2018: CAUSES OF NEWBORN MORTALITY IN DEVON REX KITTENS


Causes of newborn mortality in Devon Rex kittens 
Holly Omoto, Michelle Anne Kutzler 

Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, College of Agricultural Sciences, Oregon State 
University, Corvallis, OR 

 
Introduction 
 Even in well-managed catteries, up to 16% of kittens may be stillborn and up to 20% of kittens 
may die before weaning.1 The objective of this study was to identify gross pathology lesions in newborn 
purebred kittens who died spontaneously. We hypothesized that lesions consistent with congenital causes 
of mortality would be more common than infectious causes.  
 
Methods 
 Post-mortem examinations were performed on 17 newborn (up to 3 days old) Devon Rex kittens. 
The palate, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder, umbilical stump, and urogenital area were 
examined for abnormalities. A sample of lung tissue was floated in water to evaluate atelectasis, and urine 
was aspirated from the bladder to evaluate hematuria. The age at death, the dam’s and sire’s blood types, 
and clinical signs present before death were also recorded.  
 
Results 
 No gross pathological abnormalities were found in 17.6% (3/17) of the kittens. Of these kittens 
with no abnormalities, signs before death were hypothermia (n=1), dystocia (n=1), and dyspnea (n=2). 
There was one kitten with two signs before death, dystocia and dyspnea. A cleft palate was found in one 
kitten (5.8%), and no other congenital defects were found in the remaining kittens. No kittens died from 
neonatal isoerythrolysis. Hematuria (a sign associated with neonatal isoerythrolysis, NI) was present in 
17.6% (3/17) of the kittens, and icterus (another sign associated with NI) was identified in one kitten.  
However, all four of these kittens were produced by blood type B sires, indicating that NI was not the 
cause.2 Pyothorax was present in 35.3% (6/17) of the kittens, and dyspnea was reported in 4/6 of those 
kittens prior to death. One kitten with pyothorax had atelectasis.   
 
Discussion 
 About 13% of Devon Rex litters have at least one congenital defect, which is consistent our 
findings.3 However, our findings revealed that 52.9% (9/17) of the kittens up to 3 days of age died from 
infectious causes (pyothorax and hematuria not associated with NI). Additional diagnostic testing is 
planned to determine the etiologic agents involved with the infectious causes of feline newborn mortality. 
 
Keywords: Feline, mortality, necropsy, neonatal, perinatal 
 
References 
1. Malandain É, Little S, Casseleux G, et al: Diseases of the neonate. In: Malandain É, editor. Practical guide to cat 

breeding. Aimargues(France): Aniwa SAS on behalf of Royal Canin; 2006. p. 164-179.  
2. Silvestre-Ferreira AC, Pastor J: Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis and the importance of feline blood types. Vet Med Int 

2010;2010:1-8. 
3. Little S: Congenital defects of kittens. In: Tufts’ canine and feline breeding and genetics conference; 200 
 

Clinical Theriogenology • Volume 10,  Number 3 • September 2018325