# Need Advice...



## MsAlley (Mar 15, 2009)

I'm a bit worried.

I have a cat who is 5 years old, and she's rather small (we aren't sure what she is, we were given her when she was a kitten). For the longest time, she was an indoor cat, and we wanted to spay her but we didn't have the money to (I have it now, but it's a little too late now...) and she got away once. When she came back, she was pregnant...

We were happy at first, but after another outside cat we know had aborted her litter, we became worried. I looked up articles to prepare for her to give birth and what to be aware of, but I'm still bewildered and worried. Last night our cat went into labor and after 45 - 50 minutes, she gave birth to a stillborn. We waited hours later (I didn't go to bed until 1 am) and she still didn't have anymore. She had another placenta(is that what the things she eats are called?) but no kitten. It's been over 24 hours now and she's sleeping and purring behind me, but has had no contractions (that I'm aware of) though I'm positive she has at least two more unborn kittens.

We don't have the money to take her to the vet, so we're kind of lost on what to do or if we should even be worried.

Any advice would be great...thank you in advance.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If she has additional dead kittens inside her and she doesn't get help, she will become very, very sick. If you believe there are more kittens in her, you really need to get her to the vet asap.


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## MsAlley (Mar 15, 2009)

Is there a way to tell if they're dead or not? She's still licking herself from time to time - could that be a sign that she's going to give birth to the rest? We think the first died when she was giving birth to it, because it was so long, not that it was already dead before giving birth (we could feel the litter kicking before she went into labor) :?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Welcome, and I'm sorry to hear about your kitty.

First, purring is not an indication that things are "okay", especially with the situation you describe. Many cats who are deathly ill will purr because it releases endorphins and sort of 'entrances' the cat so they can deal with the pain as their body goes into shock and/or progresses to a coma and death. 
Second, if you are certain there are more kittens inside and she has halted her labor, this could be very bad. I think this could classify as an emergency. At the very least, I think she needs to be taken to a vet for a shot to bring about delivery of the rest of the kittens or possibly a C-section to remove them. The kittens may or may not still be viable and time may be a critical factor in their survival if they are still viable. 

Your kitty needs to be physically examined by a vet using external palpation to determine kittens. 
Possible x-ray to determine kittens. 
Possible injection to induce delivery of kittens. 
Possible C-section to retrieve kittens manually.

The repercussions of not bringing this kitty to the vet could result in the loss of not only the remaining kittens, but also her death if her body has halted parturition, the kittens have expired and begun decomposing, infecting her womb and therefore spreading the infection systemically throughout her body. I am very sorry for making this sound so scary, but it IS scary. From the information you have provided, I think your kitty is in real danger of dying. I think your best bet would be to find a veterinarian who would be willing to take payments, credit card, you could see about applying for Care Credit http://www.carecredit.com/ or you may need to borrow money from family/friends. If you cannot manage any of these options, you may need to surrender her to an animal shelter where they could humanely euthanize her.

Please let us know how it goes. No one wants to see any animal suffer and while we cannot assist you with the physical and financial challenges this presents, we can be here to offer moral support and a shoulder to cry/lean on, but it is ultimately up to you to do the right thing for your pet.
Best of luck to you and your kitty,
Heidi


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

MsAlley said:


> Is there a way to tell if they're dead or not? She's still licking herself from time to time - could that be a sign that she's going to give birth to the rest?


I apologize, but I don't see how this matters? If she has halted labor for more than 24hrs, then I would be concerned that she would not begin again. If she has kittens inside of her, whether they are alive or dead at this point, it makes no difference. I believe they have to come out or you risk losing your cat.

At this point, asking questions on an internet forum isn't going to help your kitty. Please call your vet or an emergency vet clinic and speak with them. They will be able to help you more than we would. 

Scroll about halfway down and read the 3rd paragraph under the heading: _What happens during labor and delivery?_
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/breeding.html


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## MsAlley (Mar 15, 2009)

I only stated I thought it was a sign she'll have the kittens soon - I have done research (as good as I could) and have read that some cats halt their labor for a day. 

The person above said "if the kittens are dead" that I should be worried - so I asked "how can I know?" and proceeded with the sentence you quoted.

I said nothing that should be targeted as though I am an ignorant, stupid pet owner.

I would much appreciate it if you take into consideration what I'm going through and the fact that I only want to make certain that I'm not missing anything. 

Thank you for your advice though, I'm certainly going to do my best.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

At this point I was pretty much assuming that any remaining kittens would likely be dead and was more questioning whether you really knew there were more that hadn't been born. It sounds like you're pretty sure there are more, so whether they're alive or dead, I think your cat is in trouble. Please take her to the emergency vet tonight.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

...and I said nothing with any intent on my part to target you as an "_ignorant, stupid pet owner_". I am very sorry you read it that way. I was typing quickly and I think I was perhaps too blunt.  Please accept my apology, I am sorry. I do know that this is an upsetting thing to go through and I know you can not be an uncaring owner. If you were, you wouldn't be here, asking questions to try to help your kitty.

I was just saying; from what you described, I think the labor has gone on too long if you think there are kittens still inside and we (_nameless/faceless people of varying degrees of experience and knowledge_) online are not the best options for information for you or your kitty and I felt you needed a veterinarian's advice. 
We do care, and we do hope things work out for you and your kitty. It is frustrating for me to be unable to physically help someone with their kitty. So again, I am sorry I sounded too blunt and hurt your feelings, truly, it was not my intention. 
Still sending best of luck thoughts to you both and I do hope this has a happy outcome.
Heidi


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