Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Mother cat behavior

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/11/2009


Question
Hi,

  I really don't know what to do as I have 5 newborn kittens ( born on 20-6-2009 ), their mom moved them once and this time she moved them to a place that she obviously don't like, behind my TV !! now she is taking her kittens one by one and stand in the middle of the room for along while holding the kitten, and even sit holding the kitten too !!! it's really strange to see her do this, I thought she is trying to kill the poor kitten and she holds him from his neck for a very long time and walks around where she finally goes back to her place behind the TV !!

what should I do ??

Answer
Jazi,

Mother cats usually move their babies at least once. A couple of days ago someone brought me a baby kitten that was found in the middle of the street! The mother cat must have gotten scared and dropped it as she was moving it from where ever they were. Luckily I was fostering a mother and kittens so I just added it to hers.

I would fix a large box where she has room to move and won't lay on the babies and put it somewhere out of the way of people and see if she likes that. If not, try moving it somewhere else. Or put a blanket down somewhere (under the bed?), and try that. If not, she will put them where she wants and where she feels they will be safe.

If she is a first time mother then you can expect some bizarre behavior from her. That is normal.

Note: A cat can get pregnant as soon as 48 hours to 2 weeks after giving birth, so until you get her spayed watch out for tomcats!

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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