When we decided to foster a pregnant cat, we knew we were in for a special journey—but we never expected just how complicated and emotional it would become.
What started as an exciting wait for kittens turned into a life-or-death situation that could have ended in tragedy. Skipper was one of many mama cats we have fostered over the years, but we never had or expected this to happen.
This is our story—a real-life example of how a prolonged cat pregnancy with deceased kittens inside can lead to serious complications, and why trusting your instincts as a pet caregiver is crucial.
The Waiting Game: When Labor Didn’t Come
A little over a month ago, we welcomed Skipper a sweet pregnant mama cat into our home. Based on her size and the shelter’s estimation, we expected she would give birth within a couple of weeks. But time passed, and still, no kittens arrived.
Then, last Saturday, her water finally broke. We knew labor had begun, but by Sunday morning, there were still no kittens. We had already scheduled a vet visit for that day, so we brought her in, hoping for answers.
The shelter vet suspected a possible infection and decided to keep her for observation. As we left the shelter we noticed a tiny bit of a kitten’s tail was visible, she was finally delivering.
Labor had begun, although uncommon kittens can be delivered tail first. It should have been a caused for concern. Yes, it does happen, and lead to successful pregnancies, but it can also lead to what happened next!
Trust Your Instincts: Knowing When to Push for More Help
A few hours later, the shelter called us back and told us we could take her home. But when we arrived, the situation hadn't improved. That same first kitten was still partially stuck.
Something told us this wasn’t right. Taking her home didn’t feel like the right decision. Thankfully, after some discussion and closer observation, it was determined that she needed immediate emergency care.
We rushed her to an emergency vet, where an ultrasound confirmed our fears—she had multiple kittens inside her that had already passed away. Worse, the deceased kittens were preventing her from delivering the live ones.
Without intervention, she would lose her entire litter—and likely her own life as well. Thankfully the shelter's decision was to perform surgery, which would likely save Skipper's life and any live kittens inside her.
An Emergency C-Section: The Fight to Save Mama and Baby
The vet performed an emergency C-section, and the heartbreaking reality was revealed. Mama cat had been carrying six kittens. Four were already dead inside her.
One was born alive but was too weak to survive. Only one kitten made it. Although we lost five precious lives that day, we saved mama and her one surviving baby—and if we hadn’t gone to the emergency vet, we would have lost them all.
What We Learned: The Importance of Acting Fast
This experience reinforced something incredibly important—if labor isn’t progressing, or something feels off, don’t wait. Get help.
Signs That a Pregnant Cat May Be in Trouble:
✔️ Prolonged Pregnancy (going well beyond 67 days)
✔️ Water breaking without active labor for more than 24 hours
✔️ Visible kitten stuck in the birth canal
✔️ Lethargy, fever, or signs of infection
✔️ Foul-smelling discharge
In our case, mama likely had deceased kittens inside her for weeks, which may have prevented her from going into labor sooner. Had we waited any longer, we would have lost her too.
Skipper's story is one of survival. Even before she came to us and survived this complicated pregnancy. She was found on the streets with part of her tail gone, and a visible injury on one of her paws.
There is no way to tell when she lost her babies, but there is evidence they may have been gone for a while. Who knows she might have already lost them, when she arrived at our home.
The Happy Ending: Mama & Baby Are Thriving
It’s now been nearly a week since the emergency C-section, and mama cat and her single surviving kitten are doing amazing. Baby was born at 4.2 oz—a big kitten for a newborn, making us think labor should have started much sooner.
Although this journey was heartbreaking, we are grateful that we followed our instincts and advocated for Skipper when things didn’t feel right. Her survival—and that of her baby—is proof that acting quickly can make all the difference.
Final Thoughts: What You Can Do
If you are caring for a pregnant cat, pay attention to any signs of distress and don’t hesitate to seek emergency care if something seems wrong. Trust your gut—you know your pet better than anyone.
Our story may not have had the big, happy litter we initially hoped for, but we are beyond grateful that mama and her one baby are here today. 💕
Have you ever experienced complications with a cat’s pregnancy? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments—we’d love to hear from you!
