Expert: Norman Auspitz - 4/20/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi.  My cat just had 6 kittens 3 days ago.  They all seem to be healthy and eating like they should be.  My question is about the mother cat separating the kittens.  When I went to check on them this evening, she had taken 3 of the kittens out of the nest and left 3 in the nest.  Is this normal behavior?  All 6 still appeared to be just fine.

ANSWER: Lori,

I think she wanted to move the whole litter but changed her mind.  You will have to keep an eye on her and make sure all the kittens are with her.  Are the kittens in a safe, warm place?  They should be away from other pets and small children.

It is not unusual early on for a mama to decide to move the kittens to what is perceived by her to be a better place.  Unfortunately, they do not always have such a place picked out, so they are no longer sure of what they want to do.

Please let me know if she persists in this behavior.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I understand that mother cats move the kittens when they feel they need to be in a safer place. I have her and the kittens in a room by themselves.  She delivered them on a blanket in the middle of the room. I placed several different things in the room for her to choose from.  A large cardboard box, a wicker basket, a kitten cube, and a nice fluffy blanket that I shaped with the edges higher.  She remained in the blanket for the first day or two after giving birth (I changed it out with a fresh one).  Then, she moved them into the kitten cube.  I thought this made sense. Yesterday, when I went in to check on them - she was in the blanket nest nursing 3 of the babies, and the other 3 were in the cube.  I went and checked her a couple of hours later, and she was still there with the same 3.  I switched them out and went to bed.  This morning, she was in the blanket nursing the same 3 that I had placed with her.  She got up when I opened the door, so I put all of them into the cube again.  Since that time, I have been told that I should not touch/handle them.  I will try to keep from that.  I just don't want her to be overwhelmed with them and only take care of half.  Should I do anything, or just keep watch?  Thanks!

Answer
Lori,

First of all, whosoever told you that you should not handle the kittens is not correct!  The kittens need to be handled by you and others early on so they can get used to human contact.

The thing I would not have done is to change the blanket right away, but give it an extra day or two. However, what is done is done!

When you have all 6 kittens with her are they all nursing?  Are the 3 she appears to stay away from gaining weight?  If not, you may need to supplement them.  To weigh them, I would use a digital postal scale.

For now, keep an eye on them and see what transpires.  It is possible she is in the process of rejecting the 3 wayward kittens for some reason or another that she knows but we cannot sense yet.  Mama cats know about these things.

Please keep me apprised of the situation and come back to me with any further questions.

Best regards... Norm.