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Cats/Nursing Queen back in heat how likly is it she might hurt the kittens.

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Expert: - 5/26/2009


Question
A stray showed up  and was to far along to spay. The kittens are 4 weeks and 3 days old. I noticed yesterday she was putting her rump in the air and treading her back legs. she just seems to do it when I'm in the room, Could she be back in heat? They are all indoors so there won't be any chance of her getting bred.

Is there a possibility she might kill her kittens? They have their teeth and will eat canned kitten food or mushed up dry kitten food.

Answer
Nancy,

It's very possible that your queen is back in season, but there isn't any need to worry about her hurting the kittens if she hasn't shown any sign of aggression towards them yet. I would still recommend allowing mom to wean her babies on her own and socialize them until they're 10 weeks old. The reason that I recommend kittens stay with their mom until they're 10 weeks old is because a mother cat is a far more effective teacher than a person and she can teach her little ones how to read feline body language and respond appropriately, how to hunt, pounce on and kill prey, how to defend themselves, use the litter box and measure their force when the little ones play with her and their siblings. These lessons transfer over to people as well, provided that we don't undo the queen's teachings by allowing the kittens to bite or scratch any human body parts or treat us as prey by stalking and pouncing or otherwise making use of their hunting skills. If you'd like more information about kitten socialization and development I'd be more than happy to help you to the best of my ability.

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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