Young cat just had 2 kittens - will daddy cat eat them?

I've been looking around online to get a definitive answer to this but all I can find is info on feral cats.

Diamond is a small cat for her age and Spaz is the daddy cat and also her brother (I know, right?). He's an extremely loving cat in general; lets my friend's toddler use him as a pillow, has never scratched any of us, and is all around a sweet, good kitty. He's not fxed but he hasn't even sprayed anything, either. I've been helping care for him and Diamond since their birth last year and I think that's part of the reason they're so comfortable here.

Anyhoo, a friend of mine found out I was having Spaz go in with Diamond and the kittens at night because if he's separated from Diamond or the cats for too long he starts crying all over the house. We also have two other older female cats who I think would be more aggressive and I want to keep the kittens safe.

When Diamond went into labor, Spaz ran into the room to be with her and helped her clean the kittens after they were born. He usually just lays with them and the mama and sleeps, probably keeping an eye on his babies as much as Diamond.

Should I have any concerns about him eating the kittens? I know Spaz and don't think he would even consider doing anything like that because he's such a sweetheart, but I want to make sure. She put just enough worry in me to ask for another opinion lol.

Thanks for your time! I look forward to hearing from someone.

Jen

Sounds like they are very close and it might be OK.

Has he been neutered?  If so, when?  One thing I would be concerned about if he wasn't neutered some time back (a couple of months) is he could get her pregnant again very soon after birth - while she is still feeding the kittens.

If he hasn't been neutered yet, please get him done ASAP.

Here, it is surely one of the exemples when it is entirely OK to have daddy, or even the stud, be togehter with mom and kittens.

The rule of thumb is, if in doubt, separate, but here is everything OK.  

Congrats and good luck!

OrientalSlave said:

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If he hasn't been neutered yet, please get him done ASAP.

Click to expand...

I hate quoting myself, but I forgot to mention that a cat mating only takes seconds.  If he is still entire or only recently neutered he could mate her without you knowing if you don't keep an eye on them when they are together ready to squirt water or stop them some other way if it looks like he is mounting her.  I really, really hope he was neutered at least a month ago...

Ooh, yeah, it sounds like he's not neutered even now? She may be pregnant again already . Talk to the vet about what can be done---it would be a terrible strain on her to have another litter so soon, plus more inbred kittens. . .not a good situation. I hope you can have them both fixed as soon as the vet can make an appointment. It's hard to know what to do with a nursing mother but something will need to be done.

It takes at least a month after a neuter for all the sperm to leave his body so even if you have it done now he shouldn't be with her until she's spayed.

Male cats will kill kittens so that they can mate with the female. It sounds as if Spaz loves the kittens and is good with them, and some males,but especially neutered ones, do love kittens and will even rear them in the absence of a female (apert from suckling them, of course!). The truth is that although he is being good with the kittens now, it is not because he is their 'daddy' - he does not know the kittens are his, he just likes them. The danger will be when the mother comes back into heat, and that could happen within a week or two of her having the kittens. Then, instinct will take over, he will want to mate with her, and if he sees the kittens as in any way preventing that, he could hurt or even kill them. It is the way nature operates and would not be Spaz suddenly turning against the kittens or being 'evil' in any way. So I would be very careful, and I would get him neutered asap to protect everyone. Yes, he will still have hormones and even be fertile for a while, but the sooner it is done the sooner everyone is safe. And he does sound as if he will be a real help in rearing his offspring, even if he does not see it that way!