Mum beating up kittens!

I have a problem with my two 8 week old kittens getting roughed up by their mum! She has been very good (her first and only litter) - protective, nursing them well and licking/grooming them. They are mostly weaned although the smaller girl will try to nurse and mum lets them both sometimes - more a comfort thing I think (she will be desexed very soon so the nursing will stop). But sometimes, mum gets wild-eyed and chases the kittens, and she will bite them on the back of the neck or shoulders, or even under the neck, and the kitty will squeal. The little girl sometimes makes a kind of wheezing noise during this too. I seperate them, but it scares me. Why does she do this? It seems very rough to be play. But then again, the kittens will often chase mum once she lets them go, biting her heels or swiping at her! I don't know if it is rough play or something weird. The kittens will have a lot of wet fur on their necks, but otherwise seem to recover. Mum is very loving most of the time, calling or "talking" to the babies, licking them and all that. I am just wondering - how do I know if it is play or serious? I can't very well seperate kittens from their mum and shouldn't have to, should I?
Thanks for the help,
Katie

Hello! My cat did that with her kittens. I think she was trying to wean them. Maybe she is just teaching them how to be cats (playing etc)

It is common behavior, if mom didn't do this, the kittens would suck her dry.

They are playing, believe it or not. I still have a foster and one of her babies, who is 4 months old, and they LOVE that game. Mom started when the kits were tiny, I also thought she was killing them, if I made her stop, they go back for more! Also, little Doodle still nurses, Mom is spayed but she still does it anyway.

Sounds pretty normal to me. (For cats anyway!)
Linda

Definitly normal! Not all of my placid Persians do it though..

hehehehe, Sozo and Pubah do the same exact thing... he makes a squeely noise when she bites him.. and he keeps coming back swiping at her tale.. biting it, and chasing her! Sozo only bites him because she is trying to clean him. He gets so hyper and excited when she is doing this that he starts to kick her and swip her... But the funny thing is he stops all the fussing when she licks his bum!! He seems to like it hahahaha.

Originally Posted by Roxybebe

hehehehe, Sozo and Pubah do the same exact thing... he makes a squeely noise when she bites him.. and he keeps coming back swiping at her tale.. biting it, and chasing her! Sozo only bites him because she is trying to clean him. He gets so hyper and excited when she is doing this that he starts to kick her and swip her... But the funny thing is he stops all the fussing when she licks his bum!! He seems to like it hahahaha.

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What a cutie!!!

Thanks everyone for your answers! I am glad it seems pretty normal. Even though the kittens seem fine afterwards and they often chase mum (or each other) for more of this "fighting" --- it still seems sooooo rough! I trimmed the kittens claws cos I was worried about the way they fought with each other.......but then, they will snuggle up and sleep together too. Cats --- fun but strange creatures!

If you keep a kitten, as it grows up, don't be surprised if he and mum become adversaries of a sort. She has to resort to tough love with her little ones, because in the wild, they would be leaving her soon and she would want that.