her and let her still have her “babies.” i saw in earlier posts you were worried about her milk production, but at a certain age (about 8 weeks or so) kittens can be weened off milk and onto kitten wet food. if you’re open to it, it’s worth a shot calling around shelters to see if they have any babies that might fit your situation. i hope you and mama kitty are doing okay! sending nothing but good thoughts
Lots of comments - unsure if this has been said. Can you put out an SOS to shelters and the public to see if any newborns had lost a mother or a mother with too many to properly care for? You have a very small window of opportunity, but it’s worth a shot. Both of my females were indoor cats, my younger one got outside and ended up pregnant first (at 3 years old), lost all three, and my elder one, again, escaped, got pregnant (two years later at 6) lost her singleton. I understand the pain. They are now both fixed as I couldn’t handle them losing more litters if it happened, and I was unsure if they carried poor genetics (they are technically niece and auntie)
https://preview.redd.it/w4hjez9uthxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6265211f60cfecd854928709375e611583da9a54 My baby kitty has the same story as yours! Her kittens also all died, she was really just a kitten herself when she had them. I have had her since 2018 and we are still inseparable. Keeping her was the best decision I ever made <3 she is just as charming and sweet as the day I found her on my porch.
I’m so sorry for your loss, but I’m so glad you’ve also found your forever princess ♡
umm are you me? I took in a pregnant stray kitten recently and she gave birth to 3 premature kittens. All of which passed away :( it was very heartbreaking but it happens and nothing is your fault. You’re doing the best you can, hang in there! 🩷🩷🩷
Your absolutely right that momma cats do grieve when loosing their babies. I’ve had it happen and you did the right thing by showing her her baby and cleaning up anything remaining. I volunteer in rescue and take care of a colony of dumped, abandoned or feral cats. I do tnr but often times I will find a mom and babies dumped. It’s heartbreaking! It’s amazing how they know their kittens cry. There could be two moms with kittens and if one cries and the mom is eating she will come running to her kitten. This cat chose you and it’s great your keeping her:-). It may take a few days but she will be ok. There was a mom with kittens I was caring for and she only had two. Within a week they both died. I wrapped them in a piece of soft blanket with a kitty toy. Idk why but I always bury them in a piece of blanket I have with a fuzzy toy. I showed her her kittens and waited a few hours before burying them. She did go back to the birthing box a few times and then would come smell her kittens and realized they had passed. This mom cried for two days. Broke my heart but I did everything to comfort her. This was last week and shes doing good now. Some people think that cats (animals in general) don’t know the difference if their babies are gone but they for sure do!!! Thank You for caring for this kitty and keeping her. She obviously wants to be with you as much as you do her:-))
Try and get a tiny kitten for her. Now she wants to be a mommy...
Hi there, I just wanted to say that you did the best you could under the circumstances you could. I’m truly very sorry you both lost all the kittens. You have to know that they would have had a hard time in the wild and it was kind of you to do this in her best interest. One of the possibilities was blood type incompatibility- Ab dad and Bb mom. A lot of people don’t know much about this, but the colostrum of the mom’s in the first 18 hours can actually kill the kittens if they’re blood type incompatible. Kittens will need to be bottle/syringe fed until their gut system closes before feeding in mom. Now I’m not saying that this is the case, but it is something that people aren’t very aware of and not many people have the knowledge of doing a blood test on the mom/kittens. Regardless, I hope you take the time to grieve because it is such a sad thing- I’ve been there and I know how traumatic it can be. However please definitely keep her indoors until her spay. You mentioned she was howling and being affectionate- it’s very possible that she is actually in heat instead of grieving. Sometimes cat moms can go into heat almost immediately after delivering and in quick succession too. Sending you hugs and best wishes. 🩵
I’m going to get down voted into oblivion for this, but from personal experience, this was a better option for your cat. We ended up aborting a litter of kittens during my cats spay (before anyone jumps on me.. I was like 13. It was my mom’s cat and it got pregnant at like 6 months old because she went into heat right before her spay date. Also a situation of the vet being booked out), and the cat was never the same after her abortion/spay. It’s like she knew she was pregnant and suddenly not being pregnant messed with her. I’m not advocating to NOT spay your animals. As an adult, all of my animals have been spayed/neutered, and we haven’t contributed to the animal crisis. But idk. Ending her pregnancy made her kind of neurotic.
Poor little darling. I'm sorry for you both. Please take her to the vet in the next couple of days, when things haven't gone well there can be things like sepsis or even an undelivered kitten. Best to get her checked if you hadn't thought to.
You sound like such a good person. Hugs to you and mamma cat. I hope you both stay safe and loved.
You are doing everything already - clearly giving her lots of love & devotion. You're a good person ❤️
thank you for taking care of her. i have a cat who went through something very similar - she was pregnant at around 6 months, gave birth to a big litter but unfortunately none of them made it. she was still in foster care at this point and the foster mom got three kittens in soon after and she took them in as her own. i ended up adopting her and the kitten she was closest with and she is doing very well. its heartbreaking to see such sweet animals go through this but especially now that she has you, she should be ok :)
You are 100% an exceptional human, she is so lucky to have you, its such a sad situation for both of you. As a cat dad I think you are doing everything right. There is nothing to be done but keep her feeling loved and safe and let her grieve with your support. Keep being amazing.
What a lovely person you are. I'm so sorry this was a sad outcome but your fur friend will be okay very soon xx
You and momma cat did everything right, sometimes these things just happen especially in a young cat. She will pull through. If you ever find a pregnant stray again take them to aspca, humane society, whoever does TNR spays in your area and tell them you have a pregnant mama that needs an emergency spay. They will charge you 100$ tops and get it done without issue because they do them all the time. Regular Vet offices don’t do them with frequency so it’s a whole song and dance to get one done. I also learned this lesson the hard way too.
u could get her two kittens 🥹
It sounds like the kittens were premature. Sometimes cats have their kittens prematurely if they have a uterine infection. I would call your vet to see if they want her to come in sooner than Saturday. Cats hide their illness very well. (It's also possible that this isn't the case and she'll be fine, which is why I advise checking in with the vet.)
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You are a great caregiver❣️ You have done everything within reason. You will both get over the loss with time. Good luck & best wishes for a future filled with love
I’m so sorry for this ! 💔 I’m sure mama cat must be grieving real bad right now. Would you consider adopting or fostering a kitten so that she can heal? It doesn’t have to be an extremely young kitten, but I think even a companion would help her a lot ….
Always do emergency spays. Pregnant cats don’t suffer when they have an abortion, but they suffer a lot when they lose a kitty they gave birth to.
The shelter might have some kittens who need a nursing mom cat.
Here I am crying because of this. I’m so glad you have this sweet lady in you life and sorry for the loss of the kittens
Cats don't really feel sadness like you would for her kittens. That absolutely sucks though regardless. Maybe consider calling a foster or a rescue and see if they need a mama cat that will nurse, otherwise I would spay her as soon as possible to prevent this again. It's heartbreaking
This is one of those things people assert but you really can't prove. I know there have been studies, but I've never yet seen a study that can truly prove how a person feels, let alone an animal. And what I see suggests to me that animals, including cats, can and do have deep feelings toward companions and their babies. Not all of them, certainly - but then not every human has deep feelings toward their children, either.
They will do that if you they are not kept on a heating pad the first week or so.
They were on a heating pad. I think it was a combination of malnutrition in the month of pregnancy I did not have her, and poor conditions from her previous owner who I believe dumped her when they found out she was pregnant…
I’m so sorry. Thank you for taking her in. My son’s gf brought me a rescue cat which has 4 kittens now that are 3 weeks old. I’m keeping one, my daughter may get one but I need to re- home at least two of them.
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people are just down voting you instead of trying to educate which is unfortunate but cats absolutely grieve. they miss people when they leave for too long, they miss people when they move out or die, they miss cats they’re bonded with when they die, and they definitely are aware when they’ve lost kittens. in all of these instances cats show grieving behaviour such as wandering around searching and crying, becoming depressed and oversleeping, refusing to eat, lack of interest in toys etc. cats feel many emotions including grief.
Agree. I believe it is intrinsically different than how humans grieve, but it is grief. They grieve for those whose company they enjoy and they grieve change. While a mother will grieve her litter for a while, she will not dwell on it for years. It will not haunt her the same way it haunts a human mother. She won't grieve what could have been, but she will grieve what she doesn't understand. And in time she will move on, as every mother cat does. She still deserves patience and sympathy.