Two Cats & Kittens - Question

autumnblueangel

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Hi All, I have a question about my cats that people here might have experience with.

My Cat Sianne just gave birth to 3 beautiful babies, and my cat Shayla is due very shortly to give birth to hers. Both cats have been raised around each other but they aren't related, but both come from large litters themselves.

Sianne is from one of my previous litters. Sianne & Her sisters share a strange trait - they can't bear to be separated, and when I say that - I mean, they freak out, they'll cry, they'll become agitated, and they just want to be together, and this has extended to Shayla whom I adopted as a kitten not long before my older cat gave me a "surprise" litter.

The problem is this:

I tried moving Sianne to my room with her babies, but she becomes agitated, she won't leave the babies for food or water and she stoops over them, she's not happy. However, she's happy being with her sisters, grandmother, aunt, great grandmother & Shayla.

The other cats leave her be with her babies, but Shayla, being near to birthing herself, will curl up in the basket with Sianne & her babies, and I've caught some of the kittens actually curling up to Shayla - who does have milk but for her babies.

Sianne doesn't mind this, it's not taking her attention away, she's still highly protective, but what it does do in benefits, is that when Sianne goes to eat, Shayla keeps the babies warm and vice versa, the babies always have a warm kitty to snuggle up to.

I know Sianne is the mother, because Shayla is still very pregnant, and not only that, if I pick them up and they cry, Sianne goes nuts - every one of them, however, Shayla although not showing the same frantic worry, still shows interest in them, is still very protective of them, will nose them and snuggle them, and the black and white baby is preferring to snuggle up to her.

My Worries & Questions are these:

Will having the kittens with Sianne & Shayla mean that Sianne will loose interest and the motherly bond?

Will the babies try drinking milk from Shayla, thus draining her of what she has for her own babies?

Will it prevent Shayla from having her babies at the right time and for her going overdue and being in danger from big kittens that get stuck?

Will it prevent Shayla from bonding with her own babies when the time comes?

Will it cause any harm to the babies, if they do end up taking milk from Shayla or just being near Shayla (who is healthy)?

Will Shayla, due to her not being the biological mother, accidentally squish the babies because she doesn't have the same sense of them as Sianne does?

Do you think it's causing any psychological damage to Sianne, do you think she minds being in such proximity to the other cat?

Are there any other things people can suggest, any other concerns?

If everything pans out, and when Shayla gives birth, do you think it's safe to have Shayla's babies in with the other babies as well as long as Sianne doesn't seem concerned?

Weird questions I know, but I didn't realise cats could form this strong a connection with each other until my litter of seven a few years ago, and the extreme bonding to each other they formed lol.

thanks!
 

cutekittenkat

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Hmmmm, I'm no expert, but if it makes them happy, I'd let them do it. Its not completly unheard of, but not commun either. So long as Shaya takes care of her own kittens too, I think it should be fine.
Good luck!
Keep us updated on how they are!
 

GoldyCat

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Since separating them seems to cause more stress I would let them stay together. I know one member here (sorry, can't remember who) had two cats who had their babies the same night. They just dumped them all together and shared the mothering and nursing. It didn't seem to matter which kitten was nursing on which mother and they were all happy.
 

amyscrazy

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A couple of years ago I had 2 foster cats that gave birth a few days apart. They shared the babies and even moved them into the closet together. They nursed each others babies and it was so weird. It turned out fine and the babies were happy and well cared for.

Here is a picture of them all in the closet together.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ers/acrowd.jpg
 

goldenkitty45

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Its fine to share kittens/nursing, etc. AFTER all the babies are born. But with the one not giving birth yet - any "milk" she has is really the colustrum that is necessary for her own kittens. That comes before the milk and the other kittens should not be drinking it from her.

So I would keep the one cat that has not had her kittens separated till she gives birth and her own kittens get the colustrum first - then put everyone together.
 

cutekittenkat

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Originally Posted by AMYSCRAZY

A couple of years ago I had 2 foster cats that gave birth a few days apart. They shared the babies and even moved them into the closet together. They nursed each others babies and it was so weird. It turned out fine and the babies were happy and well cared for.

Here is a picture of them all in the closet together.
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...ers/acrowd.jpg
Awww! That's such a cute picture!
 
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