Kittens EVERYWHERE! Mia keeps moving them!

yarra

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Hi!

I haven't posted in a bit, I have been SO busy with work, kittens, the house and in EXCRUCIATING pain due to a back injury.
It's getting better, but it's a slow process. I will get pics of the kittens soon! I promise!!

Update:

We moved the kittens, in their nest, to the kitchen about a week and a half ago. They are all doing WONDERFULLY! Everybody is 5.5 weeks old now and holy cow are they cute and FAST!! We have to put them in a large Rubbermaid container while I cook or clean the kitchen because they are so quickly underfoot.

The reason I am posting:

Just yesterday Mia started moving the kittens. NO clue why. It started with her moving Wilma (the runt) under our bed. I scooped up Wilma, who came right to me as she always does, and put her back in the kitchen. Then as I was watching TV, mom brought Wilma over the barrier again into the living room. I Scooped her up and put her in the kitch again.

I went to work, warned Jordan that momma was moving the kids. Shut all the doors to the bedrooms on my way out. Got home, Jordan said that momma tried to move Wilma, then Emma twice (the one we are keeping, and bonded too. My hubby is in love with Wilma, who is in love with us too) then Zellie, the other white one. She didn't move anyone else until I woke up at 3 am to a crying kitten in my bedroom. turned the light on and Emma came running to me. Began to carry Emma BACK to the kitchen, and decided I should turn the light on "just in case" and when i did, saw Zellie chillin' in the living room. *sigh*

Why is she doing this? She had been acting funny yesteday, jumping back and forth across the barrier and calling to them. Waiting in the Living room calling them....she seems to move them to where ever I am. (when I am here, she did move 3 kittens to the living room when I was gone)

She doesn't seem to be hiding them at all...just moving them!

Any ideas? I had to put momma in the bathroom. Kittens are all fine, but momma is not too happy, she's quiet now though. I can't risk stepping on a kitten in the middle of the night.
 

mrblanche

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Has she been outside since she gave birth? If so, she may be pregnant and getting ready to move out one litter to be ready for the next.

If not, she may be in heat and doing much the same thing. Also, usually about 6 weeks is when mom cat starts to teach them how to hunt.
 

goldenkitty45

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I would allow the kittens to explore more under supervision. When you can't watch them, put them in one room. Around that age, I would let them run for 1/2 -1 hour and then confine them. Everyone (including mom) would be more content to settle down after that.

They have to learn how to use the scratching post, not to claw furniture, and not to climb curtains. And also how to use the litter box. So you need to start letting them out more instead of expecting them to be content to sit in a deep basket.
 
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yarra

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Thanks for the replies!

Just to clarify. They are not stuck in a basket.


They have the run of our big kitchen, and can come and go from their "nest" freely. We have even left soda can boxes laying around with holes in them, as we discovered they loved to play in them. We have kept them in there, because of the linolium. There is a litterbox, that is low to the ground, they get in and out of, but no one has used it yet. I think I might get a couple more today. lol

She pulls them out of the kitchen and disperses them in either the bedroom or the living room. Seemingly, where ever I am.

To answer the first question, she has not been outside. Nor will we let her. She was a stray we brought in and will be spayed as soon as she can.

Any ideas after the new info??
 

white cat lover

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I don't know. All I know is when Eden's babies were right about that age, on multiple occasions she decided my pillow case was a lovely place for the babies....as I was sleeping!
She used to put them right beside me in bed & bring them up to show me all the time, too.
 
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yarra

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awww. She would bring them to you? That seems so sweet when you think about it in that light. So should we not worry that she is moving them? I don't want any to get lost or stepped on. Right now we know where they are, in the kitchen, unless we take them out.

What should we do?
 

rotobay

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This is so funny....I took in a prego stray a while back and she did this exact same thing when her kittens were around 6 weeks old. I got the impression that she was trying to teach them something. ..my husband speculated that she was seeing if they could find their way back to the nest. She would also go to another room and call to the kittens in a low caterwally voice, which they responded to (to varying degrees). Pretty soon thereafter the kittens seemed to be a lot more confident and curious about exploring. I'm still not exactly sure what she was doing, but she was always a caring and diligent mother.

I was always worried about stepping on them too (and I have 2 young kids!!) but we managed to avoid that by putting up barriers.

But for some reason I think it is SO cute when a momma cat moves the kittens..
 
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yarra

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Originally Posted by Rotobay

This is so funny....I took in a prego stray a while back and she did this exact same thing when her kittens were around 6 weeks old. I got the impression that she was trying to teach them something. ..my husband speculated that she was seeing if they could find their way back to the nest. She would also go to another room and call to the kittens in a low caterwally voice, which they responded to (to varying degrees). Pretty soon thereafter the kittens seemed to be a lot more confident and curious about exploring. I'm still not exactly sure what she was doing, but she was always a caring and diligent mother.

I was always worried about stepping on them too (and I have 2 young kids!!) but we managed to avoid that by putting up barriers.

But for some reason I think it is SO cute when a momma cat moves the kittens..
Yes!! This is exactly the impression I got!
She is not putting them out of harms way when she moves them, and she is a VERY diligent mom. Maybe you are right!

I haven't heard her call any of them after she's moved them. Probly because I move them back too quickly. LOL!

She does stand in the living room and call them, just like you were describing. Not distressed, just "Hellooo, can you hear me? Come here!" Kind of voice. That is the exact impression I had!

I am glad to hear someone else has had the same expirience. I thought I was going crazy! lol
 

rotobay

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Originally Posted by Yarra

She does stand in the living room and call them, just like you were describing. Not distressed, just "Hellooo, can you hear me? Come here!" Kind of voice. That is the exact impression I had!
The interesting thing that I noticed was that when my mama cat first started doing this, none of the kittens would respond to her. Then eventually they started getting the idea that she wanted them to come to her. One kitten NEVER responded and always ignored her and did his own thing. But the other 3 would make their way over to where she was when she called them (most of the time.....one was very diligent, but the other 2 were hit or miss-sometimes they came to her, other times not). Same with relocating them---some of the kittens would make their way back to the nest (or at least the room) and others didn't. Anyway it is fascinating to watch. And while I was never quite sure what she was doing, she was such a good mother that I trust there was method to her madness!
 
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yarra

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Thanks for the story!

She has been doing it again today, and I sat back and watched instead of getting freaked out.

She would take out 1 or 2 at a time and just let them explore. She would chill in whatever room they were in and then encourage them back into the kitchen at some point.


It's SOOOO cute!
 
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