Is it my fault a feral cat killed her kitten after I touched them?

Hi , I’m sorry about your loss. It is very saddening to hear all the kittens have died. I think if your dog hasn’t been near the other two kittens and unwillingly caused their death by playing with them, it could be that mum has killed them as felt the environment was not safe for the kittens anymore. Cats can get really frightened and protective with their kittens and failure to be able to provide protection could have led to your cat’s frustration and sadly causing death of the other kittens. It is just a supposition, you could also have your cat checked over at your Vets for any signs of illness that could have been transmitted to the kittens but it seems a strange coincidence or them to pass away shortly after the first one has without any symptom.

Yes, it may have been the mother cat if she felt the kittens were unsafe or may have been another neighborhood cat defending their own territory. If there are remaining kittens please contact your local humane society and they may be able to offer a foster home and also neuter the mother to prevent future unwanted kittens

The most common cause of momma cats killing or cannibalizing their young is because they sense something may be wrong with the kitten. This might be they sense some sort of illness or some sort of congenital abnormality. They view this as a threat to themselves and more importantly to the other kittens in the litter. It seems gruesome and cruel, I know, but it is how nature works unfortunately. The other reason we see it sometimes is stress. This occurs most commonly in first time moms, or cats who are giving birth under less than ideal circumstances. Sometimes, cats who have their kittens handled too much by humans can respond with this type of behavior.

I am so sorry you came home to two dead kittens! Newborn kittens are very fragile, and it could the one who was cold simply wasn't strong enough to make it. As for the one with the intestines out, it could be a birth defect causing the intestines to be outside the body. Without seeing them in person, I can't say for certain. I can say keep the father away from the kittens until they are older. Mother cats can be very protective of their kittens, and the father should not be around until the kittens are weaned. I hope this helps, and again I'm sorry for your loss.

That is very kind of you to want to help this cat and her kittens! Yes, it is fine to touch them, but I would be careful around Momma. Some female cats can be very possessive of their kittens, and she may act aggressive if you try to move them. I would recommend giving the Humane Society a call, they will have the tools to trap her and her kittens safely.

Hi there. Some cats are not good mothers, unfortunately :( If Pumpkin is showing aggression towards the kitten or trying to kill it, you will need to remove it from her and bottle-feed it yourself until it's old enough to be weaned. I would recommend getting some kitten milk replacer from a local pet store. You will need to feed the kitten every two hours around the clock for the next few weeks, until it's old enough to begin eating solid food.

I'm so sorry for the loss of the kittens. They may have had a parasite infection or virus such as panleukopenia. Salmonella can also kill them quickly. Without a post mortem exam there is no way to know what they dried from. Mom will probably go back into heat fairly quickly so you might want to get her spayed. Monitor her mammary glands that they don't get engorged or painful. You can apply cool compresses to them if she will let you.