A deformed kitten - could be distrubing to some

I had a stray cat show up and have kittens three months ago.

The second kitten born was deformed. It's ears were far back on his skull and very low, head a bit round and it had no bottom jaw. Where the jaw should have been there was just an opening, to the esophagus I assume. It seemed like it couldn't breath though, and died very shortly after birth ?(despite my attempts to help it). Other than the head, the rest of the body appeared to be normal. The other three kittens were fine, are perfect little hellions.

Does anyone know what might have caused this? I've never seen anything it (but granted I've only seen a few litters born in my life). It was just odd and I was curious if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

Never had a deformed kitten but it could be many causes - medications given to a female that is pregnant; inbreeding; etc. It happens to people, it happens to animals. Genes can be messed up in many ways.

Severe deformities like you had should be taken care of humanly. If the little kitten had no lower jaw, why would you try and save it?

Easy was a pregnant stray, the rest of my cats are her kittens. She had 5 kittens, though and one was born with her spine completely exposed with no skin covering it. She had spina bifida. She also passed away soon after birth. Easy and the rest of her kittens have been exceptionally healthy (knocks on wood) I have always presumed that her sick kitten was possibly from a lack of nutrition from being pregnant out there on her own, eating whatever she could find.

we took in a pregnant cat over a year ago, she had a deformed still born kitten (twisted limbs, its insides was on its outsides) was very heart wrenching to witness. then she had to have a c section to get the other 3 out as she had problems with her labour, her kittens were prem and none survied the last one died at 4 days old.
the vet said it was just one of them things that they wasnt ment to be, but medications can be a cause of miscarriages and deformed kittens and a stray who hasnt had much food etc.. can have some bad effects. im glad that the other kittens are all healthy.

There doesn't have to be an outside cause. Sometimes the wrong genes get put together, or there's a glitch early on, and the kitten-building program doesn't work quite right.

Theoretically, a kitten could survive without a lower jaw, if it were tube-fed... But you said yours had trouble breathing, so there were probably other problems, too.

Originally Posted by Callista

Theoretically, a kitten could survive without a lower jaw, if it were tube-fed... But you said yours had trouble breathing, so there were probably other problems, too.

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That's kinda what I figured, and was glad it passed quickly. I think it would have been much harder had it survived a few days and then died.

Some animals live with birth defects fine (the dog with no front legs for instance), so didn't want to deprive it of the chance for life, if it were willing to fight for it itself. But obviously, there was something else wrong with it, so I let it go. It's what was meant to happen I guess.

I had no idea animals could get spina bifida! That must have been heart wrenching to see.

Yes its a big problem in manx cats. When you breed tailess to tailess you can get a high percentage of spina bifida with kittens. That's why you have to know what you are doing when breeding tailles cats - its NOT for a beginner person.

This brings back bad memories. I witnessed a horribly deformed kitten born on a farm once, the mother nearly died giving birth to it. She had four other perfect kittens, but the last one was, for lack of a better term, a monstrosity from a nightmare. It had a head shaped like a kitten's head, and though you could see where the features were supposed to go, there were none. No eyes, no mouth opening. It had one ear in the right place, but it was turned down like a dog's. The other ear was larger than normal and farther down the side of its head. Its left front leg was just a dolphin flipper, but its right one was very large, stuck upward in the air, with oversized pads and extended claws. The rest of its body was very long, the size of 2 or 3 newborn kitten bodies, very boney and lumpy, but it extended out like some kind of eel and had no lower extremities. I get the chills just thinking about it.

The theories given by the owners were that it was inbreeding, since the father was thought to be a son of the mother, or possibly that they had caught the cat asleep on the microwave while it was on. Needless to say, it never lived. Now I need to go look at my kitties and get that horrible image out of my mind.

That reminds me of one of the Fly movies where they dumped a bunch of people in one container and "transported" them - I tried not to watch what would come out...knowing you get the bodies mixed up but wound up catching a glimse of it....like you experienced, you cannot get the result out of your mind. It was horrible - arms.legs, etc. all mixed up!

That must have been awful for you

I had a cat named Athena. She had many litters and one litter was especially memorable. All the kittens had eight to nine toes on each foot! Each foott looked like a little califlower. It didn't bother them and all were adopted very quickly. My friend that got one of the 'unique' cats says her cat can walk on soft snow while the older and ligher cat sinks right to the bottom. I guess this could be a good deformity?

Tommaso

Its called polydactal with the extra toes. Yes its not that harmful of a deformity; however you have to watch the extra nails - they can grow a little thicker/deformed and if not cut, will grow into the pads.

One polydactal cat I know, his extra claws were about twice as thick (and TOUGH to cut) as the other normal claws.

Some call them "mitten cats" You see them a lot in the HHP classes at shows.

My Siamese cat recently had 3ish kittens. This was here second time giving birth and she seemed completely happy. On the first day Friday her mucus plug came out but showed no signs of labor and was acting normal.the next morning on Saturday around 10am she had a very small but health kitten. Not intell sunday night around 11pm she gave birth to another but this cat was only half a torso,arms,and head...it apeared to have been cut down the middle. Meanwhile the entire time my mama cat acted normal. Today Tuesday around 2pm she gave birth to a kitten that appeared to have no arms with the placenta attached to its face, then had a very large set of legs with a large mass of goo were the rest of its body should have been. Her previous litter of five was small they were fine...needless to say this was a huge shock and a complete horror show. Now my mama cat is still fine like nothing happened and is happy with her kitten.

keena2353 said:

My Siamese cat recently had 3ish kittens. This was here second time giving birth and she seemed completely happy. On the first day Friday her mucus plug came out but showed no signs of labor and was acting normal.the next morning on Saturday around 10am she had a very small but health kitten. Not intell sunday night around 11pm she gave birth to another but this cat was only half a torso,arms,and head...it apeared to have been cut down the middle. Meanwhile the entire time my mama cat acted normal. Today Tuesday around 2pm she gave birth to a kitten that appeared to have no arms with the placenta attached to its face, then had a very large set of legs with a large mass of goo were the rest of its body should have been. Her previous litter of five was small they were fine...needless to say this was a huge shock and a complete horror show. Now my mama cat is still fine like nothing happened and is happy with her kitten.

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I understand it  was horrendous.  Good the momma and the alive healthy kitten are fine.

The "monsters", where they whole, no bleeding ruptures, or is there some suspicion some part of them may have been left inside?   If so, a vet check up may be wise.

Do you have any suspicion what may have caused this?  some medicines taken when in pregnancy?  Vaccination, X-ray??

If you dont know, and if you are a breeder, it may be wise to stop her carrier as breeding queen, and spay her already now when this kitten is weaned.

If you arent a breeder, a spaying as soon its proper is always wise.

Tx for telling us about this your experience!

Good luck!

StefanZ said:

I understand it  was horrendous.  Good the momma and the alive healthy kitten are fine.
The "monsters", where they whole, no bleeding ruptures, or is there some suspicion some part of them may have been left inside?   If so, a vet check up may be wise.

Do you have any suspicion what may have caused this?  some medicines taken when in pregnancy?  Vaccination, X-ray??
If you dont know, and if you are a breeder, it may be wise to stop her carrier as breeding queen, and spay her already now when this kitten is weaned.

If you arent a breeder, a spaying as soon its proper is always wise.


Tx for telling us about this your experience!

Good luck!

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well last night sadly around 8pm I notice the kitten, who is usually very loud and squirmy, wasn't really moving and past away. I think I may had been bad lungs because it started gasping for air as he past. My mama cat has never been to the vet no medication but know she is doing good walking around, eating, etc not bleeding at all. I dont know if she is a full breed I bought her for 15 dollars and that was it. Her babys before looked siamese with strips and all are health and have homes. For the fixing...that's all I could think about during her labor and she will definitely get fixed asap. oh and Thank you for the advice.