New Mom Showed Signs of Distress After Delivery

New mom Sarah has had quite the ordeal. She had just given birth to her kittens--5 in all--and it was a rough delivery. The Homeward Trails team even had to cut the umbilical cord for 4 of the 5 kittens (something mother cats typically do for themselves) to help her along. Gratefully, she and her kittens all came through successfully. But something wasn't right.

We monitored her for a few hours post delivery, and knew something was off. She was so loving and attentive to her newborn kittens--but she wasn't taking care of herself the way we'd expect. She wouldn't stand, and when given assistance to get up, she'd just flop over. We were worried there may have been some unknown complication from the delivery--maybe another kitten or placenta that hadn't been delivered? We couldn't be sure. But we knew that waiting around could put Sarah's life at risk. 

It was a Saturday night, and the only vets that were open were emergency providers. Nevertheless, we rushed her in and they got right to work. 

To our relief, it turned out that Mama Sarah was just a bit constipated! It was a pretty easy fix, and with a little assistance, she was back on her feet in no time. Now Sarah is back with her kittens, recovering from the delivery, and being the absolute best mom! 

Now we just have that emergency vet bill to pay. 

When it comes to labor and delivery, there are so many things that can go wrong. Any one of those things could easily put the mother's -- or the even the kitten's -- life at risk. We always exercise caution, and are committed to giving our new moms whatever support they need to survive and recover after giving birth. Even if that support is just a little extra help going to the bathroom.