Litters range from one to eight kittens with three to four being the average.
We were recently alerted to a kitten that was stuck inside it's mother. This can be very very traumatic for mother and kittens. This may occur because the mother's uterus is too small or too weak, because the mother has an infection or is too fatigued, or because the kitten has died. If a kitten is in the canal for more than 15 minutes, the pressure on the umbilical cord can fatally deprive it of oxygen.
The mother had to have an emergency cesarean to try to save mum and kittens. Sadly the kittens didn't make it but the mother cat made it through and is very lucky to be alive.