Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dystocia (difficult birth) in cats seen in UK emergency vets
By Leicester, L. & O’Neill, D. G.·Published in Journal of Small Animal Practice·2026·Vets Now Ltd. Dunfermline UK, United Kingdom·View original on Crossref →
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Original publication title: Dystocia in cats under UK primary emergency veterinary care: epidemiology, clinical management and outcomes
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat was brought to the emergency vet for difficulty giving birth, a condition known as dystocia. Among the cases studied, purebred cats, especially brachycephalic breeds like Devon Rex and Tonkinese, were found to be at a higher risk for this issue. Treatment often started with a medication called oxytocin to help with contractions, but many cases still required a cesarean section to safely deliver the kittens. Unfortunately, some queens did not survive, and a significant number of the kittens also faced challenges. Awareness of these risks can help pet owners and vets prepare for better care during such emergencies.
People also search for: cat giving birth problems · dystocia in cats treatment · cesarean section for cats · high-risk cat breeds for dystocia
Abstract
Objectives To explore the epidemiology, clinical management and outcomes for feline dystocia cases presented to UK primary emergency veterinary care. Materials and Methods Retrospective observational cross‐sectional study. Demographic and clinical data were extracted on feline dystocia cases under emergency care (2017 to 2023). Risk factor analysis used multivariable binary logistic regression. Results Among 118,168 queens, 1102 dystocia cases were identified, giving an overall incidence risk of 0.93% (95% CI 0.88 to 0.99). Purebred queens had 2.53 (95% CI 2.16 to 2.97) times odds of dystocia compared to crossbred queens. Brachycephalic queens had 3.27 (95% CI 2.68 to 3.98) times odds of dystocia compared to non‐brachycephalic queens. Individual breeds with the highest odds of dystocia compared with crossbred queens were Devon Rex (OR: 10.38, 95% CI 4.61 to 23.37), Tonkinese (OR: 8.27, 95% CI 2.92 to 23.43), Birman (OR: 7.40, 95% CI 3.17 to 17.28), Exotic (OR: 6.29, 95% CI 2.23 to 17.73) and British Short Hair (OR: 3.81, 95% CI 2.96 to 4.89). Initial medical dystocia management included oxytocin in 386/1102 (35.02%) cases, with 104/386 (26.94%) of oxytocin‐treated cases progressing to caesarean section. Overall, caesarean section was performed in 394/1102 (35.75%) queens. Litters of 5 to 6 kittens showed 6.54 (4.36 to 9.81) times odds of caesarean section compared with litters of 1 to 2. During emergency care, 38 of 1102 (3.45%) dystocic queens died. The neonatal mortality rate was 1072 of 2784 (38.51%) kittens born across all dystocia cases. Clinical Significance These findings indicate substantial impact from dystocia on feline maternal and neonatal welfare and survival. Awareness of higher dystocia risk in purebred, brachycephalic and certain breed queens can help veterinary staff and breeders better predict and prepare for maternal and neonatal care requirements.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.70120