How Many Kittens Usually Survive in a Litter?
How Many Kittens Usually Survive in a Litter?
Kittens’ survival is mostly determined by their health after they are born from their mothers. The pre-weaning mortality rate for kittens is about 15-30%. That implies that one to three kittens out of every ten are likely to die before learning to feed themselves. During their fourth week, kittens begin to consume solid food. As a result, a kitten’s first three weeks are more vulnerable to death. If a kitten is already frail or has deformities when it is born, it is unlikely to survive the first three weeks. While it may be upsetting, we cat owners have no control over it. It’s a normal part of the cat’s reproductive process.
How many kittens are usually in first litter?
Although kitten death is inevitable, cats seem to compensate for it by increasing the number of kittens. Unlike humans, felines have many kittens in their litter. In most cases, an average cat will have two to five kittens. Furthermore, they may have even more. The most kittens ever born in a cat litter is 19. Many cats may have 8-12 kittens at a time. A cat’s first litter normally consists of no more than two to five kittens. The following ones may be the same or more. As cats become older, they have a better likelihood of producing a larger litter. Despite the large number, some kittens may not survive.
What to Do With a Dead Kitten After Birth
It is natural for a mother to want to clean her kittens. This includes any babies that were stillborn or died shortly after delivery. As frightening as it may appear, you must leave the kitten with the mother so that she is aware of what has occurred. When the mother realizes, she normally concentrates on her live kittens. If you want the deceased kitten cremated, carefully remove it and take it to your veterinarian.
Why Would a Whole Litter of Kittens Die?
Such a tragic event might be heartbreaking. Nonetheless, some kittens will perish during the birthing procedure. With an average of two to five kittens delivered every litter, seeing one or two stillborn may be rather upsetting. It’s worse terrible if the whole litter perishes. Although this is an uncommon occurrence, it is feasible that all of the kittens would perish. This does not imply that all kittens are stillborn when this occurs. Although some kittens may be alive, they are not strong enough to survive. Others may get deformities or diseases as a result of the procedure. Remember that the childbirth procedure isn’t the sole factor in such a high fatality rate. It also encompasses the weeks ahead. Mother cats, on the other hand, play an important part in a kitten’s survival. Cats, you see, have a special method of caring for their young. They may be overprotective, yet they can also lead to death.
Conclusion
Knowing that there are kittens that do not get to live and develop may be quite frustrating. The majority of kittens in a litter are fortunate enough to survive. However, some people are weak enough to pass after a few weeks. Nonetheless, it isn’t something we should linger on. It’s preferable to concentrate on the fact that our kitties are still alive in these situations. Not only that, but they are still alive and healthy kittens to care for in the future. As owners, we must support our cats and provide any assistance they may need with their young.
