[Sticky] Kittens dying at 10 days old

I'm SO sorry this is happening to your kittens. I would have these kittens checked out by a good vet, and bring in any future kittens to the vet.

https://www.cathealth.com/cat-health/vision/2472-eye-infections-in-young-kittens

Hi Alison,

I’m sorry for the late reply and of course I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your litters. Losing four litters is devastating.

There are a number of follow-up questions that could help narrow down some causes. I will leave those down at the end should you wish to provide some answers that I might refine some information for you.

But first, I’ll provide some initial thoughts.

There can be a number of causes for kitten mortality. To a degree what you’re talking about is called fading kitten syndrome, which applies when kittens fail to thrive and pass away between birth and weaning around 4-6 weeks. As a syndrome, there can be many underlying causes.

Here is an article on fading kitten syndrome with more details.

But some causes include: 

Infections (parasitic, viral, or bacterial). Kittens initially get protection from their mom’s colostrum the first couple of days from viruses they are vaccinated for, but this can wear off, allowing them to be susceptible before they are old enough for their own vaccines.

Issues relating to the mother herself could affect repeat litters. Is it possible birthing has been difficult from a particular queen leading to a failure to thrive later? Is it possible the kittens are not nursing well or receiving good nutrition from her?

Neonatal isoerythrolysis is another thing to consider that could be related repeatedly to the mom and often affects all kittens in a litter. This condition is where the mom’s own antibodies in her colostrum attack the kitten’s red blood cells, leading to anemia which tiny kittens can’t survive for long. This condition depends on the blood types of the mom and the kittens and only occurs in kittens with type A blood born to mothers with type B blood. Read this article for more detailed information. However, with Siamese cats all being type A, this cause is less likely, but it’s worth mentioning. You could consider blood typing the mother and father, just to make sure. If the mom is for sure type A, it would not be a factor.

Environmental concerns can factor in. This can include temperature fluctuations, stress, noise, sanitary issues, too much human handling after birth, etc.

The presence of the goopy eye discharge does not necessarily represent a primary cause. Animals that are severely ill or at end of life may often have this appearance because of a taxed out immune system. Testing the eye discharge with culture or PCR may help isolate an infectious cause if it is present.

While it may seem morbid, having one of the kittens necropsied (similar to an autopsy in people) may help get to the bottom of the cause of death. This can be done through local state laboratories if you are in the US.

Here are some additional questions that may help if you are able to provide answers.

Did the kittens have any veterinary care (looking for signs of yellow or pale gums, dark colored or red urine, or other physical exam findings)

Have the kittens or queen(s) had any diagnostics/testing done? (the eye discharge could be tested, parasite testing on feces, FeLV/FIV testing on the queens)

Did the kittens appear to die suddenly or truly fade over time from a few days after birth?

Did the kittens have any other signs at the time of passing away other than the eye discharge?

How are the queen(s) housed while pregnant and after they have kittens? Are they isolated from the other cats or are they all kept together?

What diet are the queens eating?

What specific vaccines have the queens received? Have all cats in the home been given the same vaccines?