When will I be able to hold my cat's newborn kittens? That could possibly cause her to attack her older kittens. Required fields are marked *. Its possible that visitors who are familiar and non-threatening will be granted diplomatic immunity, but strangers, people who dont respect their cats, and uninvited members of the same or different species may be rejected outright. A third way is if the mother cat is not cuddling with the kittens. 2. The most common reason why mother cats become aggressive toward their kittens is weaning. Even if the other cat is nowhere near her kittens, she may chase him away. there is an unusual situation that occurs sometimes after a mother cat gives birth where she goes into a false heat and starts to give off the scent of a cat in heat. So, give her some space during this adjustment period. As soon as the kittens are born, mom licks the kittens to remove the amniotic sacs from around their . They dont like strangers and they dont like change. Your veterinarian will check your cat for any apparent medical problems. Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pets diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This may help the mother recover and can decrease or remove nervous behaviors such as abandonment or repetitive movement of the kittens. Some people worry that a mother cat who is being aggressive toward her kittens might reject them or abandon them. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Mother cats consider themselves entirely responsible for keeping their kittens safe. Our Happy Cat: Mom Cat Growls/Hisses/Meows at Kittens. Itll be crucial to provide a detailed account of your cats actions, with any escalation or adjustments. Some mother cats growl at their kittens to show them who is boss. Shes feeling protective of her kittens, Other Reasons Mother Cat Is Growling at Her Newborn Kittens. The kittens were crying so it must have been hurting them.We took the mother cat away from them for a few minutes then we let her back in to see them. Some cats growl as a way of communicating their feelings, and others growl simply because they are irritated. Check to see whether the kittens are nursing. When a cat becomes a mother, even the sweetest, most friendly feline can transform into a hissing, growling lunatic. Your cats will be a lot happier if they have control of their surroundings. What just happened? you wonder to your mama cat. Why Do New Mother Cats Move Their Kittens & Meow a Lot? Some of the hostility will disappear as the kittens grow older and more self-sufficient, but you can help in the meanwhile by lowering stress for all of the cats. A sweet tripod mother cat brings her kittens to her owner to help take care of in an amazingly adorable . A video of a cat mom cuddling her newborn kittens has gone viral after the owner shared it on Reddit on Thursday, leaving people in tears, happy tears. The sudden presence of smaller and more helpless babies in her life can make her feel that she needs to protect them from the rest of the family. Postnatal care of a mother cat and her newborn kittens is crucial after she has given birth, and your observational skills are essential during this delicate time. ; Catherine Davidson. If a kitten strays too far from the nest, a hissing mother will let it know that it needs to return immediately. Also read: Why is Mother Cat Panting While Nursing? Immediately After Birth. Soon after birth, look at the kittens. While you think you're just being friendly, mom may not see it this way. 1 Dehydration and malnourishment will also affect milk supply. This is usually not the case. Now! Its a normal behavior and nothing that tells you to remove the babies from her. Make sure your cats have enough food and water; set up one litter box per cat, plus one spare, in different places. Since it's in her natural instinct to keep her kittens safe, her actions make sense. And, yes, it is for us. Whew! If the mother cat is rejecting her kittens, there is a good chance that the kittens will also reject each other and may not be able to survive. Make an effort to divide your time between your cats; you will need to give more reassurance to your resident cat than normal. She is a professional member of the Cat Writers' Association, won the prestigious PurinaOne Health Award for her writing. Really, shes doing the best she can for them. It is not uncommon for cats to growl after birth. Diagnosed with splenic hemangiosar Finally, cats have been known to growl for no particular reason, which means you have been neglecting your feline friend recently. But you gotta admit that their purring has the power to calm us, heal us and make us feel loved. There are a few reasons why your cat may be growling at her newborn kittens. Interlopers are perceived as threats to the kittens by the mother, who needs to establish a safe zone for her brood. Another sign of rejection is when a mother Some people believe that mother cats should be gentle with their kittens, as they are growing and developing. They occasionally ignore the signal that its time to pack up and leave Mama. If she feels like her babies are being disturbed or in danger, she'll move them to a quieter location. A mother cat could be growling at her newborn kittens because she senses that one or more of them is sick or injured. It might be enough for you to observe and be present with the mother cat and her kittens in order to encourage feedings and cleanings in the case of inattentive mothers that are not aggressive. Unfortunately, their litter is only around for a short period of time. A calm, quiet space for your mother cats nest should also be given. Ultimately, it is up to the mother cat to decide how rough she will be with her kittens. In some cases, she will not produce enough milk for her kittens. 3. This might be a separate room or a large crate or kennel that is equipped with all of the things they need, such as a bed, litter box, food and water dishes, and toys. Kittens can quickly get flea anemia, so it's really important to keep momma, kittens and the bedding area flea-free.Use a flea product such as Revolution, Advantage or Frontline on mom only. Mama notices her kittens are nearly adults and thinks its time for them to wean themselves from her, so she lets out a mama-hiss and a growl that means, OK, kiddos! Its time to get out and get your own place! She can see when theyre about to be more self-sufficient. Fading kitten syndrome occurs when a kitten fails to thrive. If you notice one of the kittens is generally more lethargic and sleeping a lot more than its siblings, it can be a sign of the syndrome. there are several reasons why she may be doing it. The strong licking also helps stimulate the kitten's circulation. The third stage of labor is a period of rest between kittens. Shell let them know when its time to wean, which is generally about six weeks. Must Read: Why Is My Pregnant Cat So Mean And Aggressive? What do you do when your cat growls at a new kitten? She may growl or hiss at them as a way of telling them to calm down. Take a break or go outside to enjoy. 2. American Animal Hospital Association. So, she strikes at the source of the disturbance which in this case is coming from the older kittens. Shes doing the best thing possible for them, actually. Some of this protectiveness stems from a mothers love and care for her children. But the mom often comes to the kittens while they're playing and star at them before she sits away from them and sometimes growl. Separation Time From the time a kitten reaches adolescence -- somewhere between 10 to 12 weeks -- a mommy cat may still tolerate his presence and may even on occasion play with or show affection for her grown baby but at this point the relationship most often becomes one of kitty roommates. There could be a number of reasons why your cat is not taking care of her kittens. For the mother cat, this particular time is equally frightening and nerve-wracking. Stack clean towels to line it. The kittens are entirely dependant on her for warmth & nourishment. When the kittens were about 4 months old the mother started to be more aggressive towards them and now if she sees one within a few metres she will spit, hiss, growl and yowl angrily at it and even attack it. There could be many reasons why a mother cat might dislike her kittens. If she has been your pet for a while, she may welcome your visits. Allow the momma cat to deal with the kittens in her own way unless she is causing serious injury to them, which is not normal. In her absence, you will need to simulate this task with a warm, damp washcloth. This is one of the reasons why female cats in the wild often form colonies in order to protect their kittens from predators. This is the most sensitive time for new kittens (and her hormones are the strongest). If the mother cat is not around, you will need to help the kittens to urinate and defecate during their first few weeks of life. A low-pitched growl is usually a warning, telling the threat it needs to back . Your mommy cat has been caring for all of her kittens around the clock, feeding them, forcing them to go potty, washing them, and showing them how to use the litter box. In the wild, when the kittens begin to wean she'll move them closer to her favorite hunting grounds so she can teach them to hunt. 54,3 (2013): 292-4. Again, these cats are responding to an inborn survival mechanism intended to protect them from threats. But cats use hissing for several reasons. Allow your cats to separate themselves if they arent getting along, or safely diffuse the situation by talking loudly or clapping loudly. Franny Syufy is a cat expert with over two decades of experience writing about feline anatomy and medical conditions. There are a few things you can do to help ease the transition for all involved. A sick cat may growl and lash out unintentionally owing to a lower tolerance threshold, as they are frequently in pain, anguish, and anger. Look at the Kittens. This can help the cat to feel more comfortable and secure in their new environment. Help the queen cat by setting up your household in a way that protects the kittens. Other times, when a mom cat sees her kittens as more competition for resources, its time to step in and offer a little extra one-on-one time to help ease any tensions. When shes weaned her boys, she decides its not in anyones best interests for them to stay, so shell growl and say, Chop, chop! Get out of here!. She may be feeling overwhelmed and stressed, especially if she is a first-time mother. What does a low growl from a cat mean? This selfless mentality is exemplified by a mother cat that repeatedly sacrificed her life to save her babies from a burning building. You come home from work to find they're gone. If it is happening suddenly and without warning, your cat could be in pain or under stress. How to treat maternal behavior problems in cats? Symptoms include seizures, staggering, muscle tremors, restlessness, and excessive panting. My cat is a first time mom and she had a litter of 3 kittens about 3 months ago. 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