My cat killed her kittens

Our one yr old cat had 7 kittens she was doing great after 4 days she killed 2 of her kittens. Our dog went into the closet where the babies were and I think she was smelling of them. Could this be the reason she killed those 2

Betty Walters said:

 
Our one yr old cat had 7 kittens she was doing great after 4 days she killed 2 of her kittens. Our dog went into the closet where the babies were and I think she was smelling of them. Could this be the reason she killed those 2

Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!! 

I'm sorry that this happened. 7 kittens is a pretty big litter especially when mom isn't much more than a kitten herself. I don't think that the dog sniffing around would cause mom to kill the kittens. Usually if someone or something approaches the nest and mom is upset by this, she will let them know by hissing or going after them. 

Unless there is obvious damage to the kittens, mom may not have killed them. It is not uncommon for some kittens in a litter to not make it- especially in a bigger litter. Some may just not be strong enough and sometimes there could be a birth defect that can cause this. It's never easy to lose them no matter how long they have been with you. 

How are the remaining 5 doing? Are they all nursing? Is mom attentive to them? Keeping them warm, grooming them and helping them eliminate? Do you have a scale that you can weigh the babies on to make sure that they are all steadily gaining weight? I will post some links to some helpful articles regarding pregnant cat and kitten care. 

How is mom doing? Is she eating enough to be able to nurse a litter of that size? She should have access to food 24/7. Wet and dry kitten food is best for the extra calories. She's going to need them. Please consider spaying mom as soon as the babies are weaned. She can become pregnant very quickly without going into another heat if there is an intact tom around. 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens-what-you-need-to-know-to-save-a-newborns-life

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/nutrition-for-the-mother-cat

Please let us know how everyone is doing (including you!)   

Another thing to consider, especially in a larger litter, if there were something wrong with the kittens, the mama cat would sense it.  Generally, they are just pushed to the side and not fed, but occasionally, I've seen cats that actively killed an abnormal kitten.  I'm so sorry that it happened, but...perhaps for the best...

Those two may not have been getting enough to eat, you might watch to make sure the others are all getting their turn. I'm so sorry you had to lose them, they are innocents. How do you know the mother killed them, are there bites? Are you sure the dog didn't try to pick them up? The mother could have been so scared she had redirected aggression towards them too, meaning the dog scared her so bad she 'turned' her fright on the kittens. i 'll keep you all in my prayers, I hope everything goes well from now on. Good luck!