Our indoor cat's (Rory) 4 kittens (Snow White, Blessing, Precious, and Jack)are 5 days old. Twice today she's removed one of her kittens from the box and hidden or abandoned it in another room or closet of the house (a different kitten each time). Luckily we've been able to find them and return them to the rest of the litter. The momma seems accepting and nuturing of the kittens each time we've retuned them. Is this normal? What's going on here? Thanks.
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Momma is Hiding Kittens
- Thread starter pfred
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This usually means she doesn't feel safe where you have her. I would keep her in a room with the door shut so she can't move them somewhere dangerous.
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Thank you Missymotus. That makes sense. We did move her box from our bedroom to the living room last night. we'll return the box to the original location.
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You know the old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
If Mom is happy and doing her job, best to leave her be and not mess with it too much. Or the kittens.
Once they open their eyes, you can mess a bit more. And once they're bit enough to get out of the box and run around, they'll mess enough for all of you. lol
But Mom needs to be secure in the fact her kittens are secure, and they don't understand our reasons for moving, or otherwise doing things to/with them.
If Mom is happy and doing her job, best to leave her be and not mess with it too much. Or the kittens.
Once they open their eyes, you can mess a bit more. And once they're bit enough to get out of the box and run around, they'll mess enough for all of you. lol
But Mom needs to be secure in the fact her kittens are secure, and they don't understand our reasons for moving, or otherwise doing things to/with them.
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My queen just tried to move her one day old kittens about 2 mins ago, I was posting some thing and heard the kitten cry and there she was dragging it out. I have her in a big queening cage covered with a blanket with a nice little box inside the cage for kittens with room for her out side the box when she needs a little break, and she still tried to move them, but due to the three other cats theres no way in h*** she is going to be any where but in her cage. Does she not feel safe in this? I would think she would feel safe so the other cats can't get near her babies. hmmmm.
Does the bedding need to be changed or anything? If the momma thinks it has too much scent, she might try to move the babies instinctually from "predators".
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hmm mabey, I will try that, I hope thats not it, I will be going through a lot of blankets, lol. I changed the bedding after she had them all, and it's the same one since. They were born yesterday, and have had the same blanket since after they were all born.
OMG, one died, mabey she smells that one still on it! this was the first time the cage was left opened for a while and it's late and quiet she she probley thought she could sneak them off. I am going to change the bedding right now!!!!
OMG, one died, mabey she smells that one still on it! this was the first time the cage was left opened for a while and it's late and quiet she she probley thought she could sneak them off. I am going to change the bedding right now!!!!
Oh, I hope that's it! It definitely sounds like an idea. When we had kittens, I changed the bedding every day because of momma spotting. I had a whole pile of old baby blankets that I would change and throw in the washer.
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Sometimes blankets can be too soft, or the little claws can get stuck in it. Also, cats don't like perfumey scents; if you've washed it and used nice fabric softener, etc., that could be bothering her too.
I used a couple of folded up towels, and put 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on top of that. It was really easy to change the paper towels once a day, twice as the kittens got a bit older. And it kept the towels from getting soiled.
Also, you can't project human thought or logic on a cat. For some reason she feels it is not a good place. Maybe there is too much noise, TV, talking, light or traffic in the room? Is there a place you can put the cage that is away from everything? A room that's not used that much?
Do you other cats have access to around the outside of the cage? If so, a cat doens't understand "they can't get in" and she might be trying to protect her kittens from the other cats. It's a good idea to separate them.
And please get her spayed as soon as she is done weaning the kittens.
I used a couple of folded up towels, and put 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on top of that. It was really easy to change the paper towels once a day, twice as the kittens got a bit older. And it kept the towels from getting soiled.
Also, you can't project human thought or logic on a cat. For some reason she feels it is not a good place. Maybe there is too much noise, TV, talking, light or traffic in the room? Is there a place you can put the cage that is away from everything? A room that's not used that much?
Do you other cats have access to around the outside of the cage? If so, a cat doens't understand "they can't get in" and she might be trying to protect her kittens from the other cats. It's a good idea to separate them.
And please get her spayed as soon as she is done weaning the kittens.
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I have a small place and unfortunately not a door in the whole place,not even the bathroom, just to the out side so there really isn't much place to put her cage, she is in the living room and when the other cats are out and about they do get in front of her cage.
As for getting her spayed, I intend one more litter for her, then she will be getting spayed.
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Why would you want another litter when there are so many unwanted and suffering kittens being born into the world every day? Are you breeding purebreds? In addition, it sounds like you don't have a setting condusive to it either.
If you simply want the experience, there is also an overabundance of pregant queens you can foster for a no-kill rescue group.
Regardless, I suggest you find a way to keep them separated from your other cats. That's probably the main reason she does not feel safe.
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I have been posting a lot in the "labor" thread I started and figured most have read about this birth. I have contracts with the kittens from her last litter requiring them to be altered, and have recently found a vet who will do early altering and any kittens that leave me will be altered prior to leaving.
I raise ragdolls and here is the litter she just had:
[img=http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/2497/icedantelitter0020ka.th.jpg]
Dam: Blueyed Sapphire Ice of Celestialrags (blue color point)
[img=http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2148/scansforwebsite0010022wt.th.jpg]
Sire: Beechridge Dante' of Celestialrags (seal bi-color)
[img=http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/4924/8week0019ze.th.jpg]
Please let us know how it goes and please remember to keep mom indoors only until her kittens are weaned and she can be spayed. If you need a low cost spay/neuter clinic, please let us know.Originally Posted by Pfred
Thank you Missymotus. That makes sense. We did move her box from our bedroom to the living room last night. we'll return the box to the original location.
Katie
Please let us know if mom keeps the kittens put...
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- #15
Oh yes she sure did.
O good I was think of her and the babies.
