In this brief discussion, we will answer the question “Do cats eat their placenta?” We will also talk about why cats eat their placenta and whether it is normal and healthy for cats to do so.
Do cats eat their placenta?
Yes, cats eat their placenta as they are evolved to do so. Most females will act in this way naturally when giving birth. That said, not all felines will consume every placenta they generate. There is no cause for concern with either of these actions.
Why do cats eat their placenta?
Cats may consume their placenta for a variety of reasons:
- It is a simple way to get nutrition. Mother cats need to acquire the right kind of nourishment at the time right after giving birth.
- They might not be able to feed their kittens if they don’t. But given that she will likely be worn out from giving birth, a mother can rarely leave her kittens alone for an extended period of time while she goes hunting.
- Even if they have a nearby food bowl, other animals would try to take advantage of her placentas as a simple supply of nutrients.
- The placentas’ aroma may attract predators to the cat’s birthplace. To hide the incident and lessen the smell that would attract predators, she might decide to eat the placenta.
What number of placentas do cats have?
It depends on the number of kittens that are being born. So, if your cat has five kittens, you can anticipate having four placentas. You might be able to see each placenta connected to a kitten via an umbilical cord after giving birth.
The cord would be chewed by a mother cat before she eats the placenta. The link between the placenta and her kitten would be severed by doing so. A cat could have trouble breaking the bond at first, but they eventually learn to do it.
If you believe your pet is unable to cut the cord, you can help by doing it for her. But just a friendly reminder. Wait until the cord is limp and the placenta has cooled before you try to cut it. Any pair of scissors will do. Remove it from the kitten by two to three cm.
Additionally, pay attention to how your cat responds and wait to act until you see her comfortable with you helping her.
Is there something wrong if my cat doesn’t eat her placenta?
No, there is nothing wrong with that. There are a number of reasons why your cat might not eat her placenta:
- It is possible that the cat is preoccupied by something else. New cat mothers frequently find themselves in this predicament because they will likely be distracted. They might be too busy focusing on the kittens to be concerned about eating their placenta.
- It’s possible that other cats have too large of a litter to consume their placenta. She might become full and stop eating them after a few kittens. For no obvious reason, cats occasionally may not eat their placenta.
- Your cat is under no obligation to eat the placentas. She might not require the additional nourishment because she will frequently have the opportunity to eat from her food dish set out for her by her owner.
- There are no predators either, so there is no need to lessen the stench of childbirth. The behaviour of domesticated mother cats is more a reflection of their innate feline nature than anything else.
Follow up with cleaning once the family has settled in and your cat has finished bearing kittens. You should hold off until the cat and her newborns have had a chance to rest.
What should I do if the placenta does not come out?
After each kitten is born, its placenta should be tossed out. Wait a while, but make sure the placenta emerges after which your cat will most likely eat it. Never ever try to extract the placenta from the uterus.
The placenta can become glued to the uterus which happens quite rarely and should be considered as a complication. Pulling it will result in the cat bleeding to death so make sure that you don’t and seek veterinarian help.
Conclusion
We answered the question “Do cats eat their placenta?” We also talked about why cats eat their placenta and whether it is normal and healthy for cats to do so.
References
https://www.purina.co.uk/articles/cats/health/pregnancy/cat-labour-and-giving-birth
https://www.animalfate.com/why-do-cats-eat-their-placenta/
