Breeding is a rewarding journey that sees many develop emotional bonds with their queens. The relationship of trust and support is established from a young age and continues to do so throughout pregnancy. Supporting the queen through the birth sequence is essential, especially with new queens who are inexperienced. This can sometimes mean the difference between life and death as physical intervention is sometimes required to remedy certain complications. Keeping a watchful eye and being prepared will help a breeder provide the needed response to deal with a situation. This drastically improves the chances of having a successful litter that will survive birthing and grow healthily.
In some instances, a kitten may appear to be born without life at all. This may be regarded as still-born to the unaware but this may not be what it seems. Rather, the lifeless kitten may be experiencing a state of shock and has stopped breathing. The maternal instinct of the mother should see her attend to the kittens face immediately but in some cases this may not happen at all. At this point, it is the responsibility of the breeder to step in and provide assistance.
