Momma not happy with place for kittens

[Senthin]

Our first time momma cat has been unhappy with every attempt we've made at a place for her kittens. The only place she has liked so far is a cat bed when there is a towel.covering her and the kittens. Now, this would be fine but she regularly gets up and walks around and then goes back to the kittens, but doesnt make an attempt to go under the towel where the kittens are, she sits on top, potentially on the kittens. This seems unmanageable both from a perspective of her possibly injuring the kittens as well as not being to feed them. She definitely cares about taking care of them as she comes back to the bed to lay with them, but without my wife or I here to make sure she goes under the towel, this seems like it wont work. We're all tired and the wife and i are a bit at a loss what to do/try.
We've made a box fort with cutting a hole for her to go in/out and several other dark covered forts, but what she seems to want most is to be under the towel/blanket, and that seems to be the underlying issue.

Any help/suggestions from seasoned parents?

 

[DreamerRose]

The towel may not be needed. Take it off for a while and see if that solves the problem. The kittens will all sleep in a heap when she's not there, keeping themselves warm, and she will have easy access to them.

 

[Senthin]

DreamerRose thanks so much for a quick reply. Without the towel she will pick up and try to relocate the kittens. She really seems to depend on being covered to feel safe. I'm not sure if that is because she often sleeps with us under the covers in bed or unrelated.

 

[DreamerRose]

Yes, it sounds like it's become a habit. Can you cut the bottom and one side of a box off and put it over the cat bed? Or make something like a tent with mom and the kittens underneath? Or even put the cat bed in a closet? A lot of people on the site have done that and recommend it. Momcats like something like a cave to protect their kittens.

Welcome to the Cat Site, too! I'm sure other people will tune in soon and offer some more ideas.

 

[Senthin]

Yes, it sounds like it's become a habit. Can you cut the bottom and one side of a box off and put it over the cat bed? Or make something like a tent with mom and the kittens underneath? Or even put the cat bed in a closet? A lot of people on the site have done that and recommend it. Momcats like something like a cave to protect their kittens.

Welcome to the Cat Site, too! I'm sure other people will tune in soon and offer some more ideas.

Thank you for the welcome!
We made a box fort and a few others but without that feeling of being covered, she's grabbed the kittens to relocate. We got her in a box and put some treats in there to make it appealing, but no go.
I also tried putting a chair over/around the cat bed and used a blanket that hung across the legs of the chair, trying to simulate the effect of the towel covering her, but she grabbed a kitten and tried relocating :'(

 

[British Girls]

Hi, maybe try putting the bed in the box with the blanket covering the open top part of the box?

 

[golondrina]

Is she feeding the kittens? How long since they were born?

 

[Sarthur2]

I suggest the same as British Girls — put the cat bed in the box and cover the top with the towel. If this does not work, do away with the whole scenario and let her put her kittens where she wants them. Leave them there unless it’s unsafe because the constant moving is not good for the kittens.