What's Up With This?

kittkatt

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Salem was a wonderful momma cat with her babies: always attentive, loving, nurturing, etc.
But now that the "babies" are 5 months old, she totally ignores them, and if one of them goes near her, she'll growl or hiss at them, or swat at them if they get too close to her.
What's up with that??
 

howtoholdacat

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She's being a good mama and weaning them. It always is hard for human to watch since we don't work that way
but she's just making sure they can survive on their own.
 

aswient

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I took in a pregnant cat, Sweetie, she was such a terrific mom. She was even sick when she had them. But that girl sick as she was she took such care of them it was amazing to watch. But as soon as she knew they didn't need her anymore she pushed them away, because they still wanted to suckle. It hurt me to see that because the kittens wanted to be with her so much. Thats life I guess.
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by howtoholdacat

She's being a good mama and weaning them. It always is hard for human to watch since we don't work that way
but she's just making sure they can survive on their own.
So that's what it is.


Originally Posted by aswient

It hurt me to see that because the kittens wanted to be with her so much.


It bothers me, too.
The kittens want their Mommy, and they don't understand why Mommy doesn't want them.


I've been noticing that the stray cats I feed will also do the same thing. The momma will growl & swat at her "babies", too.
 

aswient

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I remember when Sweetie (the mama) was just sitting one of her little girls came over to her Lulu. Lulu went to snuggle her and rub on her and Sweetie took one of Lulu's ears and pulled on it with her mouth, that just about broke Lulu's heart she just layed on the floor and was so devastated that her mom could do something like that to her. But to Sweetie she was teaching her to be independent of her. I guess its the way it has to be for their survival.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by howtoholdacat

That's why smart kittens get people. That way they still get babied!
I think you got that right!


If momma cat is not fixed she may also consider her kittens as rivals for male attention. I do hope you have gotten her spayed so she has no more kittens. After spaying she may well turn into the lovey cat to her kittens she was before. Her kittens will also need to be neutered and at the age of 5 months could be done now.
 

pami

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My Momma cat did set boundaries for her kittens, but she is still lovey dovey with them, too. She was spayed when they were 8 weeks old and they were when they were about 5 months old, so that could have something do it with it, like Yosemite said.
 
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