Cat behaviour - mom & kitten

[carer of queen]

Hi, I am new to this site but I've read quite few forum posts since discovering it earlier today and it looks like a fantastic community and resource. 

9 days ago I went and picked up a feral born kitten (approx 10 weeks old) that was living on the streets with her mum (approx 1 year old). They kitten and her mum were lucky to have found a caring human that was providing them with some food and putting the word out to try and find the kitten a home before it became too feral. After having the kitten for one night I enquired after the mum cat and offered to take her and get her spayed. I was told the Tom cats had been out again the night before harassing her so I went straight over and brought home the mum cat too. It had been about 24hrs and mum and baby were really happy to see each other. Especially baby. 

The mum cat quickly made herself at home and shows a lot more affection that the kitten. Mum cat curls up in sunny spots, rubs my leg and purrs, she enjoys being around me and likes to be stroked. She tolerates being picked up but will often bite (without hurting) to say she wants down. 

The kitten, on the other hand, doesn't crave human attention at all. She doesn't seem scared as she won't run away. She'll play games but she doesn't like to be touched or picked up. She'll cry to be put down. And we haven't heard her purr once it the 9 days we have had her. 

Mum and kitten play fight - mostly it looks like fun but the kitten will often cry out when the mum bites her or hold her down.  I've separated them a few times. The kitten likes to chase mums tail and mum generally tolerates it but sometimes snaps at her. Kitten likes to follow mum around and will copy things she does. Eg. mum stretches, kitten stretches. Mum scratches the couch, kitten scratches the couch

I expected the mum to be harder work as she is older and the feral-ness is more ingrained but she is actually friendlier than the kitten - she likes attention. I know there is a chance she was once owned but she isn't microchipped, no signs of a collar, obviously not spayed and she's been known to be hanging around in the area for around 4 months and she's a year max now. So if she was owned she would have had to have gone missing as a kitten.  I am going to list her on the found pet sites just in case. She doesn't try to run away either. She's explored our garden a little - with me following close behind and then taking her back inside after a few minutes. But she'll just slowly walk the edges of the garden sniffing and sussing the place out. She doesn't attempt to run or hide and will let me pick her up and take her back in. 

Mum has been fine with the litter box since day 1. No accidents at all. 

Kitten has peed on my bed 3 times! The only time she will hop up onto the bed is to pee on it! Other than that, mum and baby don't come on the bed at all. I keep thinking she might be starting to enjoy company and come for a snuggle but no - she's comes for a pee and then hops down. Other than that, she's fine with the litter box. 

My questions are:

1. Is this kitten's non-purring, non-affectionate behaviour normal? Will she learn to become more comfortable with us in time and start to purr or do some cats just not like human attention? 

2. Is kitten trying to tell me something by her peeing on the bed behaviour? It doesn't appear to be related to any other incident. 

3. Is the mums friendliest due to her still being motherly and if so, will she revert to her more feral ways once her baby is fully weaned?

4. What are the chances that mum cat is pregnant again? She eats a lot. Her tummy has definitely become rounder however she is being fed properly now so that could easily explain that. The kitten still occasionally tries to get in and get some milk so she's still got the mum nipples. 

5. I have them both booked in to be spayed and microchipped in two days time. Will the vet check to make sure she is not already pregnant before operating? 

 

[StefanZ]

 
Hi, I am new to this site but I've read quite few forum posts since discovering it earlier today and it looks like a fantastic community and resource. 

9 days ago I went and picked up a feral born kitten (approx 10 weeks old) that was living on the streets with her mum (approx 1 year old). They kitten and her mum were lucky to have found a caring human that was providing them with some food and putting the word out to try and find the kitten a home before it became too feral. After having the kitten for one night I enquired after the mum cat and offered to take her and get her spayed. I was told the Tom cats had been out again the night before harassing her so I went straight over and brought home the mum cat too. It had been about 24hrs and mum and baby were really happy to see each other. Especially baby. 

The mum cat quickly made herself at home and shows a lot more affection that the kitten. Mum cat curls up in sunny spots, rubs my leg and purrs, she enjoys being around me and likes to be stroked. She tolerates being picked up but will often bite (without hurting) to say she wants down. 

The kitten, on the other hand, doesn't crave human attention at all. She doesn't seem scared as she won't run away. She'll play games but she doesn't like to be touched or picked up. She'll cry to be put down. And we haven't heard her purr once it the 9 days we have had her. 

Mum and kitten play fight - mostly it looks like fun but the kitten will often cry out when the mum bites her or hold her down.  I've separated them a few times. The kitten likes to chase mums tail and mum generally tolerates it but sometimes snaps at her. Kitten likes to follow mum around and will copy things she does. Eg. mum stretches, kitten stretches. Mum scratches the couch, kitten scratches the couch

I expected the mum to be harder work as she is older and the feral-ness is more ingrained but she is actually friendlier than the kitten - she likes attention. I know there is a chance she was once owned but she isn't microchipped, no signs of a collar, obviously not spayed and she's been known to be hanging around in the area for around 4 months and she's a year max now. So if she was owned she would have had to have gone missing as a kitten.  I am going to list her on the found pet sites just in case. She doesn't try to run away either. She's explored our garden a little - with me following close behind and then taking her back inside after a few minutes. But she'll just slowly walk the edges of the garden sniffing and sussing the place out. She doesn't attempt to run or hide and will let me pick her up and take her back in. 

Mum has been fine with the litter box since day 1. No accidents at all. 

Kitten has peed on my bed 3 times! The only time she will hop up onto the bed is to pee on it! Other than that, mum and baby don't come on the bed at all. I keep thinking she might be starting to enjoy company and come for a snuggle but no - she's comes for a pee and then hops down. Other than that, she's fine with the litter box. 

My questions are:

1. Is this kitten's non-purring, non-affectionate behaviour normal? Will she learn to become more comfortable with us in time and start to purr or do some cats just not like human attention? 

2. Is kitten trying to tell me something by her peeing on the bed behaviour? It doesn't appear to be related to any other incident. 

3. Is the mums friendliest due to her still being motherly and if so, will she revert to her more feral ways once her baby is fully weaned?

4. What are the chances that mum cat is pregnant again? She eats a lot. Her tummy has definitely become rounder however she is being fed properly now so that could easily explain that. The kitten still occasionally tries to get in and get some milk so she's still got the mum nipples. 

5. I have them both booked in to be spayed and microchipped in two days time. Will the vet check to make sure she is not already pregnant before operating? 

Tx a lot for helping them out!

Everything seems pretty normal!

a) momma is surely no feral.  She is prob a family girl whom got thrown out when she become "in such way".  Happens with human teenagers, happens thus with cats too.

Nice with warnings bites!   You know of course, if a cat wanna bite for real, its for real, deep and bloody.  So she is just warning...  Be happy.   Let her go as soon you notice she begins to wriggle, or even when her tails begins to move back and forth...   Same with kitten btw if you try to take it up.

b)  Kitten behaves pretty normal too.  Not all kittens likes cuddling!  They wanna be around, but dont like much cuddling.  Perhaps one or two strokes, its enough.  But with time he will warm up, esp as he sees momma is friendly with you and accepts your cuddles and enjoys them.

The only real problem is with peeing.   Does kitten pee in the litter at all??

Anyway, use kitten attract litter. There are several brands, dr Elseys is the most known.  Lay something on your bed so it doesnt want to pee on this - plastic sheet is best.   Or best; confide it to ONE room with litter or even two litters, and dont let it out before you are fairly sure its "room-clean".  Or at least, dont let it out before you see it has peed, so it wont need to pee another full hour at least....

Yes, spay the momma asap.  The vet will surely do it without asking.

ps.  I hope dearly you will spay her even if you suspect there may be new foetuses.     Medically, its easier for a vet to spay now, then when in heat.

Tx again for helping them out!

 

[StefanZ]

Ps.  IF you wanna to cuddle with the kitten, try do this when its laying comfortable in a soffa or chair.   Shortly at first, two strokes not more.  But laying your hands nearby just touching may work.

 

[StefanZ]

Ps 2.  Re her friendliness.  You ask if it may be hormones. Perhaps, but probably not.  But it may of course be a way to please herself in.   she knows you are the best practical chance for her child and herself...  So she is anxious to copy.  This behavior is common, and makes it often easier to take care of a feral momma with her kittens, than an alone ferale cat.  One of the wonderful paradoxes with being a rescuer and fosterhome for semi-ferales!!!

But as you describe it, Im pretty sure she was family cat once.   No semiferale behaves so as she does, friendly or not.

 

[foxxycat]

Some kittens just want to play. my sister had a kitten who hated to be with people. She played but if you tried to pick her up she would spit at you. Sometimes they grow out of it. If the kitten is 2-3 months old it will only want to play. Mom cat is doing the right thing. Don't break up the fights. Momcat is teaching the kitten manners. Otherwise the kitten will grow older and do this behavior on people and it will get harder to untrain this behavior. Sometimes cats don't want to be picked up. Sometimes they prefer us to sit next to them. I have one cat who panics if we put her on our laps but she cuddles right up against you purring away. She sleeps curled up next to my boyfriend but hates being picked up. My other cat is a lovebug and often jumps into laps. She sleeps ontop of me most nights if it's cool in the house..I figured out if we keep the heat down at night then they will snuggle more with us

 

[carer of queen]

Thanks for all advice. It's both reassuring and helpful. Initially, I was only thinking of keeping the kitten. My first thoughts were to desex the mum and take her back to where she came from. The mum 'looked' like an untamable feral when I first saw her. Battered and straggly. But now that I have her, and am getting to know her personality, I am growing very very fond of her. She has one bad eye. The vet said it was a fight wound and it's now on its way to healing itself, however, she never regain full sight in that eye, and it will always look awful. She's also got some small tears in her ears from fights and cut marks in her tongue from eating out of cans etc. But already, after having for just over a week, she is looking heaps better. She's put on weight, her eyes are no longer gunky and her fur is looking glossy and healthy. She has beautiful markings - a tabby tortie. And her stature overall is different. She looks relaxed :-) I'm so glad I gave her a chance. 

The kitten seems to be slowly gaining confidence around us. I heard her purr for the first time last night. She was drinking milk from her mum and I was lying right there beside her. I know I wasn't holding or stroking her but just being there with her and hearing her purr is a first. I think it's a good sign. 

They will both be getting spayed tomorrow. I will talk to the vet about the likelihood of the mum being pregnant again but from what I can tell it seems like vets like to spay pregnant cats anyway - it's better than having unwanted kittens. Not that these kittens would unwanted. I would of course, make sure they all went to good homes but these kittens would be taking away the chance for some other, already born, kittens to find homes. I understand the problem. It doesn't make me feel comfortable about it, but I understand. 

 

[Sarthur2]

Please do not put mom back out on the street! Poor thing has been through so much. She probably feels relaxed for the first time in ages, knowing she and her kitten are safe. I hope you'll consider keeping both of them.

Do ask for 3 days of pain meds for mom. She'll be sore. Kitten will bounce back very quickly!

Thank you for rescuing and caring for them. They are very fortunate to be in your care. It's two lives you've turned around! [emoji]128522[/emoji]