Causes of birth of malformed kittens in mother cats

The main reasons for the birth of malformed kittens in mother cats are genetic inheritance, inbreeding, pregnancy nutrition deficiency, poisoning, or infection. Both genetic inheritance and inbreeding are congenital factors, where pregnant cats carry hidden disease genes or congenital defects, which can easily pass on to the kittens and cause malformations. Inbreeding itself carries great risk, besides causing malformed kittens, it also has adverse effects such as fewer offspring and lower survival rate. Nutrient deficiency and poisoning or infection are acquired factors that can also lead to malformations. When cats lack nutrients, they cannot develop normally, and poisoning or infection will directly harm the development and even life of the kittens.

Genetic inheritance

If the pregnant cat already carries a recessive gene for a certain disease or has defects itself, such as the soft-shelled disease in Scottish fold cats, it can pass these onto the kittens and increase the chance of malformation at birth.

Inbreeding

Inbreeding refers to the breeding of cats who share the same ancestors within three generations or closer. This breeding method can lead to an increased incidence of hidden genetic diseases in the offspring. Besides malformed kittens, the pregnancy failure rate after mating increases, and there is also a possibility of fewer offspring, lower survival rate, and intellectual disability. Generally, it is not advisable to engage in inbreeding to sacrifice cat health for superior breed characteristics and traits.

Pregnancy nutrition deficiency

During a cat's pregnancy, if the owner does not pay attention to feeding, the cat may suffer from malnutrition. Without sufficient nutrition, the fetus cannot develop properly, and the kittens are more likely to have malformations, even dying directly in severe cases.

Poisoning or infection

During a cat's pregnancy, bacterial or viral infections, or poisoning from pesticides, drugs, alcohol, or heavy metals can lead to fetal malformations. Additionally, if there are too many parasites in the mother cat's body, they can penetrate the placental barrier and enter the fetus, causing malformation due to poor fetal development.