Why Do Newborn Kittens Die?

Newborn kittens are vulnerable creatures that face a variety of dangers during birth and in their first weeks of life. They are dependent on their mother for food, warmth and survival. Kittens that fail to thrive and die as newborns are said to suffer from fading kitten syndrome. This syndrome covers a wide spectrum of diseases and conditions that lead to death in newborn kittens. Birth complications, non-infectious medical conditions, infectious diseases and maternal neglect all are factors that may contribute to fading kitten syndrome.

  1. Birth Factors

    • Kittens are born in a grayish amniotic sac that the breeding female cat, also called a queen, will strip away. After the sac is removed, the queen chews or severs the umbilical cord and licks each kitten clean. Inexperienced queens that have never given birth may not know what to do when kittens are born. Kittens can die if the mother does not remove the amniotic sacs or lick the fluids from the kittens to stimulate their breathing and circulation. Prolonged or difficult labor can increase the risk of a kitten dying. Congenital disorders can be present at birth and may be caused by genetic disorders, diseases or drugs. Hydrocephalus, which refers to water on the brain, and spinal cord defects can lead to neonatal death.

    Infectious Diseases

    • A newborn kitten can die from a viral, bacterial or parasitic infection. The feline leukemia virus, which kittens are exposed to in utero, can kill newborn kittens. One of the top causes of kitten death is feline infectious peritonitis, which mothers pass on to their kittens. This disease causes fever, lethargy and weight loss, and it can affect internal organs. Since kittens have immature immune systems, they have a harder time fighting off parasitic infections, such as roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms.

    Non-Infectious Medical Conditions

    • A newborn kitten is unable to regulate its body temperature, which puts it at risk for developing hypothermia. Kittens lack insulating body fat and depend on their mother for warmth. Healthy kittens typically weigh 3 to 4 ounces. An underweight kitten is more susceptible to hypothermia, and hypothermia can lead to heart and lung failure and neonatal death. Newborn kittens that have diarrhea or do not receive enough milk can die from dehydration. Inadequate milk consumption may occur if the mother cat has milk supply problems, or if a kitten fails to suckle because it must compete with its siblings for its mother's milk. Newborn kittens are also predisposed to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can lead to weakness, coma or death.

    Maternal Behavioral Factors

    • After she gives birth, if a mother cat perceives that one of her kittens may not survive, she may neglect or reject it. A mother cat may neglect her kitten if the mother herself was rejected as a kitten or hand-raised by humans. In these circumstances, the mother would not have acquired mothering skills from her own mother. According to "Canine and Feline Behavior Therapy" by Benjamin L. Hart, et al., a mother cat may resort to cannibalism and consume her kitten if it is ill or deformed. By eating a sick kitten, the mother may be protecting the other kittens from disease.