Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Aggrivating Kitten Behavior

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 6/25/2008


Question
Through a mishap, we have become nursemaid to newborn kittens--bottle feeding them and helping them to defecate. Ack! But...here's our aggravation. One is a male and one is a female. The male is a very aggressive kitten and from about 3 weeks on he has been exhibiting a strange behavior we can't figure out. He goes after the bottom of the female, licking and stimulating her till she messes herself up completely. She doesn't do that to him. We almost have to keep them separate to keep this from happening. They are now about a month old, but we hate to keep them apart all the time. What is the deal here?

Answer
Karen,

It is common to have uncommon behavior from kittens that were weaned too early. They miss out on learning correct kitty behavior from their mom. Plus they miss out on the frequent lickings that mom gives them which gives them comfort and security.

Two kittens, even from the same litter may be completely different personality, behavior, and temperment wise. Kittens can have different fathers even though they are from the same litter. A mother cat can have a kitten from each tom that bred her during her cycle.

Try to keep them together as much as possible. It will help them feel comforted if they have each other. It is not abnormal (though disgusting) what the male is doing. He is getting the comfort from the female that he should have gotten from mom, and she is also getting comfort from him doing it. It is not sexual. Just a little unorthadox but not uncommon. If it doesn't make too much of a mess, and the female kitten doesn't mind, I would turn my back and let nature guide them. They will grow out of it when they get older. The messing on herself is just a stimulation reaction.

It sounds as if they have had a rough start so I wouldn't deprive them of the little comfort they can get from each other by keeping them apart. Have you tried putting some soft, plush stuffed animals in with them? That may help.

It's a very nice thing you are doing for the babies caring for them like that. They are lucky kitties!

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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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.

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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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