As you may be aware, my Tinkerbelle gave birth to four kittens three weeks ago. Today, I found my eldest cat, 9 year old Gizmo, in the 'cat nursery room'. He was lying down by the entrance to the crate where the babies are nesting. Surprisingly, mum cat Tinkerbelle (also lying outside the crate) was not afraid of Uncle Gizmo being near the babies.
Gizmo then went into the crate (I was on high alert!) and laid down. The babies all cuddled up to him and he was licking them. Tinkerbelle was outside the crate purring and did not seem worried. I did not intervene as I thought this may be an important step in the cats' interaction with each other and the babies did not seem to be in danger.
Ok well here goes....Tinkerbelle loves cuddling Gizmo, so she got in the crate too and laid her head on him (whilst the babies are all cuddled into big fat Gizmo). For about 5 minutes, it seemed like bliss...all my 6 cats together! However, as soon as Tinkerbelle went to lick one of her babies, Gizmo swiped Tinkerbelle across her face with his paw and then he started to lick the babies.
Seeing this as abnormal - I called Gizmo out of the room (by saying 'dinner time').
Tinkerbelle has been trying to 'suck up' to Gizmo all evening like she has done something wrong.
Is this some kind of dominance thing? Its strange how she lets Gizmo near the babies but not humans! Even stranger, why is Gizmo getting upset when Tinkerbelle is nursing her own babies?
I can't close the door to the cat nursery room to prevent Gizmo from getting in as Tinkerbelle likes to go in and out the room.
Any advice?
Gizmo then went into the crate (I was on high alert!) and laid down. The babies all cuddled up to him and he was licking them. Tinkerbelle was outside the crate purring and did not seem worried. I did not intervene as I thought this may be an important step in the cats' interaction with each other and the babies did not seem to be in danger.
Ok well here goes....Tinkerbelle loves cuddling Gizmo, so she got in the crate too and laid her head on him (whilst the babies are all cuddled into big fat Gizmo). For about 5 minutes, it seemed like bliss...all my 6 cats together! However, as soon as Tinkerbelle went to lick one of her babies, Gizmo swiped Tinkerbelle across her face with his paw and then he started to lick the babies.
Seeing this as abnormal - I called Gizmo out of the room (by saying 'dinner time').
Tinkerbelle has been trying to 'suck up' to Gizmo all evening like she has done something wrong.
Is this some kind of dominance thing? Its strange how she lets Gizmo near the babies but not humans! Even stranger, why is Gizmo getting upset when Tinkerbelle is nursing her own babies?
I can't close the door to the cat nursery room to prevent Gizmo from getting in as Tinkerbelle likes to go in and out the room.
Any advice?