Reproductive problems in cats

Written by Liz Palika Reviewed by Kristin Westafer, DVM

Overview

Cats that are not spayed or neutered are fertile creatures. Female cats go into heat about every 17 days during the spring and summer months, and can produce multiple litters of kittens per year. An intact female cat is referred to as a ‘queen.’

The most serious feline reproductive problems begin during or after the kittens are born; however, most cats have very few reproductive problems and are very proliferative creatures. Problems that can arise include dystocia, mastitis, uterine infections, retained placentas, and pyometras.

These problems can be caused by a number of different issues. Dystocia, which is difficult labor, can be caused by the structure of the mother's pelvis, metritis, lack of calcium in the diet, or the size of the kittens. Mastitis is the result of a bacterial infection in the mammary glands. Metritis is a bacterial infection of the uterus and can cause a cat to become very sick. The exact cause of retained placentas is mostly unknown, however, they are very uncommon in the queen.

Symptoms

Symptoms of reproductive problems include:

Active labor takes place for more than 24 hours without producing a kitten
Strong contractions go on for one hour without a birth
The mother cat is vomiting or won't eat
The cat is producing vaginal discharge that is often foul smelling
The cat won't allow the kittens to nurse due to teat pain
Pus comes from teats
Teats are swollen and hot
The mother cat has a fever
The mother cat is lethargic, or unwilling to move or engage in normal activity
Sudden increase in water consumption and urine production

Prevention

The best way to prevent reproductive problems in cats is to have them spayed before they reach a reproductively mature age. Cats are usually sexually mature at 4-6 months of age. However, purebred cats often reach puberty closer to 1 year of age. If your cat is pregnant, it is best to have her checked twice during her pregnancy by a veterinarian. She should see the vet when you first suspect she's pregnant, and then again at about 45 to 50 days of pregnancy. However, if your cat has not been spayed and you are not able to house a mother cat and her kittens, ask your veterinarian if they are willing to perform a spay, equivalent to a human hysterectomy, while she is pregnant.

Understand the different stages of labor and know what is normal for each. That way, you'll be able to tell if your cat is experiencing a problem and needs to go the vet right away.

Treatment

If your cat is experiencing dystocia (a difficult labor) she needs to see the vet immediately. The vet may give her pain medication, intravenous fluids containing calcium and may manually help deliver the kittens. If the cat is unable to deliver the kittens vaginally even with help, the vet will perform a Caesarian section. If the kittens are in distress because of the difficult birth, they may need oxygen and medication to help them breathe.

If your cat retains the placenta after giving birth, the vet will likely give her drugs to help her expel it with normal uterine contractions. If she develops mastitis or a uterine infection, she will be placed on a course of antibiotics and may require hospitalization.

Pyometra is a life threatening condition that can occur after a cat has a heat cycle and does not get pregnant. At that time of her estrous cycle, a hormone called progetrone is found in very high levels in the blood and decreases the effectiveness of the immune system in the uterus. If bacteria enter the uterus from the cervix or from the blood, a large amount of pus will accumulate in the uterus. Affected cats become severely lethargic, running a high fever, stop eating, and vomit. Cats can also have vaginal discharge and begin drinking large amounts of water and make frequent trips to urinate in the litter box. If you suspect your cat may have this condition, they need to be seen by a veterinarian immediately. They will need antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and other supportive care until they are stable enough to have an ovariohysterectomy.

The cost of the treatment for reproductive problems can run anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, depending on the severity of the problem and the area of the country in which you live.

After treatment

Cats that are treated for dystocia are sometimes placed on intravenous fluids for a period of time, depending on how long they have been in labor or if they are dehydrated.. If the queen had a Caesarian section to deliver her kittens, the kittens will still be able to nurse although the mother may need to wear a special collar to prevent her from chewing or licking on her incision.

Cats that suffer from mastitis can no longer nurse their kittens due to pain and decreased or diminished milk production. These kittens must be bottle-fed until they are old enough to be weaned, which is approximately 4-6 weeks of age.

If the cat has a uterine infection, the kittens may have to be bottle-fed.