Feline Cesarean Section

Domestic cats typically produce litters with 4-6 kittens. A pregnant or nursing cat is referred to as a queen. A female cat who is not pregnant or who has been spayed is called a molly. 

This week, I had the opportunity to help deliver and recover a kitten (0.09 kg) by cesarean section (Figure 1). During the surgery, our veterinary team discovered that the queen contained only one uterine horn, a condition called uterus unicornis. Uterus unicornis occurs when one uterine horn fails to form during fetal development (Brookshire et al., 2017). This congenital defect can make it more difficult to give birth which may explain why the queen pictured (Figure 2) required a cesarean surgery. 

This experience was particularly special for me because this was the first life I had the opportunity to save during my veterinary journey (Figure 3). Initially, the kitten had a low body temperature, slow respiratory and heart rate, and was pale in colour. I worked for 2 hours using a heat lamp to warm it, a towel to stimulate it, and a bulb aspirator to remove mucous from its airways. Eventually, I was able to get the kitten moving and yelping - signs that the neonate will be able to survive without constant care.