Need help ASAP! Mom killed her runt.

[StefanZ]

Having raised quite a few litter of orphans, I have had kittens die around that age, suddenly, for no apparent reason. I suspect that's the age that genetic diseases such as heart defects, liver shunts, etc. manifest themselves (although I've never had a necropsy done so I'm just guessing). So it is possible that he died of something like that (or even an accident)

Yea, good remarks.   And especielly mini-kittens are pround for such suddenly collapses - and this 3-4 weeks seems to be the  big dangerous passage. There are others, but this is the big.

I suppose the same danger is also for other kittens, normal sized, althoug it doesnt happen as often as for the minis.

Being runt, he was also more prone to have accidents happen to him, as everybody else was bigger and crawling around and on him.

So what happened we cant know  100% surely, but this here is the very most probable scenario.  Like we speculated already earlier.

 

[kailie]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts.

I am no longer overly concerned for the remaining kittens. Gabby isn't rough with them AT ALL, and in fact is by all intents and purposes continuing to be the amazing mother I always saw her to be, so here's hoping these little ones continue to thrive. I already have homes waiting for 2 of them, and I know without a doubt the other 2 will be spoken for in no time.

 

[christine09]

I'm so glad they're doing well!

 

[hissy]

Just saw the PM and sadly, this event is just the way that sometimes nature culls the litter. The little one was more than likely ill and when they are carrying a disease or are genetically defective, they don't present the right "scent" to mom. She knows the kitten is dying, she doesn't want to waste her milk and if she were outside, she would have just carried the kitten somewhere- top of a barn roof, out in the middle of a field where predators would find the little one and dispose of it. That option closed to her she did what she instinctively is honed to do- she probably sat on the baby and killed it and then had to eat it not to horrify you, but to keep the nest safe and clean up all the evidence that would bring predators to her other babies.  I have seen it happen a few times and it isn't easy to deal with, but it is part of how cat's know to react.  I also agree that she needs to be spayed- but you already know that. If she hasn't done harm to the other kittens, they are safe.

It is highly possible that had you removed the kitten from the litter before this happened and tried to raise it on your own, it would have died in your care. There are just some things that we can't fix no matter how much we want to.  I am sorry for everyone who witnessed this but I will say having seen this type of culling it is quick and over in a second.

 

[catlover4ever]

SEPERATE THEM!!!!!!!!!

this happened to my cat, and everyone said it was just cuz it was the runt,

two-days later, all the kittens were dead except one,

SEPERATE THEM B4 IT IS TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[p3 and the king]

SEPERATE THEM!!!!!!!!!

this happened to my cat, and everyone said it was just cuz it was the runt,

two-days later, all the kittens were dead except one,

SEPERATE THEM B4 IT IS TOO LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a few weeks old.  But, (nothing against you, I want to make that very clear...) DO NOT separate a mother from her babies unless it's a last resort, even then, try something else first.  Mothers milk is best.  Formulas should only be used as an alternative or if they are orphans and no other mother is accessible.  If she hasn't harmed any of the others, it is probably due to it being a sickly runt. 

CatLover4Ever, more than likely the kittens had some sort of defect or illness you were not aware of.  Cats can sense this.  I had a cat kill her litter once and a dog that did the same, as well.  Both times, I had autopsies performed and indeed there was a genetic disease/defect I was not aware of... They would've died anyway. 
 

 

[keith finnegan]

I had a young cat (not full 2 yr mature) show up in my warehouse - nippled up and belly-ful.  I nursed her through the whole time and gave her a place for her nest - someone in the warehouse had fleas - fleas spread to the babies - I lost them at 12 days - my heart was broken.  We did save Mama, spay her and find her a home!!!  But I lost my kittens. 

 

[StefanZ]

I had a young cat (not full 2 yr mature) show up in my warehouse - nippled up and belly-ful.  I nursed her through the whole time and gave her a place for her nest - someone in the warehouse had fleas - fleas spread to the babies - I lost them at 12 days - my heart was broken.  We did save Mama, spay her and find her a home!!!  But I lost my kittens. 

A devastating experience!  Im sorry the kittens didnt made it. But you rescued and saved the mom, so your effort wasnt in wain.

This here is another example why it is nice to weigh them every day. In this way, you do also see them closely every day.  And you would notice they were full of fleas...   But such things happens surely for barn cats, and cats of the homeless...

Better luck next time you are saving lives of our small brethrens and sisters!

Welcome Keith to our Forums!

Good luck!

 

[jennyr]

For those of you who have posted here recently I would like to point out that this thread is a year old, so any advice to the OP is now irrelevant.