Weaning kittens - Queen going nuts

I have to wean my 5 5 week old kittens because their mother is trying to kill them. she tried choking 3 of them yesterday and almost killed one yesterday evening from suffocating her.
I have given her 3 chances since then to go in with them and keep her cool, but she doesn't. she'll lick them a few times and then grab the underside of their necks(like lions with antelope) and pin them against the floor so they can't breathe.
She has done that EVERY time I let her back in...I don't trust her at all with them and definitely need to wean them so we don't lose one from her doin that, but when she isn't in the room with them, after about 10-15mins she stands at their door meowing really loud and it stresses them because they can't get to her and don't understand why(they are FINE when she isn't meowing, they are happy and comfortable,etc.).
What can I do to stop this?

you should know that I don't have another room I can keep her locked in until she gets over this.

thanks in advance!!

Are you sure she is trying to kills them and not just teaching them how to kill. Ziggy used to do that to her kittens, and (don't know how to describe this) hit them with her back paws while t=she had them held with her front paws, and yes, with her mouth around their throats. They would squeal, but eventually, she let them go. She was teaching them, that was all. If she wanted to kills them, then she would.

no, she literally just pins them against the floor so they can't breathe, when she let go of the one last night it made a HUGE gasp(my sister heard it from across the house it was that loud) of finally get air, the kitten was shaking uncontrollably and her eyes rolled back into her head after she let go and her throat was soaked.....if she is trying to teach them to kill, it's not the right way to teach them by killing THEM!!!

OMG.

With the weaning, how far have you got? Try soaking some kitten kibble in some KMR, try putting some softened kibble on the end of your finger and see if they will lick it off. Also, try putting some milk in a bowl or on a plate to se if they will lap it up. I've heard people mention baby food (onion free) to help with weaning.

Just a question. How is she when they are nursing? Assuming they still nurse, or are you giving them KMR?

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

Are you sure she is trying to kills them and not just teaching them how to kill. Ziggy used to do that to her kittens, and (don't know how to describe this) hit them with her back paws while t=she had them held with her front paws, and yes, with her mouth around their throats. They would squeal, but eventually, she let them go. She was teaching them, that was all. If she wanted to kills them, then she would.

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This is how Raven "played" with Jack when we first got him, I thought maybe it was a domminance thing?

Originally Posted by purplexxpassion

no, she literally just pins them against the floor so they can't breathe, when she let go of the one last night it made a HUGE gasp(my sister heard it from across the house it was that loud) of finally get air, the kitten was shaking uncontrollably and her eyes rolled back into her head after she let go and her throat was soaked.....if she is trying to teach them to kill, it's not the right way to teach them by killing THEM!!!

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That sounds scary.

I am thinking that either she IS trying to teach them to kill and doesn't realize she is being too rough or else she is trying to kill them because something is wrong with them. The mother will kill the kittens if she feels there is something wrong with them. I highly doubt she is killing them just for the heck of it.

Originally Posted by Jen

I am thinking that either she IS trying to teach them to kill and doesn't realize she is being too rough or else she is trying to kill them because something is wrong with them. The mother will kill the kittens if she feels there is something wrong with them. I highly doubt she is killing them just for the heck of it.

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True, I didn't think of that but know it happens. Have they been vet checked recently? You might want to consider it if you haven't.

OMG.

With the weaning, how far have you got? Try soaking some kitten kibble in some KMR, try putting some softened kibble on the end of your finger and see if they will lick it off. Also, try putting some milk in a bowl or on a plate to se if they will lap it up. I've heard people mention baby food (onion free) to help with weaning.

Just a question. How is she when they are nursing? Assuming they still nurse, or are you giving them KMR?

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they have been on KMR for about a week now, they're doing great. thank you for the baby food thing, I didn't know about that

I am thinking that either she IS trying to teach them to kill and doesn't realize she is being too rough or else she is trying to kill them because something is wrong with them. The mother will kill the kittens if she feels there is something wrong with them. I highly doubt she is killing them just for the heck of it.

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the kittens were checked by a vet a few days after birth and are doing great..she has been just fine with them up until recently. I read that some cats will kill their kittens if they are born at a bad time of year, if they see a tom cat, feel their kittens are in danger, if there's been a disturbance in the nest, if they don't have enough food...but none of these things are right with her except the kittens being born at a bad time of year, but they're all inside and it's nice and warm and safe. They also said some cats have problems turning off their hunting instinct with their kittens and will "hunt" their kittens but I don't think she's doing that. Another thing is that sometimes the birthing and kittens don't trigger the maternal instict, but I don't know.
She has been a good mother up till now.

and she's fine if they are nursing, but any time they aren't she wants to do the choking thing.


Does anybody have any ideas on how I can stop the meowing though? that is really what I want to know, lol. It's causing stress on the kittens that isn't there when she's quiet..

I am talking about things wrong with them that you can't see in a general check up. Such as FeLV or FIV or something genetically wrong with them.

I'm thinking you should go to the vet and have their bloods taken. Do you know who the daddy cat is? He could be a carrier of a disease. And is your mum cat up to date with her shots? Or is there any way the disease could have been brough to the kittens - Has mum been outside? Have any outdoor cats been around the kittens?

As for the meowing, I think you'd have to grin and bear it. I don't know of anyway to stop that, except distract her attention by playing or something.

We don't mean to worry you, but this could be the case.

Originally Posted by sadieandziggy

I'm thinking you should go to the vet and have their bloods taken. Do you know who the daddy cat is? He could be a carrier of a disease. And is your mum cat up to date with her shots? Or is there any way the disease could have been brough to the kittens - Has mum been outside? Have any outdoor cats been around the kittens?

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Just taking them to the vet in the first place is where they could also have been exposed to something. They were so young and their immune systems not even developed yet.

We don't know who the dad is, she was a stray that came to us pregnant. Yes she's UTD on her shots and she was also negative for FelV No outdoor cats have been anywhere near the kittens and the mom hasn't been outside since she came to us(in september).

yeah I've been trying to distract her and it does seem to be working now. now she is mainly just laying by the door but not meowing or acting upset. yaay

I understand there could be something wrong with the kittens, but this could also easily be a case of a confused mother..the vet said(when he saw her) that this looked like her first pregnancy. That would make sense if she was confused on what to do.
Another thing is the kittens don't have any symptoms of FelV or anything other symptoms that might point to a problem. they are happy, energetic, eating great, their potty is normal,etc. I don't think I need to just race them off to our vet(he charges $72 per kitten to just SEE them, not counting any shots,tests,etc. he is super spendy with things but the best vet) because their mother is acting funky. Don't get me wrong, if they at any time start acting different, like becoming lethargic, losing their appetite,etc. they will be taken IMMEDIATELY to the vet..but since they aren't I don't really see any reason to except that their moms not being that great of a mother, why stress them out and make them go through a car ride without their mother? they've just lost their mom..I don't think it'd be fair(unless they were acting weird)

thank you guys though for keeping me aware of what problems it might be, I wrote down the symptoms of FelV and other problems on a piece of paper and pinned it to their door so I can go back to that and see if any of them have symptoms.

She could just be a crappy mom in general! (thats what Im hoping for) Umm, maybe you can take ONE kitten in and have it tested that way it wouldn't be so expensive but you would still know if there is any genetic problem or whatever! Let us know!