Ignoring her kittens

I don't understand what's wrong with my cat. She's an outdoors cat but she lives in our yard where it's fenced around and her kittens that she gave birth to was in her little bed that we got for her and now that kittens just disappeared the next day that we saw them. We can't find the kittens anywhere and we don't know where she moved her kittens to. She seems to ignoring them and going on with her own life like she never had them. She was very loving the first day and now she neglecting her kittens and I'm afraid if I can't find them, they might die. Is this normal or is she just hiding them from us to protect them?

If your cat is living outside she will be moving her kittens whenever she feels threatened. Outside newborn kittens are at great risk from predators including the two-legged kind. She will move them if the nest becomes to soiled for her safety, if to many "kind-hearted" looky loos come in and touch or admire her babies. Toms in the area will often shake the kittens and kill them so the mom cat goes into mourning thus prompting another opportunity for the Toms to mate with her. The momcat if she is outside, she will become pregnant again because they go into heat soon after birthing. The best thing to have done was to bring her inside before the kittens were born, now, it is up to nature to figure out their lives. Also if any of her kittens are ill- she will abandon them and allow the predators to have them to protect the others

It's hard to say. Could be many things.

I guess I would just suggest trying to follow her to the nest and then to bring them all in so they are safe. And keep them in until they are weaned AND all are neutered.

Also, the mother can get pregnant very soon after delivering. If she is not spayed soon....it is guaranteed that she will end up with another litter you are wondering about. There are too many dangers for the kittens as well as the mother, to be left outside.

This is why it is so important to bring the pregnant mother in beforehand...or at least to bring in the whole family when they are born.

Good luck to you, I hope you find them soon.

It is possable that something was wrong with the kits and she took them away. I know some say that the mom ignored the kitten that was sick and left or the kit dies the next day.

Originally Posted by susie05

I don't understand what's wrong with my cat. She's an outdoors cat but she lives in our yard where it's fenced around and her kittens that she gave birth to was in her little bed that we got for her and now that kittens just disappeared the next day that we saw them. We can't find the kittens anywhere and we don't know where she moved her kittens to. She seems to ignoring them and going on with her own life like she never had them. She was very loving the first day and now she neglecting her kittens and I'm afraid if I can't find them, they might die. Is this normal or is she just hiding them from us to protect them?

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Susie...something may have happened to all her kittens (they could have all been sick) which may account for why she is acting as if she never had kittens. My concern is that since she is outdoors..she will become pregnant again. Cats can become pregnant again as early as a week after giving birth. You may want to consider taking her in to be spayed...she will still be able to produce milk but will not be able to become pregnant again. If you do take her in...make sure they use dissolving stitches that do not need to be removed and take her back to where she lives as soon as possible.

Katie