Gone for a Different Reason

Lady wasn't hit by a car, scared off, killed by a coyote or simply just disappeared. This mother died at the vet. The, not quite one year old cat, became a mom on September 30th, to 4 healthy kittens. Having a home where she could raise her babies where they'd be safe from harm meant this family of 5 had everything going for them. But then Lady got sick.

She was taken to the vet yesterday and after a series of tests, it was determined she was sepsis. This is a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection, causing organ damage and even death. Given how sick Lady was, it was decided to have her put to sleep. Leaving behind 4 kittens that needed to be cared for, SNUGGLE Pet Rescue stepped in to take over.

Coco, Cora, Calvin and Carter arrived at the home of our Foster Care Volunteer yesterday. An appointment with our vet was scheduled for the 4 kittens before they even arrived. Given what had happened to their mother, we wanted to make sure she had not passed along an infection to her babies in the short time she had been nursing them. After a thorough exam it appears the kittens are going to be okay, but we will remain alert to any symptoms that may still appear.

What our vet suspects is that Lady had a retained fetus, which could have caused the infection. The medical records we got from her vet showed they had not done an x-ray though, which could have ruled this out. A retained fetus can lead to serious health issues, and it's crucial to recognize the symptoms. If the cat appears to still be pregnant or has a swollen abdomen after giving birth, show signs of lethargy, lack of interest in food, behavior changes or abnormal discharge from the vagina they should be seem immediately by a vet.

Meanwhile, Coco, Cora, Calvin and Carter's Foster Care Volunteer is doing her best to be a good fill in for Lady, but we know the kittens would much rather be with their mother.