Dead cat symptoms in the belly

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 11 February 2021
Update Date: 12 November 2024
Anonim
How to Tell if your Cat Is Dying
Video: How to Tell if your Cat Is Dying

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A pregnant animal requires increased care in handling the mother and her offspring. There are issues you must know to maintain your pets' health and well-being. If you have a pregnant cat, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms of feline miscarriage to ensure the well-being of both the kittens and the cat.

Abortion can occur at any stage of the animal's gestation and the offspring can die inside the mother's womb. if you want to know which ones the symptoms of dead cat in the belly and cat aborting, what to do and how to know if cat was dead in the belly, continue reading this article by PeritoAnimal.

Cat aborting: what to do

The care and expenses required when a cat is pregnant and after the puppies are born are greater and require a lot of dedication. Therefore, it is very important that you consider whether you want to risk your cat becoming pregnant and have more kittens at home or if, on the other hand, you want to take preventive measures, such as neutering.


An abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy, in which the fetus is not yet able to survive outside the uterus. If it is voluntarily provoked, it is designated induced abortion, but if, on the contrary, it was unexpected, unplanned and involuntary, it is designated as miscarriage.

In the case of cats and other females, the induced abortion must always be carried out and/or accompanied by the veterinarian, so that their presence reduces the chances of some type of complication arising.

The gestation period of a female cat is about 2 months (on average 63-67 days, ranging from 52 to 74 days).

Normally, cat bleeding before giving birth it can be indicative of miscarriage, and it can happen in any pregnancy, no matter how healthy it is, and in any of the stages of the animal's gestation.


Before the end of the gestation period, three situations can occur:

  • embryo or fetus resorption;
  • expulsion (abortion);
  • retention and mummification.

There are also situations where the fetus is expelled and the cat ingests them right away without you having time to observe (learn more about this phenomenon in the article Why cats eat their kittens). In all these cases, the main objective is to know how to recognize when the cat has something wrong and that it is a veterinary emergency, so that the loss of the remaining babies and/or the mother can be avoided.

How to know if you still have puppies to be born: cat

Normally, cats give birth to their kittens without great difficulties, either for them or for the kittens, however there are situations that can lead to miscarriage and dystocia (difficulty or inability to cross the birth canal) which is one of the main complications in the birth of cats, often due to the increased size of the kittens or the narrowing of the uterine canal.


One delivery can last up to 12 hours with puppy breaks of 5 minutes to 2 hours, but when that time is over, you should be concerned.

A period longer than these 2 hours of contractions without the birth of pups may indicate that there is dead cat in the belly and that the mother's life may be compromised.

During the entire pregnancy and at the time of delivery, you should be always attentive to the cat's behavior. During the birth, observe if she tries to cut the umbilical cord and lick her babies, or if, on the contrary, she is more apathetic and without strength. It is very important that you inform your trusted veterinarian if you suspect that the birth is not going as it should.

How to know if you still have puppies to be born: cat

  • If your cat has started to give birth and goes beyond 2 hours without a kitten being born, you should be aware, but you should know that there are cases of intervals of up to 4 hours when the kittens are born normal.
  • Run your hand on your cat's abdomen and try to feel the presence and movement of another puppy.
  • If you have felt any movement, see if there are contractions, this means that the cat is trying to expel something, it could be a kitten or the placenta.
  • If the cat is calmer and more relaxed, it usually signals the end of delivery.
  • If the cat is still panting, vocalizes a lot and seems weak, then she may still be trying to expel something or be with a infection.

How to know if puppies are alive

It is important for you to know that when the animal is born it can appear to be dead and not to be. The puppy may just not be able to breathe.

  • First of all you must clean and clear the puppy's airways: Remove all traces of membrane from the puppy's nose and mouth and clean any fluid present.
  • Open the puppy's mouth a little, very carefully.
  • Put it in a stomach-down position and tilt it for a few seconds so that any fluids you may have inhaled come out.
  • massage him in the chest to stimulate breathing by gently rubbing the kitten with a dry towel.
  • Keep it with a warm blanket.

These procedures must be carried out with great care and with gloves so that, if the kitten is alive, it is returned to the mother and is not rejected. Also, you must inform your veterinarian of the situation and follow their instructions.

Dead cat inside the belly: causes

Fetal death is more common in felines and may be associated with:

  • Genetic diseases or birth defects;
  • Injuries;
  • Excessive and irregular use of contraceptives;
  • Hormonal imbalances;
  • Parasites;
  • Infections (FeLV, Panleukopenia, FiV, Feline Virus Type 1, Chlamydia);
  • Neoplasms;
  • Dystocic births;
  • Drugs like oxytocin.

In cases of virus infections, it's very important follow a regular vaccination protocol to reduce the cat's risk of contracting certain diseases and transmitting them to her kittens.

Dead cat symptoms in the belly

In many cases, the dead cat symptoms in the belly go unnoticed and reabsorption of the embryo or fetus occurs. However, when a kitten dies inside its mother's belly and she cannot reabsorb or expel it, the dead tissue can dissolve inside the body and cause a serious infection that leads to fever and other symptoms.

the best way to to know if there is more dead cat in the belly consists of being aware of the presence of the following symptoms:

  • vaginal discharge: you should always pay attention to the existence of vaginal discharge. The existence of vaginal discharge by itself, regardless of texture, color and odor, is already a sign that something is not right. You must observe the discharge very carefully and record its characteristics (light, dark, more liquid or viscous, with or without odor) to inform the veterinarian in the future before it is too late. If you see a brownish liquid with a putrefying or foul odor, it could be a sign of an infection, a dead cat inside the uterine cavity, or a miscarriage that is taking place. The discharge can also show tissue fragments, fetal bones and blood clots;
  • Bleeding in cat pregnancy;
  • Abdominal discomfort;
  • Vomiting and/or diarrhea;
  • Depression;
  • Dehydration;
  • Decreased waist circumference (during gestation period)
  • Weight loss (when you should be getting fat);
  • Decreased appetite;
  • In more severe cases, dyspnoea (breathing difficulties);
  • Septicemia (generalized infection);
  • Miscarriage symptoms.

All of these symptoms should be considered a medical emergency. the veterinarian must analyze the cat as soon as possible.

Dead cat in the belly: diagnosis and treatment

The diagnosis is only confirmed through the combination of clinical history, symptoms and complementary tests performed by the veterinarian.

THE radiography it also allows visualizing whether the fetuses are well formed or whether fetal absorption or maceration is taking place.

THE ultrasound allows you to check whether or not the puppies' heartbeats are present.

In cases of dead cat in the belly, OSH (ovarian-salpingo-hysterectomy) is recommended, as well as treatment of adjacent causes such as viral infections, parasitic and neoplasms.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Dead cat symptoms in the belly, we recommend that you enter our section on Diseases of the reproductive system.