If your mother cat has started behaving aggressively towards her kittens, you may be wondering why she is acting this way...
Why does my cat mom hate her kitten?
The number one reason a cat mom hates her kitten is because she gets over it. When kittens reach a certain age, the mother seems to hate them. Their instincts tell them that it's time for kittens to broaden their horizons and do things for themselves.
So now you know. But what can you do to protect your kittens? Will a mother cat abandon her kittens? Could it harm them or even eat them? Read on for these answers and more...
Satisfied show
Do cat moms lose their maternal love over time?
Cat moms lose maternal love. Over time, a mother cat will no longer feel the need to tend to your every need and will likely want some alone time sleeping.
Their aggressiveness will likely decrease over time. However, knowing that they are no longer dependent on her, she won't be as motherly towards them as she used to be.
3 Signs A Cat Mom Hates Her Kittens:
Here are some telltale signs that a mother cat has had enough and is starting to hate her kittens:
- She gets angry:If the mother cat doesn't love her kittens, she may seem irritable or distressed when they are around. She may even hiss or growl at them to indicate she is irritated.
- She is more aggressive:She can become more aggressive than just hissing when the kittens bother her. This can involve hitting, biting, or even fighting.
- She stopped caring about them:Mother cats often snuggle with their kittens to make sure they are warm. You will also do things to take care of them like feeding and feeding them. If you've stopped showing your maternal instincts, chances are you don't like your kittens anymore.
What can you do to protect your kitten from its mother?
If you intend to keep the kittens and the mother doesn't seem enthusiastic about them, then this is an optionanother catthe owners used to neuter them. They claim that a mother cat is more likely to accept the kittens after they are neutered.
And some would say that if you don't plan on rebuilding it, it would be a good idea to fix it too.
However, if the kittens are not old enough to be neutered, it is a good idea to keep them separate from the mother cat if joint supervision is not possible.
Will a mother cat hurt her own kitten?
A mother cat can harm her own kitten. it is normalsee a cat whistling at her kittens. It's his way of communicating and when he whistles he's telling them something.
In most cases you shouldn't intervene in this case, but you should keep an eye on them to make sure they don't go too far.
Cat behavior is very different from human behavior, so some of the mother's behavior can seem almost abusive to us. In most cases, a disgruntled mother cat has no intention of harming her kitten.
Some mothers can become overly aggressive, so you need to intervene to make sure the kitten doesn't get hurt.
Is it true that some mother cats ate their own kittens?
There have been cases where mother cats have eaten their own kittens. Some mother cats have hormonal imbalances that may cause them to reject their kittens as their own. When this happens, they fall into a state of mental anguish and see their kittens as a threat, attacking them or even eating them.
Sometimes when a kitten is sick or has died, the mother's instinct is to eat it to get the kitten out of the other kittens' room.
Another reason they might eat your kittens is if they have been taken away from where they were born. The mother chose this place as a safe place to hide her young. If she feels they are no longer safe, she can kill them.
Do mother cats abandon their kittens?
A scared kitten.
It is normal for mothers to abandon their kittens when they reach a certain age as the kittens are old enough to fend for themselves. A female cat can conceive twice a year, giving birth to an average of 4 kittens per litter each time.
If the mother cat doesn't abandon her kittens, she will end up being chased by dozens of cats. Not only would this use up your energy, it would use up all of your food. For her own survival, a feral cat mother will abandon her kittens when they are old enough.
That's why it may seem like your cat hates your kittens, but that's just your instinct. Even if you have enough food in your pantry to feed all your cats for months, they will still see you as a threat to their food supply.
How to care for newborn kittens and mother cat:
After the kittens are born, the first 3 weeks are crucial for the mother and her babies. Here are some tips:
01. Comfortable environment
You need to make sure they have a comfortable environment as these kittens grow quickly and the mother needs rest.
02. Pay attention to them
To keep new kittens calm, always watch the mother's pace. Read it for the characters.
03. Keep them warm and cozy
Kittens catch cold easily, so try to give them things they find comforting. Soft and warm blankets are always welcome to cuddle. If you have heat lamps.or heating pad (Click here for reviews, on Amazon #Ad), they appreciate them too.
Most cat moms are comfortable keeping their kittens in a large box. You can make it more comfortable by lining it with towels.
04. Have them checked
Always make sure you take the mother and her babies to the vet for a health check, it's a good idea to make an appointment within a week of birth.
Do stray cat moms hate their kittens when they grow up?
It may seem that feral cats hate their kittens when they grow up, but that is not the case. A mother cat knows she only has to care for her kittens until they are old enough to fend for themselves.
From a certain age, the kittens are chased away for territorial reasons, regardless of whether they are strays orwild cat. This is primarily to prevent inbreeding and maintain their food supply.
How can you teach your mother cat to stop being aggressive?
To train your cat to be less aggressive, make sure she has her own food and water, as well as her own litter box. That way, he's less likely to see the kittens as a threat.
Until you realize that these kittens are not a threat to their habitat, try to organize your home so that they can be protected.Baby Gates (Click here for reviews, on Amazon #Ad)and separate bedrooms help.
It's natural for the mother cat to be aggressive, but these are simple things you can do to help her stay calm. First you need to understand that this is a hormonal behavior and a completely natural instinct.
Try not to get mad at her for being territorial as she doesn't want to be spiteful.
The mother cat is likely to be less aggressive if she has her own supplies. As the kittens mature, the mother is likely to be more accepting of them.
Can kittens stay with their mother forever?
is not in oneInstincts of the mother catto keep your kittens forever. If you plan to keep any or all of your kittens, you may need to keep an eye on the mother's behavior towards them.
While some people recommend separating them, the mother can forget about the kitten's smell and become unfamiliar with him.
To avoid this, let them spend time together but always supervised until the mother becomes accustomed to the kitten on her territory.
FAQs
Why does my mother cat hate her kittens? ›
This is natural behavior for cats. The kittens are now old enough to live on their own and the mother chases them away for several reasons: This is the territory of the mother.
Why would a mother cat be mean to her kittens? ›If a mother cat is threatened by other cats, people, excessive noise or other stressful situations she may abandon her kittens or develop aggressive tendencies towards them. First-time mothers may also be more prone to behavior problems.
How do you know if your mother cat is rejecting her kittens? ›If you see that the mother ignores certain kittens, refusing to allow them to nurse, she is rejecting those kittens. Another sign of rejection is when a mother moves one or more of the kittens to a different location from the nest to isolate them. She also may hiss at the kittens or try to bite them.
Why is mother cat hissing at her kittens? ›They Are Protective of Their Kittens
Mother cats may hiss at someone who comes too close to her kittens. Even cats that have been well socialized may hiss at you if you come too close to their babies. Sometimes mother cats will hiss at her kittens to teach them how to respond in situations where they feel threatened.
A mother cat is, by nature, very protective of its kittens and it is not her instinct to kill her own babies. However, there are certain circumstances under which the mother cat sometimes kills her kittens in self-defense or for survival. These instances are very rare, and definitely not common in the feline community.
Why is my cat biting and kicking her kittens? ›Cats often bite during play because they are expressing their natural hunting instinct. For kittens, biting and bunny-kicking are normal play behaviours. They play like this with their littermates and mothers and it mimics how they pounce, grab and bite their prey.
Are mom cats sad when you take their kittens? ›While it may feel like a mother cat will be upset that her kittens will be taken away, cats don't think the same way people do. It's natural for a mother cat to begin weaning her kittens around four to five weeks of age, and they'll be fully weaned around 10 or 12 weeks.
Is it normal for a mother cat to leave her newborn kittens? ›A Mother cat will leave her kittens for hours at a time. She will NOT return if you are standing over her kittens. The mother cat offers her kittens' best chance for survival, so wait and watch as long as you can. The best food for the kittens is their mother's milk.
How long can newborn kittens survive without their mother? ›Unfortunately, orphaned kittens less than 4 weeks old cannot live without their mother, and must be bottle fed around the clock in order to survive. Thankfully, most discoveries of newborn kittens do not call for human assistance, and in fact, leaving Mom and her family alone is generally the best thing you can do.
What does Karo syrup do for kittens? ›Now that your kitten is warming up it's time to raise his blood sugar. Give him an immediate dose of Karo syrup. If you don't have Karo (corn syrup) you can use real sugar dissolved into a thick paste, maple syrup or something similar.
Why won't my cat stay with her newborn kittens? ›
Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours, so it's likely your cat won't want to leave them for the first week or so. They also rely on her for protection and warmth, so she'll need to stay close to them. Once the kittens are a little more independent she will be able to go outside again.
How do mother cats punish kittens? ›Cat mothers teach proper conduct and rules of behavior by conveying “no” by the sounds she makes or with her body language. If the tiger cub gets too excited and bites her too hard, or does something wrong, mom will hold him down and if he still acts up, a snarl is her next way of saying a harsh “no!”
Do mother cats remember their kittens? ›Mother cats don't remember their kittens once separated from them. Mother cats recognize their kitten's smell and cry till the time they remain together. Once they are separated from each other, mother cats forget their kittens after 10 to 12 weeks.
How long does it take a mother cat to forget her kittens? ›In general, once the kittens are able to go to a new home at age 12 weeks, you may notice your mother cat meowing and showing "seeking" behavior for the missing kittens, but at most this will last a few days and then she'll be back to normal.
Why do mother cats disown their kittens? ›Mother cats will abandon their cats if they suspect illness or deformities. This reason why mother cats abandon their kittens is often most common, especially in situations where a mother cat abandons a kitten and cares for the remaining kittens.
Can cats be mean to kittens? ›Cats usually deal with "intruders" by trying to avoid them, and only display overt aggression as a last resort. Your cat should have a safe place to get away from the new kitten until they have gotten comfortable with each other. Provide your older cat with areas outside the kitten's reach where only it can go.
Do mother cats get jealous of their kittens? ›Cats can get jealous of newborn babies because they're no longer the center of attention. With major life changes like a baby, routines can change drastically and some cats may show stress-related behaviors including a bit of jealousy.