It Just Totally Amazes Me....

kittkatt

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That a Momma cat instinctively knows that she has to "eat" all that gunk that is attached to the baby when it's born, and that she also has to eat the afterbirth!
It also amazes me that the babies know where to go to get fed, after they are born!


The miracle of birth & motherhood is truly an amazing thing!


~KK~
 

mrblanche

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Instinct is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

But in fact, eating all that "yuck" is an important boost in protein for the cat, who is under a great deal of nutritional stress.
 

marianjela

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Instinct is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

But in fact, eating all that "yuck" is an important boost in protein for the cat, who is under a great deal of nutritional stress.
Actually, dogs and cats eat the placenta because their wild ancestors did (instinct). The mom would be unable to hunt for a bit, and so she would need a quick meal, as well as cleaning up so that the remains would not attract other predators.

So it does provide a meal, but for a house cat that doesnt need to worry about hunting.... I do not let my moms eat the placenta if I can help it, but mostly because I dont like cleaning the litter that results!
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by Marianjela

Actually, dogs and cats eat the placenta because their wild ancestors did (instinct). The mom would be unable to hunt for a bit, and so she would need a quick meal, as well as cleaning up so that the remains would not attract other predators.

So it does provide a meal, but for a house cat that doesnt need to worry about hunting.... I do not let my moms eat the placenta if I can help it,
That's interesting, and something I didn't know. I figured the Momma HAD to eat the afterbirth, for extra nutrition. If I would have known it wasn't necessary for an indoor cat, I guess I wouldn't have let her eat it..



but mostly because I dont like cleaning the litter that results!
THAT would explain the horrible smelly mess that Salem deposited in the litterbox the next day!


~KK~
 

lindsey88

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I didn't know that about the placentas. Sophie and Olive ate all the placentas...And they did have very stinky poops the next day.
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by Lindsey88

I didn't know that about the placentas. Sophie and Olive ate all the placentas...And they did have very stinky poops the next day.
I didn't know, either.


That just one of the reasons I love TCS!
You learn something new just about every day!


~KK~
 

zoethor2

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Isn't it amazing the instincts they have?

I'm amazed that mommy is going to take care of teaching them to eat and use the litter box. How fabulous!

All of it is just really amazing... that she can go into labor, deliver her kittens, take care of them, snip their umbilical cord, and know how to nurse them! And then it just continues... she knows to make them poop and pee and whatnot.

And when you think how much help we human-types get when we give birth! Kitty definitely doesn't have the option for an epidural!
 

jillie

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It makes you wonder sometimes, how advanced we actually are, huh?
 

marianjela

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Makes me happy I'm not a cat! Then again... mom cat just has to lay there while she nurses her litter.

But personally, I'd rather do diapers!

What I am extremely amazed over, is how the kitten instinctively knows how to find it's mother's milk - using only it's sense of smell, and sometimes before it is even detached from it's mother's rear end!
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by Jillie

It makes you wonder sometimes, how advanced we actually are, huh?
I've always said that animals are smarter than people!


~KK~
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by Marianjela

But personally, I'd rather do diapers!
Me too!
Everytime I see Salem clean the babies' bottoms, I just cringe. YUCK!!


~KK~
 

gaylemg

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Rags ate all 6 placentas, but I didn't notice any stinky poo.

Maybe I just had some really good litter in the box!
 
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