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What does a premature kitten look like? Premature birth in a cat - timing, causes and your actions

It is difficult to deceive nature, most often it is impossible. Premature birth in a cat never happens just like that; there are reasons for the unexpected event, albeit not obvious ones. If your pet is pregnant or has already experienced premature birth, and you are torturing yourself with the question “Why?” – you’ve come to the right place, we’ll sort it all out below.

Viable offspring range from 51 to 71 days. At the same time, for kittens from a mother of the “noble” breed, birth on the 50th day will not be a death sentence. Pedigree cats carry babies longer and most often give birth on days 63-65. It is worth special mentioning cats of the Siamese breed, which break all records and bear offspring for 69–70 days.

The main reason for such a significant difference in terms is the number of kittens carried. Thoroughbred mothers give birth to 2–4 babies, who almost always survive. A cat living under a concrete slab on the street is “genetically programmed” to give birth to as many kittens as possible, because 60–80% of them will die before they even live a year.

Pay attention! The gestational age of a cat is too individual an indicator to “adjust” it to standards. Genetics plays an important role; if the mother of a pregnant cat gave birth at 60 days, then your pet will most likely “invest” within this time frame. Short-haired, small-built, naturally thin cats may give birth a little prematurely and this is normal.

It is believed that kittens born before 60 days are not viable. In practice, it is possible to feed a premature baby if the intestinal microflora is properly populated. The “red line” of 60 days was set for a reason; reanimated and fed kittens are most often defective.

Causes of premature birth in cats

The animal's hormonal system tells the mother when she needs to prepare for childbirth and arrange the nest. In case of a miscarriage, this stage is omitted and the onset of labor is determined by obvious symptoms:

  • Increased body temperature.
  • Anxiety.
  • Periodic contractions.
  • Mucus with blood threads, gray-brown liquid, clear or yellowish water, and dark blood are released from the loop.
  • Attempts.

Read also: Discharge in a cat before giving birth, what is considered normal and what is pathology?

Having contacted the veterinarian, most likely you will hear: “Watch,” and you will return home and sit over the box with your pet, “gnawing” at yourself, asking how you can help. No, veterinarians are not heartless people, there is a logical explanation for this behavior and it comes from the possible causes of premature birth:

  • Non-viable offspring– a cause that cannot be diagnosed in advance. The cat instinctively knows that the kittens will not survive and aborts the pregnancy on its own. If the veterinarian manages to stop the contractions, the cat will give birth later and abandon the babies, who will eventually die.
  • Intrauterine infection– brought in during mating or “hunting”. With the onset of pregnancy, the cervix closes, and pathogens find themselves in more than suitable conditions for reproduction. Childbirth cannot be stopped; it threatens intoxication and death of the cat.
  • Dead kitten- a more positive option. An animal miscarries 1 or more dead kittens a few weeks before the due date. If the body copes, then the cat will carry the rest of the babies to term and give birth successfully. In this case, labor cannot be stopped.
  • Placental abruption- a pathology that ends in the death of all kittens if the period is less than 58 days. Childbirth is most often rapid and your task is to save the cat. Placental abruption may be accompanied by internal bleeding.
  • Abdominal trauma or severe fright- this is the only reason for which childbirth can be stopped. Naturally, no one will give you guarantees that the offspring will survive.

Important! The birth process should be natural and natural. By stopping contractions without the approval of a professional, you risk the health and life of your cat.

– an extremely important and responsible process in the life of every cat. The health of both the offspring and the mother herself depends on the “quality” of their passage. Veterinary practice proves that in almost 99% of cases, the process of giving birth to kittens goes well without providing additional assistance to the animal. But what if a cat has a premature birth?

Firstly, what is “premature” in the case of kittens? To answer this question, you need to know how long pregnancy lasts normally in these animals. If everything is in order, then the kittens are born after 64 days (approximately).

Depending on the breed, the physiological state of the pet, its feeding during pregnancy and other factors, the gestational age (normal) can vary within 55-67 days, and this cannot be considered a deviation from the norm.

The signs of this phenomenon are no different from the usual birth process: the cat meows, worries, looks for a suitable place, etc.

Only in cases where kittens were born on time from 40 to 50 days, we can talk about premature birth. And such situations are called “childbirth” because the babies (at least hypothetically) are quite viable. Anything that happens earlier is called a “miscarriage.”

Kittens born at such a time are very premature and not viable. There are cases when a cat eats miscarriages, which is why the owners then cannot understand why the formerly pregnant pet does not “decide” to give birth.

Causes of premature birth of kittens many. These include:

  • injuries (from falls, for example);
  • infectious and non-communicable diseases;
  • congenital pathologies, etc.

But, as veterinary practice shows, cats tolerate premature birth well. It's much worse for kittens. Therefore, after premature birth, you have to take care of them, but not of the mother (except, of course, in cases where the birth was caused by severe infectious diseases).

When can kittens be considered “premature”?

There are several signs by which you can accurately determine whether a kitten was born prematurely:

  • Very low weight. It is believed that the weight of a normal kitten should vary between 91-105 grams. All babies whose weight does not exceed 87 grams can be considered premature. Note that the minimum possible weight when kittens still have a chance to survive is at least 57 grams. But, as world veterinary practice shows, the chances of survival for such babies are very, very small. In most cases, the cat does not feed such “bastards” and may even eat them. If you want to save their lives, you will have to feed the babies yourself.
  • Premature kittens are very small.
  • They have folded, wrinkled skin.
  • On the chest, tummy and legs (and sometimes all over the body) the fur is very sparse, with “occasional” hairs sticking out of the skin.
  • Such kittens are often unable to hold their heads upright, some cannot even crawl.

Survival of prematurely born kittens

Almost every baby has a chance of survival. But it’s not the cat who will have to take care of it, but you. Remember that premature kittens are at an initial disadvantage; their vitality is significantly lower than that of their normal relatives. Despite all the care of the owner at home, such babies often do not survive.

Their body is very “fragile” and more susceptible to various infectious diseases. They grow very slowly and develop much worse. If ordinary kittens are already running quite quickly by the end of the first month, then in premature babies by this time their eyes may just open and they may begin to crawl.

A comfortable external temperature is very important for them, since the thermoregulation system in such babies works extremely poorly. Alas, in many cases there is nothing you can do: the internal organs of premature kittens are often underdeveloped, which will inevitably lead to death (albeit not immediately).

Important! Please note that in cases where the baby, regardless of the characteristics of the food you use, constantly has digestive problems, everything is bad. Most likely, his digestive system is underdeveloped.

What can you do?

So what to do? Let us warn you once again - there is no guarantee that you will be able to produce at least one kitten from the entire premature litter. Remember that each day that separates a baby's due date from the normal due date is equivalent to one week of "prematurity" in the case of human babies. Simply put, a kitten who was born ten days premature has the same physiological condition as a baby born 10 weeks (!) premature.

Even with all the achievements of modern medicine, there is not much chance of survival for a child, let alone kittens! The most important thing you must do is to ensure the animal’s normal body temperature.

  • At birth, at a period of three weeks or more (alas, such a kitten will almost certainly die), the air temperature should not be lower than 35° Celsius. When it decreases, symptoms of hypothermia immediately develop.
  • A four-week-old pet needs to be provided with 30°.
  • It's easiest with kittens born after four weeks. They require a temperature of 25-27° Celsius. In addition, such animals have a significantly higher chance of survival.

Since premature animals have to be kept in “greenhouse” conditions, it is necessary to ensure a normal degree of hydration of their body.

After each feeding of the milk mixture, give a milliliter of warm boiled water.

Every ten days, the volume of additional fluid supplied is increased by 0.5 ml.

Proper nutrition comes first!

For the first ten days, the kitten should eat every hour., regardless of the time of day. Yes, it is extremely tiring, but only in this case does the baby have at least some chance of life. Most likely, you will have to dilute the formula used to feed him. The fact is that the baby’s underdeveloped digestive system will not be able to digest food with normal fat content.

Let us warn you right away - you will have to buy special mixtures. Look at the food preparation instructions and add ¼ more water to dissolve it (compared to the original amount recommended). During one feeding, the baby will eat no more than two milliliters, since his stomach is very small. You should not prepare food for future use.

Massage

We emphasize once again that the digestive system of premature kittens is almost always underdeveloped. Because of this, in particular, pets almost always have serious problems with peristalsis. To somehow stimulate her, It is necessary to regularly massage the abdominal cavity. It should be taken into account that even a cotton pad may be too hard for the extremely delicate skin of a premature kitten.

To avoid injuring the baby, turn on the tap, wait until warm (but not hot) water comes out and, directing it in a thin stream, massage the lower part of the kitten’s tummy, helping with your finger. Before doing this, it won’t hurt to cut your nails (yourself). If the kitten experiences discomfort during the procedure, its intestines will not be activated.

Newborn premature kittens do not have the ability to see, hear, or control their temperature. The only thing they have well developed is their sense of smell. They are able to distinguish between the smell of their mother and the smell of a stranger just hours after birth. But for the first months of their life they are completely dependent on the cat.

Once the kittens are born at term, the cat will be able to get them out without difficulty. In cases where babies are born ahead of time, they and the cat cannot do without the help of the owner.

Premature kittens: care

To raise premature kittens, you must adhere to the following simple rules:

  1. It is necessary to create favorable and comfortable conditions. To do this, they will need to place newborns in a warm, artificially heated place immediately after birth. It is important that this temperature is maintained constantly. Ideally, this is a special lamp located at a distance from the kittens' nest.
  2. It is very important to keep an eye on the umbilical cord, which should be clean. If the cat is with kittens, then she will take care of the hygiene of the umbilical wound on her own. But in any case, if the umbilical cord does not fall off, you should not touch it, since it is better to wait for it to dry completely.
  3. In order to recover faster, you need to feed them hourly. It is best if it is used for feeding. Thanks to him, kittens will not have tummy problems. To feed them, you need to use a regular bottle with a nipple at the end. But if the cat has a lot of milk, premature kittens constantly suckle and noticeably gain weight, then additional supplementary feeding is not needed.
  4. Ideally, it is necessary to show premature babies to a veterinarian, who will monitor their proper development. Sometimes, unnoticed by the owner, kittens develop differently, and some of them need more attention than others.
  5. Premature kittens should closely monitor their stools. The cat, while licking the cub, massages its tummy, which helps improve intestinal perilstatics. But if you suddenly notice that the kitten cannot empty its bowels on its own, then you will need to help him do this. First, with a semi-moist cotton pad soaked in warm water, you need to massage the tummy clockwise with minimal pressure, imitating the movements of a mother cat. After this, you need to lightly lubricate the kitten's anus with vegetable oil. You should not use any devices so as not to damage the animal’s rectum with careless movements.

Now you have learned that premature kittens need careful care and little pets will have a chance to develop no worse than ordinary pets.

Childbirth in cats, just like in humans, can be unpredictable. On average, a cat bears kittens for 62-72 days. It is believed that premature birth in a cat occurs if the gestation period is less than 58 days. The reasons for early lambing can be different. The owner of the animal should know what to do in such cases.

Why do cats give birth prematurely?

Premature lambing in domestic, well-groomed cats is extremely rare. . The reason may be one of the following factors:

  1. The animal was injured (fell, hit, accidentally got under the foot of someone in the household).
  2. If your pet goes outside, it can pick up an infection there. The disease will provoke early labor.
  3. The cat was stressed (she was very frightened, a child appeared in the house, renovations began, her beloved owner left for a long time).
  4. One kitten died in the womb. Here everything happens at the level of functions inherent in nature - the animal’s body spontaneously gets rid of the dead fetus.
  5. The cat feels a threat to its offspring. This happens very rarely. For example, if a pet lives in a private house and walks in the yard, the appearance of an aggressive dog among neighbors can cause the cat to give birth prematurely - she feels that she will not be able to protect the kittens and gets rid of the litter.

These are the most likely causes of premature birth in a cat. If the animal is already old (the cat is 7-8 years old or more), then the risk of premature pregnancy increases significantly.

Pedigree and selective breeds of cats may not bear their first litter. Their natural instincts are less developed, and pregnancy often occurs with complications.

Symptoms of premature birth

In a normal pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to prepare for childbirth about a week in advance. This is easy to notice - the cat is fussing, looking for secluded places, meowing loudly, and eating poorly. But premature lambing can begin suddenly.

Signs of premature lambing:

  • The cat has bloody or thin discharge.
  • Her stomach became hard.
  • The animal became lethargic or, conversely, fussed too much.
  • The pet refuses water and food.
  • Breathing has become faster, contractions (spasms in the abdominal area) are observed.

What to do

If possible, it is better to call a veterinarian immediately. If this is not possible, you will have to give birth yourself.

Kittens are considered viable if they are already 51 days old. They will not survive any earlier and there is no point in saving them.

Some advise giving the animal an injection to stop contractions (No-shpu, Papazol) in order to prolong pregnancy. But doing this without a doctor's examination is dangerous: perhaps one or more fetuses are dead, and if the cat's body does not get rid of them, blood poisoning will occur.

If the reason for early lambing has not been established, it is better not to interfere with the process. It's good that if the kittens are born alive, they have a chance to survive. Dead offspring should be immediately removed from the mother.

It is impossible to predict how long kittens will be born and how many there are in the womb. Sometimes the lambing process lasts more than a day. If the cat has not given birth within 5-7 hours, you should call a doctor.

Even if a cat gave birth to viable kittens prematurely and feels well, she still needs to be shown to a specialist. After all, something triggered the premature process. You should not bring a recently born animal to the clinic - this is a lot of stress for the cat; it is better to call a veterinarian at home.

In conclusion

To prevent pathological childbirth, you should carefully take care of your pet - protect it from accidental injuries during pregnancy, feed it well, and not expose it to fright.

Once a month it is recommended to be examined by a veterinarian. Unfortunately, sometimes after an examination it is necessary to induce premature birth on purpose, having discovered a factor in the animal that prevents successful lambing. But this happens extremely rarely. On average, domestic, well-groomed cats give birth prematurely only in 5-7% of cases.

VETERINARIAN CONSULTATION REQUIRED. INFORMATION FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

What to do if newborn puppies or kittens are left without a mother? Is there a chance to save and raise babies? The answer is clear - yes! In the absence of pathologies in the development of babies, it is quite possible to feed them on your own, although this will require some effort. Of course, the ideal option would be to find a wet nurse for the babies - a cat or a bitch who has a breastfed offspring, but this is not always possible.

Basic rules for proper feeding of newborns

Features of nursing kittens

No matter how balanced the feeding mixture is, it does not provide the kitten with protection from infections with antibodies that are not present in it. Antibodies are only found in natural cat colostrum!

Raising kittens without a cat is a labor-intensive process, but quite feasible:

  • When arranging a sleeping place, you need to take into account that the mother cat’s body temperature is 38°C. The place for kittens to stay is usually open, so the temperature in it should be slightly higher. For heating, you can use a heating pad or an infrared lamp. In compliance with safety measures, you can lay down an electric sheet. When using a heating pad, the water in it will have to be changed with each feeding, because... it cools down quickly.
  • Instead of a box, it is better to use a plastic basin or a special tray from a plastic carrier container for cats - the kittens will be more comfortable and hygienic in them, because... They can be easily washed and do not absorb odors.
  • It is best to cover the sleeping surface with soft, non-synthetic fabrics. The ideal option is baby flannel diapers.
  • For feeding, either special cat milk substitute mixtures or mixtures made independently are used. It is not recommended to feed pure cow product, because it is not balanced in some nutrients compared to the cat's. This can lead to digestive and metabolic disorders.
  • During the first days, feeding kittens without a cat is carried out very often, including at night. The following frequency should be adhered to:
    • from the first hours to 14 days of life, the mixture is given every 2-2.5 hours (but not more than 3 hours). There are no breaks at night - you also need to feed;
    • from the 3rd week, daytime feedings remain with the same interval of 2-3 hours, and 1, maximum 2 feedings are left at night;
    • from 5 weeks, the gap in daytime feedings can be increased to 3-4 hours, and nighttime meals should be reduced to zero as they grow older.
  • How can you tell if a kitten is full? His tummy becomes round, he freely leaves the pacifier and calms down. After this, you need to hold him upright for a while so that the air comes out with a burp and let him sleep.
  • Caring for a kitten without a cat necessarily includes a massage after each feeding (every 10 minutes). This helps him to have a bowel movement. You need to take a coarse cloth - linen, for example, or a corner of a terry towel - moisten it with warm water and begin to make stroking movements over the kitten’s body, imitating maternal licking. Movements are carried out clockwise around the navel and towards the perineum along the thighs. You need to stroke until feces are noticed. You need to massage until, on average, 3 weeks of age, until it is noted that the kitten has begun to go to the toilet on its own.
  • In rare cases, you may need to give an enema (add 1-2 drops of petroleum jelly to 1 ml of warm boiled water).
  • The volume of milk fed should be as follows:
    • 1 day from birth to the first week of life with an average newborn weight of 100-120 g - 1-1.5 tsp. (up to 10 ml);
    • from two weeks the kitten’s weight fluctuates within 200 g, volume – up to 3 tsp. (10-15 ml);
    • from three weeks weight 300 g - 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 ml);
    • at the age of 4-5 weeks the average weight is 370-400 g - 3-4 tbsp. (40-60 ml) plus the introduction of complementary foods;
    • from 6 weeks the baby’s weight reaches up to 500 g, the volume of the liquid mixture is increased to 5 tbsp. (about 75 ml) plus complementary foods.
  • From about one month of age, a kitten can be taught to drink independently from a saucer.

Homemade formulas for feeding kittens

If it is not possible to purchase ready-made nutritional formulas for feeding newborn kittens, you can make nutritional formulas yourself:

Mixture option No. 1
  • 20% solution of unsweetened condensed milk (5 parts condensed milk diluted with 1 part water);
  • bone meal at the rate of 1 tsp. for every liter of milk solution.
Mixture option No. 2
  • 2 pcs. egg yolks;
  • 1 drop of oil vitamins (for example, tetravit or trivit);
  • 1 glass of cow's milk;
  • vegetable oil 1 tsp.
Mixture option No. 3 (suitable for premature kittens).
  • 0.5 cups milk 3.2%;
  • 1 egg yolk or a couple of quail ones;
  • 20 ml of 5% glucose solution.
Mixture option No. 4 (Scott's mixture - calculation is carried out per 1 kg of kitten weight. It is important to stir well and bring the temperature to 38°C)
  • 50 g cow's milk;
  • 50 g whipped egg white;
  • 3 g dry yeast;
  • 15 g milk powder;
  • 1 chicken egg up to 50 g;
  • 1 g vegetable oil;
  • 4 g dry glucose.
Mixture option No. 5 (Tailiga mixture - calculation and preparation are similar to the previous option).
  • 25 g whole cow's milk;
  • 5 g whole milk powder;
  • 2 g glucose dry;
  • 1 g of vitamin bait (liquid, dry).

Homemade formulas for feeding puppies

Mixture No. 1
  • 80 ml cow's milk;
  • 20 ml of heavy cream (preferably, homemade, of course);
  • 1 chicken egg yolk or 2 quail;
  • 1-2 drops of a vitamin solution (tetra- or trivita, for example).
Mixture No. 2
  • 80 ml goat milk;
  • 20 ml cream;
  • 1 yolk;
  • 3 ml of vitamin C solution;
  • 10 ml of 5% glucose solution;
  • 2 drops of vitamin D3 solution;
  • 1 drop of vitamin A oil.
Mixture No. 3 (for weak puppies, and glucose is removed after 2-4 days of feeding if the dynamics of improvement in the baby’s general condition are visible)
  • 100 ml goat milk;
  • 1 tbsp. heavy cream or sour cream;
  • a pair of quail eggs;
  • 10 ml glucose 5%;
  • up to 2 drops of any oil solution of vitamins.
Mix No. 4 (similar to Scott's cat mix, but with some adjustments for puppies).
  • 1 g vegetable oil;
  • 50 g cow or goat milk;
  • a pair of quail eggs or one chicken;
  • 3 g dry yeast;
  • 1 beaten egg white of a chicken egg.

Industrially produced breast milk substitutes

There are special formulas or “artificial” mother’s milk for feeding newborn kittens and puppies. The cost of these products is quite high, but experts recommend them for use by children.

Options for cat milk substitutes:
  • Beaphar Kitty-Milk (650 RUR/200 g);
  • Canina Katzenmilch (RUB 1,500/450 g);
  • Trovet Kitten Milk KMS (RUB 1,100/400 g);
  • Babycat Milk Royal Canin (RUB 1,100/300 g);
  • Gimpet Cat-Milk (RUB 2,400/2 kg);
  • Dr.Clauder`s Katzenmilch (1150 RUR/90 g).
Options for milk replacers for bitches:
  • Beaphar Puppy-Milk (650 RUR/200 g);
  • Canina Welpenmilch (RUB 1,200/90 g);
  • Babydog milk Royal Canin (1000 rub./400 g);
  • Nutri-Vet Milk Replacement (RUB 1,160/340 g);
  • Hartz Precision Nutrition Powdered Milk for Puppies (RUB 780/340 g);
  • Brit Care Puppy Milk (640 RUR/250 RUR).

All mixtures are diluted according to the attached instructions, taking into account the age of the babies and their weight at a given time.

Practicing veterinarians sometimes advise adding a little more water than indicated in the instructions - this will avoid constipation, because. In some cases, artificial nutrition can strengthen.

Question and answer

Question:
How often should kittens and puppies be fed in the first days of life after birth?

Often! In the first two weeks, the average feeding frequency is every 2-3 hours, including night feedings without breaks. Then they maintain the same frequency during the day, and at night leave no more than 1-2 feedings. From the age of one month, night feedings are reduced to zero, and during the day the interval between feedings should be 3-4 hours.

Question:
Is it necessary to massage after feeding?

In the first days of life, puppies and kittens cannot empty their bladder and rectum on their own. For these purposes, female animals lick their babies, helping their natural emptying. It follows that after each feeding it is necessary to carry out a procedure that would be similar to maternal licking, otherwise the babies will not go to the toilet. An alternative is massage with a rough piece of cloth dipped in warm water.

Question:
Can kittens and puppies be fed cow's milk alone?

No! No matter what the old-timers say that you can get by with cow’s milk alone, it’s not true! Monotonous feeding of this product alone can, over time, result in various pathologies in the functioning of the digestive system. The composition of cow's milk differs significantly from that of cats and dogs - it is less fatty and contains several times less protein.

The difference in composition can be seen in the table:

Ideally, it is better to use ready-made nutritional formulas that replace milk from bitches and cats, or you will have to balance the composition yourself by adding certain missing components to the milk. For puppy homemade formulas, it is better to take goat's milk - its composition is somewhat more suitable for feeding than cow's milk, and not so “sweet”.

Question:
Can puppies be fed regular baby formula?

No, not recommended! Bitches' milk contains practically no sugars, and all infant formulas are sweet. High sugar content in formula can cause digestive upsets and also puts increased stress on the puppy's pancreas.

Question:
What if your kitten or puppy starts sniffling milk while feeding?

If the baby was eating normally and suddenly milk came out of the nostrils, it means that it is flowing too quickly from the nipple. It is necessary to stop feeding, let the baby catch his breath, shake him a little while holding him by the withers, wipe his muzzle and continue feeding, monitoring the speed of flow of the milk mixture.

If milk comes out through the spout immediately during the first feeding, then this is a reason to show the puppy to the veterinarian to rule out congenital pathologies of the structure of the oral cavity and problems with the sucking reflex. This phenomenon is often observed if a newborn has an anomaly such as a cleft palate - a cleft in the upper palate. Such puppies are not viable; it is more humane to euthanize the baby.

Question:
When should you start introducing the first complementary foods to formula-fed babies?

Kittens should be introduced to adult food from the age of 1 month, artificial puppies from 2-3 weeks. You can start introducing complementary foods with special canned foods for kittens and puppies, or you can start with natural products: minced meat purees (necessarily heat-treated), meat and vegetable purees, fermented milk products (cottage cheese, sour cream), milk porridges, etc.

Question:
If a kitten is bottle-fed and has light yellow liquid stool?

If, when this type of feces appears, the kitten looks healthy in appearance, then this is the first sign of overfeeding. Food simply does not have time to be absorbed and digested. Feeding portions should be slightly reduced.

Question:
How do you know if a newborn puppy is getting enough feeding?

A healthy, well-fed puppy sleeps from feeding to feeding, is calm, and gains weight normally. The stool is yellowish in color and has a thick consistency.

If they are underfed, the puppies whine, are restless, and hardly sleep; if you put a finger to their muzzle, they try to grab it.

When overfed, puppies develop greenish, loose stools due to excess bile, which over time becomes gray due to depletion of the enzymatic system.

White feces with a cheesy consistency indicate that food is not being digested. There are two reasons - disruption of the enzyme system of the gastrointestinal tract or overfeeding, when too much food is supplied than the body can digest.