mama attacks the babies..weird

First of all, my cat had her babies in a box in the living room about 10 days ago. about five days ago I heard one of the babies crying so I looked in the box to find the mother cat with one of the babies heads in her mouth! She was shaking it around, too. So I pried her mouth open and rescued the poor thing. I was scared for their safety so I put the mother outside and decided to hand raise them. They wouldn't eat out of the bottle so I called the vet and she said to put the mother back in the box, but to move the box in another room. So i moved them into the bathroom, but then the mother (by herself) moved all the babies into my open dresser drawer and shes been a happy, perfect mother since. This was really weird. Can anyone tell me why she behaved this way?

i doubt she was trying to hurt them, probably just stressed and trying to move them.

the living room was probably too loud and open for her. a bedroom or bathroom is much safer.

how has she been with the kittens since? has she been feeding the same said kitten still?

Originally Posted by maverick_kitten

i doubt she was trying to hurt them, probably just stressed and trying to move them.

the living room was probably too loud and open for her. a bedroom or bathroom is much safer.

how has she been with the kittens since? has she been feeding the same said kitten still?

Click to expand...

Yea shes been a perfect mom since then. If she didnt like the living room, why did she give birth in it in the first place? Shes happy now. My dresser drawer is warm and quiet and safe.

is she a first time mum? she might not have realised what was happening, mine didnt know she was giving birth until it popped out, she just thought she was doing a poo!

the room might have been quieter then or felt safer. plus some cats like to move theri nests around as in the wild this would stop them leaving scents to attrack predators.

are you changing the bedding reguarly? i brought three cheap cat beds and switched them round and washed them often for mine.

yea its her first time. Shes kinda young too, about a year old. I'm changing the bedding every day. after I pulled her out of the box she started rolling around the floor and acting like she was in heat again. it was weird.

Please keep her indoors, it is common for them to go into heat directly after birthing kittens. Chances are she was in a high traffic area and got stressed out. She was trying to make the nest safer, but lightening the load, so changing her to another location that is quieter was a good call. Again, keep her away from intact males, she will become pregnant again, and get her spayed when the kittens get weaned.

Originally Posted by mrschristensen

yea its her first time. Shes kinda young too, about a year old. I'm changing the bedding every day. after I pulled her out of the box she started rolling around the floor and acting like she was in heat again. it was weird.

Click to expand...

If you need a low cost clinic for when the kittens are weaned to have the mom fixed...go to this link:

http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html

Scroll down until you come to:

Lost cost or free spay/neuter programs

and click on your state.

I second what Hissy says...please keep this momma and her babies indoors only until you can have the mom spayed. Might be a good idea to set up the appt. now since some clinics are booked in advance.

Katie