Triple kittens joined by one umbilical cord.

Our outdoor cat "Squirrel" had three kittens 3 days ago. They were born in our barn and secured in a box with paper shreds and packaging. I went to get our mower out and noticed "Squirrel" was patrolling the barn door and was meowing in protest so I knew she had her kittens in there. So, naturally we had to check it out...and yes we heard mewing. We backed away because we know better. But curiosity got the best of us so many hours later we decided to check it out. Guess what we found....all 3 kittens were joined to one umbilical cord. What to do? One was squealing and one was trying to move and the last one was suffering. My heart is involved here and I need some advice on what we should do. Please do not say vet, there are pretty much outdoor cats....but I love them and care for them, actually spoil them.  Please Advise. Thank you.

"

If the umbilical cords are still attached, tie them off with thread and cut them. If they're withered/dried close to the body you may not need to tie them off, as the blood flow should stop when they're dry. The mother cat should have done this but if she doesn't you'll have to step in.

Agreed with Willowy.

That is what we finally decided to do....OMG, we were nervous. But we did just that.....cut the "one cord" joining all three kittens.Fed the mother cat very well and she has gone back to be with the kittens. So we will will see. And let everyone who has been supportive know the outcome. Once again, Thank you all for your input. 

Thank you for your reply and input.....the situation is this, the kittens were born 3 days ago as of today and after checking on them for the second time we noticed that all three of them were joined by one cord....not old enough for the cord to be dried and apparently the "mother cat" has know idea what to do since she has not addressed this. So, survival is what I am looking at. So, we cut the cord. Now I am anxious.  Will let you know the outcome. Hope it is going to be "Good News:. And thank you for caring and responding.

I just dealt with the very same issue yesterday at the humane society, they called me in a panic so I went down there to find 3 kittens so tightly intertwined it was very difficult to cut them apart.

They were cold feeling and surely hadn't nursed yet either. So it was touch and go, very uncertain outcome, so I stuck them in with a nursing mom cat and she took to them fine thankfully. So far so good.

You just never know about this, they would surely have an impossible time nursing while attached together, so yours may not be able to play catch up, then again they may do just fine.

3 days without nursing..........hm.

orindablakely15 said:

 
Our outdoor cat "Squirrel" had three kittens 3 days ago. They were born in our barn and secured in a box with paper shreds and packaging. I went to get our mower out and noticed "Squirrel" was patrolling the barn door and was meowing in protest so I knew she had her kittens in there. So, naturally we had to check it out...and yes we heard mewing. We backed away because we know better. But curiosity got the best of us so many hours later we decided to check it out. Guess what we found....all 3 kittens were joined to one umbilical cord. What to do? One was squealing and one was trying to move and the last one was suffering. My heart is involved here and I need some advice on what we should do. Please do not say vet, there are pretty much outdoor cats....but I love them and care for them, actually spoil them.  Please Advise. Thank you.

"

Click to expand...

You had got  excellent advices, and you managed to solve the problem.   Unless they werent too long without food and also got too cold, they should do fine, with any luck.

But you hint they had managed to nurse some??  If so, they should have a decent chance to make it.

OK, what the bold letters.   Your writing hints you believe in the tales a human should never touch newborn kittens, not even look closely at them. The risk for mom abandoning is very big.  No?

Actually, this is if not a myth, so at least, very exagerrated tale.   It takes much for cat moms to abandon their kittens.   Especielly as here, they although technically barn cats, are "actually spoiled".  The mom knows you are friendly humans, ans thus the risk for abandoning practically nil...

So, in practice, you can look see, and handle if necessary.  True, dont do it just because of idle curiosity or because.  And dont take there every passerby nor every children you can find.

THAT can be done firstly when they are several weeks, 4-5 perhaps.

But you, as theyir caretaker they do trust, you do have free admission.  And as long you do what is needed to be done, and you do it respectfully with clean hands, it should go ok.

If you are still anxious, let the mom be alone with the newborns several hours, so she gets in their scent, and all the instincts kicks in.  But its to safeguard it. - on the other side, you will miss if there is some problem to help them out ...   Sorrry for the rant.

Even semiferale moms accepts this.

Rabbits may be touchy, but cats dont abandon their kittens easily.  Not even roe deers - even for roe deers this is partly a myth.  I have seen several you tube films  showing when the fawn fell in a cellar, or fastened in a opening,  humans helped the fawn,  while the roe deer mom waited nearby, and afterward they happily run into the woods.