Expert: Jessica - 10/8/2010

Question
There is a tomcat that is feral and I have been feeding all of them.  A feral mother brought her kittens and they are 12 weeks old.  I saw him go to the kitten nest and I chased him away.  Am really concerned that he might hurt them although they are healthy, lively kittens.  I fed their mom well and they look & act like normal kittens.  Is it still possible that he might harm them.  I am sure he is the father of one of them

Answer
Hi Marilynn,

Tomcats can be a little unpredictable, but in general, they are not going to gravely harm kittens at 12 weeks of age.  Toms are the biggest threat to newborns who are very actively nursing, just a few weeks old, and some toms won't hurt newborns at all.  By the time they are 6-8 weeks old, toms will generally not seek out to kill kittens.  However, as always, cats can be territorial, and an adult male will always be a threat to a kitten due to his size.  

Chances are the tom was just being curious, and he will need to get to know these kittens if they are all to be part of a colony together.  In that case, the sooner, the better - young kittens are easier to introduce than older ones.  But introductions should be done cautiously where possible so that the little ones don't suffer too much aggression at the hand of a much larger male.

Also, try to have dad neutered ASAP.  Testosterone will get the better of him as the kittens mature, and you will have fighting cats on your hands in another few months (as well as an exploding feral population!).

Best wishes!

Jessica