Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Aggresive female cat

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 4/14/2009


Question
I have two year and a half old cats that have been together since they were 8 weeks old. One Male one female. She had a litter of two kittens about a month ago.  The male would curl up with her in the nest and the four of them would sleep or clean each other.  Tonight the male cat tried to jump into the box (nest) and the female cat went crazy.  She rolled him out of the box and chased him around the house.  She even attacked mt 125 pound dog and got him running out of the room.  it's been hours and everytime she sees him she pounces beats the tar out of him and chases him around the house.  What, if anything, can or should i do.

Answer
Tim,

I would get the male fixed as soon as possible, and the female fixed when the kittens are eating solid food. A cat can get pregnant again as soon as 48 hours to 2 weeks after having kittens. The male cat may smell the female's 'kitten heat' and she is reacting to it.

For some reason she feels that the kittens are being threatened or in danger. I would try to keep the male away from the mom and kittens and let the mother settle down. Being stressed can affect her milk flow. For some reason she feels that the kittens are being threatened or in danger.

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.

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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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