What Makes a Good Mommy Cat?

belongstoevie

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Naturally, I've done some research on this topic, but everything I've read just says what they'll do, doesn't define a "good" mommy versus "bad".

My story: The X-Pack's mom "mommy" just doesn't seem to be a good mom. She doesn't seem bad, since the babies are healthy, but she sure doesn't seem good.

Reasons behind my thoughts:
I've had to supplement them since they were two weeks old. Could be because mommy is just so small, though.
She abandonded them. She did take right back to them when we caught her, though.
From the time they were 2 1/2 wks old, she would leave them for HOURS at a time.
She NEVER responded to their calls that we know of (not when we were in there, or when we weren't and were video taping). So they often went hungry until we got there. Is she smart enough to figure that since we were supplementing them, she didn't have to feed them?
If she's moody, she hisses at them and swats at them. Maybe she thinks they are us??
She stopped cleaning them a few days ago, before they were even a month old!
They are completely weaned now, but not by their choice. She avoids them like the plague, and has for the last few days.

I know moms tend to kick their babies out of the nest, but isn't 4 weeks a little early to do that?

The X-Pack is fine, so this is just informational for me. I'd love to know if I should expect this again if I foster a nursing mom again! What makes a "good" mommy cat?
 

jen

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Definitely not her! Pretty much everything she is doing makes are a non particularly good mom cat. Hopefully she is or is going to be spayed asap so she doesn't have to deal with that again. On the other hand, she may have a reason for it. They babies could have health issues you aren't aware of, or the mom might just be too young to have been having babies.
 

mews2much

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That Cat is a bad Mom. A good Mom protects her Kittens and takes care of them. My Coco was a very good Mom. Our Dog found that out the hard way.
 
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belongstoevie

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Thanks guys! I had been wondering. Wasn't sure if just because they were healthy that made her a good mom. Unless of course, as Jen mentioned, she is like this because they're not healthy! They seem fine, but you never know...

I probably should clarify, she is feral. Can a feral mom still be good and run away and leave them? Maybe I should ask that in the feral cat section!

Hopefully next time I'll get a good mommy cat, though I must admit I like that I'm like a second mom to them!
 

bnwalker2

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Some cats just don't make good mothers.

I've been lucky in that every foster cat I've had has been a VERY good mother. The first week or so, they only leave for a few minutes at a time. After the second and third week, they might take an hour break here and there. After that they start to spend more time away from their babies. But they ALWAYS return very quickly when the babies yell.
 

cc12

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She is bad Mommy and does like being a mother. She needs to be spayed. Some cats are just bad mothers. Feral or not. I am learning this at the shelter.
Poor kittens. But they have you!
 
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belongstoevie

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Originally Posted by CC12

She is bad Mommy and does like being a mother. She needs to be spayed. Some cats are just bad mothers. Feral or not. I am learning this at the shelter.
Poor kittens. But they have you!
Aw, thank you.
It has been a challenge at times, but they are SO worth it!


I wish they had a better kitty mommy, though, because I know it's better for them and they deserve it... But I will do my best to keep them as physically and emotionally happy and healthy as possible!
 

skewch

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Sounds like she would rather not have the responsibility of nursing them..almost like she wants her freedom? My Lily is exceptional with her newborns and I'm so proud of her. She has always been motherly to the other cats in the house--grooming them etc. so I was pretty sure she would be a good mom. Now having said that, she's got 8 of them and I'm sure I'll be supplementing them shortly. She only has the 8 boobies and I'm sure they empty quick, so as they grow they will need more milk. This situation is not her fault so I will be there when it is needed.

I love them already. My daughter is smitten with them too.
 
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