Cat abandoned her kittens

[Joab]

Our outdoor cat has ababdoned her 5 kittens when they were just 3 weeks. At the same time we realized there were male cats all around, which made us think she was in heat again. It's slready more than five days since she has disappeared and haven't returned even once to her kittens. Do we have any reason to worry about it? Is it possible that a cat in heat would leave her kittens for such a long time?

 

[susanm9006]

It is very unusual for a mother cat to leave her kittens for that long of a time and I would guess at this point that she was either killed or locked in somewhere where she can’t get out. I hope that you are able to bottle feed these babies?

 

[Joab]

Yes, we take good care of the little kittens.
The mother cat is very young (10-11 months old) and this is her first birth. We thought that maybe low maternal instinct combined with being in heat, could be a cause for her disappearance. What are the chances?

 

[susanm9006]

There is always a chance. I do hope that she reappears.

 

[StanAndAlf]

I hope something hasn't happened to her, though it is likely.

Is there are chance she could have come back, but you just didn't see her? Where did she have the kittens? You did the right thing by taking the care of the kittens into your own hands, but there is a chance she did come back, perhaps at night, and found that her kittens weren't there, and now she has gone looking.

Do you leave food out for her still? Perhaps if you were to put a blanket that the kittens have used out near her food bowl, she might recognize the scent.

 

[Joab]

I hope something hasn't happened to her, though it is likely.

Is there are chance she could have come back, but you just didn't see her? Where did she have the kittens? You did the right thing by taking the care of the kittens into your own hands, but there is a chance she did come back, perhaps at night, and found that her kittens weren't there, and now she has gone looking.

Do you leave food out for her still? Perhaps if you were to put a blanket that the kittens have used out near her food bowl, she might recognize the scent.

In the first two nights the kittens stayed where their mother placed them and we even pour flour on the entrance floor but haven't found any cat footprints the next morning. Later on we moved the kittens to a safe location in a big cage (10 meters away from the previous location) where always their mother's food is. Unfortunately no signs of her coming back.

 

[StanAndAlf]

Aw, I wish you well with care of the kittens, hope everything goes smoothly.

 

[Joab]

Aw, I wish you well with care of the kittens, hope everything goes smoothly.

Thank you!

 

[di and bob]

I do hope she comes back, but it is unlikely....I'm sorry. I hope her kittens can bring you some comfort.....Thank goodness they are getting to the stage where they will start eating on their own soon.

 

[catsknowme]

I applaud your efforts in determining if the mama kitty had returned undetected or not. One can only hope that she was either inadvertently licked up in a shed or some similar situation where she can return. Thankfully, you are able to rescue her little orphans.

 

[Sylvia Jones]

How are the kittens doing?

 

[Joab]

How are the kittens doing?

These kittens are strong and healthy, playing, eating well, peeing, pooping. They are so precious and close to our hearts especially as they are so helpless and their lives depend on us. We absolutely love them

 

[catsknowme]

They are beautiful kittens! I am so glad that they are in your loving care. I do hope that mama kitty is able to return, poor thing.