Human directed Maternal(?) Aggression

[Cheeky_Moose]

Hi All,
Looking for some ideas/moral support. I’m currently fostering a stray who came into our local shelter with the following background; under two, raised kittens before, and, as far as anyones aware, she’s been a stray most of her life. She came in heavily pregnant and I got her within a couple days as the shelter was worried she was going to pop.
She was with me for 18 days before she did. I learned she was generally happy- loved getting pets and chin scratches and would greet me with a happy mew. However, she had hair trigger reactions to anything touching her belly or legs/paws. Instant hiss/swat. Easy enough to avoid and we got along swell.
Mama had her kittens this past Monday (6 in 3 hours).All born big and healthy except for the runt who never thrived.Cue a very intense 18 hours where I exhausted efforts to save baby but she passed Tuesday morning. Mama did not seem to care and she’s been a very good mama to the rest of the bunch. She was tolerant of me checking on her and the babies have been getting weighed daily while mom gets her wet food.
Unfortunately her attitude towards me has changed in the last three days; she still greets with a meow and asks for pets but she’s launching herself at me whenever I try to top up her water and food bowl.
I move slow, talk to her calmly, never yell or react other then to jerk my arm outta the way. I wash my hands before/after and I have clothes that I keep in the foster room I put on every time to reduce the smell of the other animals in the household. I just put a Feliway diffuser in her room today too. I’m also trying to avoid eye contact and I only enter the room to top things off morning/noon/night.
I am struggling to avoid my anxiety jumping every time I go in the room as I know she can read that but her unpredictableness is hard to manage.
Am I missing anything? What else can I do to reduce her stress (and mine)?

 

[FeebysOwner]

First thing I can think of is that she is not wanting her food to be 'taken away' - it could seem that way to her when you go to top it off. Do you feed her wet food, it can even be kitten food as she can use the extra nutrition? She may actually be hungry and in need of more food. Is she eating all of what you give her? You might try setting down more than one dish of food to see if that helps, so there is always one there when you go to replenish the second one. Maybe even bring a third dish - or treats - to entice her to move away from the kittens so you can continue on with your monitoring of them without so much fear.

Maybe she wants you to spend more time with her and the kittens? Maybe something is wrong with her? Those things can only be determined by your watchful, monitoring eye.

 

[Cheeky_Moose]

First thing I can think of is that she is not wanting her food to be 'taken away' - it could seem that way to her when you go to top it off. Do you feed her wet food, it can even be kitten food as she can use the extra nutrition? She may actually be hungry and in need of more food. Is she eating all of what you give her? You might try setting down more than one dish of food to see if that helps, so there is always one there when you go to replenish the second one. Maybe even bring a third dish - or treats - to entice her to move away from the kittens so you can continue on with your monitoring of them without so much fear.

Maybe she wants you to spend more time with her and the kittens? Maybe something is wrong with her? Those things can only be determined by your watchful, monitoring eye.

Thanks FeebysOwner; I never take away her food to be refilled - both water and food are always present so she's never without. The food bag is in a closet right beside them so I can directly scoop into the bowl to keep it topped off. She is getting a full can of kitten wet food as well in the evening (that's when I weigh the kittens). She's never actually attacked me while I'm near the kittens (so far); I can sit right in front of the nest with her in there and she just purrs and makes biscuits while I watch. I also avoid touching them unless I'm weighing them. It definitely seems more like resource guarding but it never happened until she had the kittens so I'm struggling to identify what may have caused the change in behavior.

 

[Furballsmom]

Her maternal instincts have kicked into overdrive and she's being super protective. All you can do is to continue to be as calm as possible. If you can obtain some rose gloves that cover your arms, and even eye protection if you don't already have some might be good to have. Not that you'll ever need it, however if this protective gear helps to increase your confidence, that's a good thing.

 

[Cheeky_Moose]

Her maternal instincts have kicked into overdrive and she's being super protective. All you can do is to continue to be as calm as possible. If you can obtain some rose gloves that cover your arms, and even eye protection if you don't already have some might be good to have. Not that you'll ever need it, however if this protective gear helps to increase your confidence, that's a good thing.

Not gonna lie, the thought of dealing with this amount of aggression for another three weeks is rather daunting. Do you think I'm better off minimizing my time in the room with her or spending time in the room quietly to help her adjust to my presence (would it make it seem less threatening to her or just increase her stress?)

 

[FeebysOwner]

Not gonna lie, the thought of dealing with this amount of aggression for another three weeks is rather daunting. Do you think I'm better off minimizing my time in the room with her or spending time in the room quietly to help her adjust to my presence (would it make it seem less threatening to her or just increase her stress?)

Unless I am misunderstanding something, I don't know how you could spend any less time with her/kittens than you already are. Not knowing anymore about this stray, I would venture to guess you aren't spending enough time in there, at times just doing nothing than 'spending time'.

 

[Cheeky_Moose]

Unless I am misunderstanding something, I don't know how you could spend any less time with her/kittens than you already are. Not knowing anymore about this stray, I would venture to guess you aren't spending enough time in there, at times just doing nothing than 'spending time'.

I’d be happy to spend more time in there with her just hanging out but I wasn’t sure if that would just make her more stressed. Up to the last couple days (where she doesn’t seem to want my presence) I’ve spent the same amount of time with her as I did before she had babies. More so if I count the amount of time I spent trying to save the runt. She’s so unpredictable at the moment I honestly can’t tell if my presence is wanted vs unwanted! She’s purring and loving on me one moment then biting and swiping at me the next (without me touching her in either circumstance). It’s very confusing and disheartening.

 

[Furballsmom]

What we wouldn't give sometimes if they could talk to us .

I don't know, but I honestly think that from the perspective of the fact that when she gets cranky it's stressful for her, and could possibly effect the kittens, if this were me I'd limit my time a bit.

However I don't think you should be disheartened. She's not a new mom but I'd put money down that whatever is causing her to be unsure, or touchy probably doesn't have anything to do with you.

Hang in there

 

[Hellenww]

How about some play therapy. She's recovered from giving birth so has energy. After spending her life roaming free she might have some cabin fever plus hormonal energy. Put the kittens in the crate so the don't get under her feet.

Can you add another wet meal?

She’s purring and loving on me one moment then biting and swiping at me the next (without me touching her in either circumstance). It’s very confusing and disheartening.

She might be confused too. In her old world humans were something to be feared and avoided. Now she's enjoying one. Confused - Scared - Must Attack

Cat Logic - Illogic?

 

[Cheeky_Moose]

Thanks for the ideas- I ended up trying a blend of them this evening. So far have had two evening sessions where there was no hissing, biting, or swiping- yay! I’m going to try and build on them going forward.
I’d like to think the Feliway is helping. I kept my routine the same - hang with momma and babies after work then visit before bed to give wet food, weigh babies, and clean/top up food/water overnight. What I changed was the focus on mama; she always comes to greet me and I usually give her a bunch of pets but I suspect it was the act of touch/petting that was overstimulating her so I didn’t touch her at all. I spoke to her sweetly (she loves high calm voices) and let her engage in rubbing my legs. I only stroked her once or twice when she clearly really wanted it. She seemed to calm and we just hung out as we did pre-babies. I waited till she was feeding babies to fix the water and top off the dry food.
This later evening I did the same and laid out some more toys and catnip. She LOVED the catnip. Again I just hung out quietly with her and she eventually came over and not only rubbed against me, but just stood there a few seconds leaning against me. Clearly she appreciates this new approach so fingers crossed this works going forward and I can slowly build on her petting tolerance without overstimulating her sensitive stray sensibilities (and play more with those adorable squeaky babies!)

 

[TARTARA]

You are doing excellent !

I think is quite normal after a birth... a little bit more aggressive, protective... etc... plus she doesn't know your very well - long time... ! Try to be with her (and with the babys) as usual, maybe she needs some more time... after all her first priority are the badys... ! Some times we tend to over thinking and and to over doing things... plus any cat is unique and has her own way... !

Just my opinion, have a good one !

 

[Furballsmom]

This is fantastic news, good for you!