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Question
My cat has two two week old kittens, is it normal for her to play bite them all over and bash them with her back legs as if they are prey.
Hi Michele. Mothers are often playful with their kittens as they get closer to 3 and 4 weeks old and begin biting her ears and playing with her tail. Two weeks is a bit young, however. I'm not sure how rough mom is getting with the "rabbit kicks", but these could do the babies some damage if she's got them in a hold with her front paws. If the little ones are crying out as if they are afraid or hurt, you should definitely remove them from her permanently (or at least until 5-6 weeks or so) and bottle raise them, or see if a shelter has a nursing mother who could foster them for you. However, if the mother has really modified her behavior so that she's only going through the motions and the kittens aren't suffering any sort of impact, then it may be that she's just being playful with them. Although animals can be unpredictable, if the babies are quiet and interacting positively with her during these play times, it's probably best to leave the family together.
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| Comment | Thank you very much for your really quick answer, she seemed to settle with them after the play and fed them, I will keep my eye on her, as I was getting a rather worried when she was doing it. Thank you again. Michele | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Jessica
Expertise
The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.
Experience
I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.
Education/Credentials
15 years' hands-on experience
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