# Non-human abortions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 11, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275 "2006-06-11T04:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jebus\_H.Christ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Jebus\_H.Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jebus_H.Christ)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/1 "2006-06-11T04:27:13Z")
Have abortions ever been performed on any species other than humans? How common are they? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/2 "2006-06-11T04:31:09Z")
I believe some vets will give abortions to cats, IIRC. For instance, I knew a woman who ran a foster home for stray cats on her horse farm-she’d take cats in as soon as they were old enough, or big enough to be fixed, and sometimes, if they were pregnant, they’d terminate the pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![Chotii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Chotii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chotii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/3 "2006-06-11T04:45:09Z")
It’s common to spay a pregnant cat or dog, if the litter is unwanted and no further litters are ever going to be wanted. I know of some diseases (such as brucellosis) that cause abortion in cattle and bison, but these are certainly not caused deliberately. I suppose they _could_ be used as a sort of range-war weapon between cattlemen, but since wild animals can carry the disease (I’m thinking deer, elk), it’d be akin to any other use of biological weaponry. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/4 "2006-06-11T05:00:36Z")
Anyone know if there are there any animals that are able to abort pregnancies on their own? ---
**Author:** ![Chotii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Chotii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chotii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/5 "2006-06-11T05:42:32Z")
As in, through deliberate action? I’ve never heard of such a thing. But, rabbits will reabsorb a pregnancy if their living conditions are too crowded. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/6 "2006-06-11T05:47:41Z")
> [@Chotii](#): > > As in, through deliberate action? I’ve never heard of such a thing. > > But, rabbits will reabsorb a pregnancy if their living conditions are too crowded. Yes, deliberately. I think that about the rabbits might count. Fascinating, can you provide a cite? ---
**Author:** ![Chotii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@Chotii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chotii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/7 "2006-06-11T06:22:06Z")
> [@Operation Ripper](#): > > Yes, deliberately. I think that about the rabbits might count. Fascinating, can you provide a cite? Well, I wouldn’t call this a peer-reviewed medical journal, but do see this page (written by a rabbit breeder): “…Fetal resorption is nature’s way of controlling the rabbit population. Rabbits have the ability to reabsorb the soft tissue of an unborn fetus during periods of inadequate nutrition or stress. The retained fetus is seldom toxic to the doe but may leave her unable to conceive again. I have seen does conceive and pass the mummified fetus along with a live litter.” From: [http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/having\_baby\_bunnies\_questions.htm](http://www.barbibrownsbunnies.com/having_baby_bunnies_questions.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-human-abortions/360275/8 "2006-06-11T18:08:15Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s common to spay a pregnant cat or dog, if the litter is unwanted and no further litters are ever going to be wanted. One the cats who lives with my mom had to be spayed while pregnant. The vet said that he’s ordinarily reluctant to do so, but this particular cat had sexually matured before she had grown enough in size (which is why we didn’t realize to spay her earlier), and she probably wouldn’t have been able to survive giving birth. She did seem somewhat confused by it, though: After that point, she insisted on “mothering” the smallest cat in the house, despite that cat being four years her senior.