Why did my kitten die?

Question
I have been caring for a mother cat and her five kittens.  The day before yesterday, I went in the room that I am keeping them and couldn't find one of the kittens.  This particular kitten was my absolute favorite as it was so fluffy, it looked like it had an afro all over it's body like a little "monchichi" money.  Finally, in the original bedding they were transferred to, I found it's poor little limp/dead body all alone.  It had poop coming out and it seemed as if there was wetness coming from the eyes.  I have had 2 major melt downs (crying hysterically like never before in my life!) and I just can't seem to get a handle as to WHY???  The kittens turned 4 weeks old yesterday.  I had started to give them "kitten wet food" watered down and watered down kitten dry food.  They all seem to LOVE the wet food so much.  I figured since there were 5 kittens and Mom is small, perhaps it would help out Mom a bit plus various sources told me that it was fine to give them the kitten food.  Did the Mom kill her kitten?  How would I even know that?  It's not like she ate any of the kitten.  As a matter of fact, she and the other 4 kittens were continuing with life as usual.  I kept stroking the kitten, thinking that this had to be an ugly nightmare, but the kitten was cold.  I think I'm still in shock.  How could I have fallen in love with this baby that I'd only known for a couple of weeks?  The Mom had the kittens in an empty square fan box (mom is feral) in my basement.  Mom would come in during the winter with my other 4 or 5 feral FIXED cats.  I haven't been able to really get near the Mom ever.  Although she knows I am feeding her, she avoids c!
oming ne
ar me at all and walks all the way around the perameters of the room to get to her destination while avoiding me.  I have been picking up her kittens since I moved them to a more secure, warm and cleaner place.  The kittens mouth was open a bit with the tongue curled back.  I don't know if this is how all kitten look when they die and also about the mouth.  Perhaps if I had a clue as to why and how this happened, I might be able to handle this situation better.  Plus, if I'm doing something wrong, I don't want to lose any more kittens.  There are 2 of them that have been already chosen to be adopted.  Can you help me at all?  I'd so really appreciate it!  Thank you.  Debbi Dumais, Westport, Massachusetts   p.s. I own 2 inside dogs and 5 inside cats.  Plus I have 4 outside cats and about 5 feral outside cats I take care of.  "

and was asked on 05/28/2007


Answer
HI Debbi,

Bless you for taking such good care of this mamma cat and her babies, and I am so very sorry about this kitties' death. Sadly, sometimes there is just nothing anyone can do to save some babies. He probably had something wrong inside him, such as a problem with his digestive tract, a heart defect, or any number of fatal and incurable problems.

It definitely was not the canned food, that is good for them and you are doing the right thing.

The mother cat must have moved the other babies away so they wouldn't have to share a nest with the poor dead baby. I know how you feel, I have had this happen before, sometimes there is a weak kitten and it was no fault of yours or the mother cat.

Keep a close eye on the others and make sure they don't get constipated and eat well. It's a good idea to weight them every few days on a kitchen scale and make sure they are gaining weight - failing to grow means the kitten should be seen by a vet.

The fecal matter and the curled tongue are just how a kitten looks when dead, if there are feces in the large intestine they may come out. Please don't be hard on yourself, you gave this kitten the best chance at life and he just was not meant to live. I'm sure he felt very loved during his very brief life. My condolences, and please think of all the good you are doing for the other animals including that poor babies' siblings and mother!