Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Cat's first litter

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/20/2008


Question
Our cat has just had her first litter and she's been acting a bit strange. She keeps leaving them and following us around meowing they are only a few hours old. Is this normal?

Answer
Barbara,

With first time mothers you can expect any kind of bizzare behavior. Some cats are maternal and some don't quite know what to do about them.

Give her a can of food by the kittens and some water. A nursing mother needs free choice kitten chow for the extra protein. And she will eat about 4 times their normal amount of food to put back what the babies take out of her and for good milk production. I gave mine 3 cans a day plus the dry food.

She should be OK then.

If you have more questions don't hesitate to send a followup.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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