Feline Postnatal Complication

Can you help me to understand what happened to my grown daughter's cat?  She delivered a healthy litter on Easter. (7 weeks ago) She was a little thin and had an insatiable appetite.  She'd been nursing 5 robust kittens - almost weaned now.  

Yesterday the queen had some vomiting and diarrhea.  She was taken to the vet this morning and was told she had tissue growing around her stomach,  approximately 6 times more than normal. First they thought there was a retained kitten but an ultrasound showed this large amount of tissue surrounding the stomach organ.  Could this be uterine tissue that attached and grew around the stomach?

They could not be certain unless they opened her up surgically.  They were told that it is a fairly common problem after delivery where there is this tissue build-up.  Also, the queen was 9 months old and was told this growth happens more often in young cats following delivery.

Sadly to say she had to be put to sleep because the bill would have been $2000.00 - for starters!

So what is this condition called as described above?  She can't remember what the vet said.  She is devastated, as am I.

BTW - her litter will be ok.  They were only nursing for naps.  

Thank you.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I am so sorry about your daughter's cat!

Idiopathic intussusception is most common in cats under a year of age.  It is a post diarrhea complication which decreases with age, but can still occur in older cats.  Idiopathic means of unknown cause.  No one knows why the intestines telescope into each other to cause an intussusception.  Pregnancy temporarily alters the anatomy of the abdomen.   The stress of birthing contractions may have been a contributing factor to the intussusception in your daughter's cat's case.

I am really glad that the kittens survived!

[Karen99]

FYI - after further clarification, this unfortunate queen had Intestinal Intussusception.

Sorry, my facts were mixed up when asking this question.

An necropsy showed that there was significant necrosis.

This cat went from good to real bad in 24 hours.  Showed no signs of pain with just a few episodes of vomiting and diarrhea before she could be taken to the vet.