Mother cat moving kittens

Hi. Recently, my family and I got some newborn kittens from our shelter. They were born on August 20th, and we got them on the 24th. There are 5 kittens and a mother cat (pictured below).

The mom, who we call Delilah, is really sweet and from the moment we brought her home has been nuzzling against us, wanting attention. She seems to have no problem with her kittens being touched and picked up.

Today I woke up and eagerly went to check on the kittens, as I do every morning. This time when I got into the kitten room, the Mom, Delilah was nowhere in sight. When I looked more closely I saw that there were only three kitties in the bed. Delilah suddenly appeared, but we couldn't find the kittens. After a lot of searching, we heard cries coming from the closet. We opened it up but couldn't figure out where they were. Finally, we found them in a small paper bag at the bottom of the empty closet; one of the black ones and
the little gray, crying and squeaking. This was really surprising. I've heard of this happening, but only with mothers who don't let you get too close to their babies. Delilah lets you touch and hold them without a problem. But it must have been the frequent opening of doors, or maybe the smell. We cleaned out their old dog bed because it was covered in drops of Delilah's blood and poop. We put them in a different cat bed. A couple minutes later, we returned to see that the kittens had been moved again, this time to under the dresser. The little pen was closed, meaning Delilah must have picked up the kitten and climbed all the way up and down the pen. Poor kitties. We kept putting them back and she kept taking a few and putting them somewhere "safe." I tried closing the blinds and turning off the lights and hardly going in there at all, in hopes of making it feel safer to her. I thought this worked, but after coming home after not being around for a couple hours, I found four of the five kittens behind the dresser.

This is really worrying me. I don't feel safe leaving them alone and I don't understand why she would do this if she acts to friendly to humans. Help please.

it's possible that the move from where she was to where she s now, is unsettling to her. Cats moms are protective of her babies and she hasn't had much time to get adjusted to being at your home, she is probably scared and nervous. She doesn't know you either so again is probably unsure and unsettled. There isn't much you can do about her moving her kittens, unless you want to keep her kenneled so she has no choice but to stay where she is. You can however put her in a room where you can see all or have access to all spaces and just keep the door shut, so they are contained in that room. She and her family have been uprooted to a new home with people she doesn't know, she has no idea how safe you are, she may let you pet her and love her up but her first concern are her children. So in her mind if she keeps her children hidden, they will be safe from these strangers that just took her from point A and dropped her at point B.

So I would keep her in a room with the door shut so you can still check on the kittens daily. I don't think I would be messing with her kids just yet, it sounds like she isn't happy about the change and strangers around her young so is removing them from what could in er mind be a dangerous situation

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. We do have a large crate, big enough for her to have food and water and even a litter box in, but do you recommend it? I thought it make her feel safe knowing she is locked in and no one can hurt her babies. Or maybe only at night? and she is currently in my sister's bedroom. She has to go in there sometimes, but she's been trying not to go in a lot.

Welcome to the Forums!

A crate may be a solution and good idea. You do have them there, yet you can let her out when you are around.

Lay something in part over the crate, so it seems more nice and cosy for her inside, yet there is full air passage - and you can peek in.

If you do have possiblility to get Feliway adapter it may help. Although if you are on a thight budget dont bother.

Soft, calming, relaxing music can also do some help. Classical harp music is best, but almost any will do.

The mom seems to be a beuty. Almost Bombay - alike?

Tx for helping these our small sisters!

Good luck!


ps. What are you giving the mom for food?
With 5 babies she needs nourishment...
Im spreading the tip of goat milk. If you can get goat milk where you are, its much useful for cats. Both for adults and for small kittens if need be.

StefanZ - thanks! We have put her in a crate and she's adjusting well. As for the mom being bombay - I looked up pictures of bombay cats and she looks very similar to some pics.

Delilah:

Bombay:

I bet she figured the closet was a nice quiet place for the kittens--not so much traffic, not so much noise. If I were you, I'd move a nice clean box in there for her. A closet isn't a bad place to raise kittens, all things considered.