The Cat Abortions

My littlest cat, Sable, is only a few months old and got pregnant. I have been worried sick that she might die giving birth and have been asking what to do. Remember that I live in a rural area which is thoroughly corrupt, but seeing as how 90+% of the residents are uneducated rednecks, you would think they'd know a thing or two about animal husbandry. I freely admit I haven't the faintest idea as to how to handle this situation. But I no longer need to, as my littlest and youngest cat, Sable, is aborting her kittens as I type. Under my chair, no less!

I called a week ago to ask about the situation and the conversation went like this (remember, I am in one of those "typical," thoroughly corrupt, rural, Southern towns in the Bible Belt):

MD: What do I do?
Vet Tech: You need to bring her in to get spayed.
MD: She's already pregnant. Will that abort the kittens?
Vet Tech: [Long, awkward pause] Well... um, no.
MD: ...
MD: What happens to the kittens, then? Do they just disappear?
Vet Tech: Yes.

Scout's honor. But I digress.

I noticed her licking on something on the floor which I first thought was a chicken bone or something. When I looked closer, it was a hairless fetus! I was instantly grossed-out and stopped her from eating it. I threw it away, even though I wasn't certain it was dead. It was still warm, but obviously not breathing (well or often, if at all). Sable let loose a small river of blood from her womb-ish area, but otherwise appeared just fine.

A few minutes later, following frantic phonecalls to after hours vets which went unanswered, another fetus appeared. This one was breathing - even moving its head! However, she waited until it had mostly stopped to chew off the umbilical cord and proceed devouring it.

The one vet I spoke to - the only one who answered his phone - said the kittens had no chance of making it and to just leave her be and let her do her thing. A moment later, a family friend I'd called returned my phonecall and said she was aborting them and there was nothing to be done but wait it out. I looked online (briefly) but found no mention as to cats aborting their feti. Nevertheless, Sable has given birth to two live feti and ate one - the other I kept her from eating.

She keeps wanting to jump in my lap or on the couch and I put a towel down on the porch for her, but she won't stay there. In fact, Sable is acting perfectly fine, as though nothing were happening. While I'm thankful for that (and more than a little thankful I will not have even more mouths to feed), this is a terrible thing and I'm a little heartbroken by it.

If anyone knows anything about this phenomena (assuming there is any), please share!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009