Found our cat dead in her bed this morning- kittens 5 weeks

[diege]

Had the awful experience of finding my beloved cat dead on her bed this morning. She was 2, no health issues, and behaving normally yesterday evening. She has 5 kittens, approx 5/6 weeks old. I'm devastated and will have to break the news to my children tonight... She was really my eldest daughter's cat, and got her (daughter) through recent surgery and radiotherapy for an aggressive brain tumour, so it will be exceptionally difficult for her to take in. I'm also worried about the kittens --will they be ok on kitten food/cat milk?They started weaning last week but were still feeding from mum.
Any thoughts/advice very welcome!

Oh this is so sad

I really hope all of your kitties make it

Oh how awful, I'm sonsprrybfor all of you. Thankfully mum cat has done the majority of the hard work. It is not ideal for them to be without her this early but certainly not as disastrous as it would have been a few weeks earlier. You have already had a lot of good advice and they sound like they are going to do alright on the kitten milk.

Yes they seem quite robust and are running and climbing everywhere, but are crying terribly. Hopefully just wanting mum's milk and not pining for her 😔 I've turned the radiator on in the utility room where their bed is, so they'll be cosy tonight at least.

So sorry for all the awfulness you've faced. I had to sit my kids down to tell them my DH died too so I know that horror only too well.

With the kittens it might comfort them to have a hot water bottle under the blanket their mum laid on as it will feel a bit like her to them.

So sorry to read this. Wonder if the mum had a clot leading to stroke/heart attack? I know human mothers are at a higher risk of such after giving birth.

All the best to you, your family & the kittens, OP.

I have just rescued a litter of 5 kittens buy goats milk for them it's brilliant. And I am feeding tiger kitten food from Asda and they are thriving had them 3weeks now which the vet has said they are no more than 7wks old. I hope this will help you.
I am so sorry for your loss.x

Aw bless you. Maybe think about how not to "sit the kids down" so as not to create a situation that will remind them so strongly of losing their dad. Tell them separately or make sure it is in a different setting or something. (Voice of bitter experience here). ❤️

I was just going to suggest the same as George. Find a way to tell them separately, does their day allow for that? Then plan a little 'service' with them in a day or two.

I've just helped hand rear my friends kittens. Mum became ill when they were 10 days old. We stopped giving them formula at about 6 weeks.

They are 13 weeks now and all well and at their new homes

Sorry to hear about your cat. This could very easily have happened to my friends cat, she's checked on her then gone out for 4 hours. When we got back she was unresponsive. If friend had been in bed the vet says she would have been dead by the morning

There's a really sweet James Herriot story called the Christmas Kitten about a young mother cat that dies and her kitten has to be hand reared. He grows into a joyful plucky thing. Not sure how old your kids are but it might be nice for them if they are 3-10 years.

So sorry this happened. You must be heartbroken.

I got my kitten when she was six weeks old (way too young, but she was only surviving kitten, and her germ cat mum abandoned her).

She slept on my pillow every night and was fine on kitten milk and kitten food. Out vet was brilliant and gave loads of advice.

At least the kittens have each other for warmth and company.

Oh poor little things! So sad

Nothing useful to add but just wanted to say that I hope it goes OK telling them tomorrow, what a lot you have all been through.....

Poor cat. :( Just a thought, make sure you check your carbon monoxide monitor is working correctly.

I've turned the radiator on in the utility room where their bed is, so they'll be cosy tonight at least.

Hot water bottle well wrapped in blankets in the bottom of their bed is another trick. Replicates snuggling up to mum. Xxx

I'd suspect eclampsia (calcium deficiency) from feeding a big litter. It can be very sudden, and it sounds like she became ill overnight when you had no chance of spotting it. So sorry for all of you in this, but as a pp said, at least the kittens have each other for comfort.

Oh gosh, I have tears in my eyes just from reading your OP! So sorry for the loss of your poor cat

. So sad. I hope your daughter is OK.

I’m so sorry for all the hardship you have faced, and for the loss of your cat. My heart really goes out to you, your children and those little kittens. ❤️❤️❤️

Sorry for your loss, OP, hope you will all be OK.

Sorry op, that's so sad.

Ditto the hot water bottle for now, and trying to find a queen to borrow. I have one that was weaned at 3 weeks. Her mum was still a kitten herself & taken in as an unhealthy, emancipated stray, and despite the best efforts of the rescue didn't make it. My other cat was one of two the kittens were split between. Mine hadn't even had kittens recently but was an ex feral colony queen and motherly, and at that point anything was worth a try. Although it was still more work than a normal kitten, my other cat definitely made the biggest difference. But I'm no expert so with yours being older and having each other for comfort, warmth, being in a familiar home etc it might not be as necessary.

www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/royal_canin_cat_food/royal_canin_kitten/360665

This is really good kitten food. You probably want to avoid dry (even soaked) food. It's a very soft formula that blends easily with milk.

You can also get dry food that basically dissolves in the same type.

You are an amazing person. To have 6 dc and their dad die.. I'm so sorry you have had to go through that. Please keep us updated on kitty progress