Birth Defects in Kittens

Articles describing the unfortunate times when a kitten is born with a congenital problem...

Titles marked with a red asterisk * are for PandEcats.com members only.

• * Blood Type Incompatibility In Cats
  If you breed a blood type B queen to a blood type A stud, you risk losing the entire litter shortly after birth. Learn why this happens and what you can do to avoid the problem.
  
  June 2002


• * Cleft Palate in a Newborn Kitten
  The most common birth defect in cats is a cleft palate. There are some things you can do to reduce your chances of producing a kitten with this problem.
  
  February 2021


• * Congenital Birth Defects
  Do you know the meaning of "congenital"? Which are the most common birth defects in cats? Do you know what causes congenital defects in kittens? Learn the answers to these questions and more...
  
  July 2021


• * Degrees of Cleft Palate
  Cleft palate is a birth defect that occurs in all breeds of cats. Sometimes it is a minor problem and sometimes it is severe. Photos of newborn kittens show you exactly what to look for.
  
  February 2021


• * Developmental Accidents
  Do you understand the difference between an inheritable mutation and a developmental accident? Learn the answer to this question and much more ...
  
  April 2010


• * FCK: Part One - An Overview
  This is part one in an article about Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome
  
  April 2006


• * FCK: Part Two - Treatment Options
  Part Two about Flat Chested Kitten Syndrome discusses treatment options in detail.
  
  April 2006


• * Hydrocephalic Kitten
  Hydrocephalus occurrs occasionally in cats. It is not common but neither is it rare.
  
  April 2018


• * Kitten Born With Intestines On The Outside
  Even the most experienced breeder can be shocked when a kitten is born with the intestines outside of its body. Do you know what to do should this happen to one of your newborn kittens? 
  
  August 2022


• * Microthalmia/Microphthalmia
  If an eye (ophthalmia) does not grow to its full size and is smaller (micro) than it should be, the condition is known as Microthalmia. Learn what causes this condition and what the future may hold for a cat with the problem....
  
  August 2022


• * Open Fontanelle
  Fontanelles are soft spots on a newborn's head which, during birth, enable the bony plates of the skull to flex, allowing the kitten's head to pass through the birth canal.
  
  March 2017


• * Pectus Excavatum
  Often referred to as funnel chest or inverted sternum, Pectus Excavatum is an unusual chest wall deformity sometimes found in kittens.
  
  April 2006


• * Premature Litter Born With Septicemia
  Follow the medical history of a pregnant Bengal queen that gives birth prematurely to a litter of kittens with septicemia.
  
  June 2020


• * Septicemia
  Septicemia is an infection that is seen in kittens under two weeks of age. It is a generalized bacterial infection of a kitten's system that can quickly lead to death.
  
  June 2020


• * Septicemia In A Newborn Kitten
  Follow one breeder's experience in trying to save a litter of kittens with with a suspected case of septicemia...
  
  june 2020


• * Swimmer Syndrome In Cats
  Swimmer Syndrome is the name given to a condition in young kittens characterized by the animal's failure to stand or crawl normally. Instead, while remaining in a lying position on its tummy, the kitten moves by paddling its feet out sideways in a swimming motion. Learn how this condition can be corrected if treated early.
  
  June 2020


• * Umbilical Hernia
  The most commom type of hernia in kittens is a congenital umbilical hernia — a hernia at the site of the belly button. This article discusses causes, symptoms, treatment and includes photos of an umbilical hernia and a surgical repair.
  
  June 2016