Three week old kittens, our other female cat is attempting to help mother them.

[adrianne davis]

I'm going to use the cats' names here as it would seem kinda hard to distinguish otherwise. Bit had a litter of kittens three weeks ago, and she's been a very good and tolerant mother. We have a second female cat in the house, Boo. Boo is ten years old and has never conceived a litter of her own. Nevertheless, she's been in situations where her "mothering" instinct has kicked in. Last year, a two week old kitten was found and I decided that I would foster her. At first, Boo didn't pay her much mind. But by the time the kitten was old enough to kind of walk around it's like a light went off in Boo's head. She was all about this kitten. She laid in the box with her, groomed her, and honestly never left unless she was using the bathroom or getting a very fast bit to eat. Which brings me back to Bit, as of today Boo has decided that nothing in the world matters more to her than these kittens. And it's strange, because they're the same age the kitten I fostered was when Boo took notice. We had the kittens out in my bedroom floor, so that they could stretch their legs a bit. Boo slowly walked in the room, and saw the kittens, and started grooming one. Then she began frantically looking all over, and eventually it became clear she was looking for a box. Because when she found the box we keep the kittens in, she jumped in and hasn't wanted to get out since. Bit hissed at Boo to begin with, but now she doesn't seem to mind at all. The two of them have been in the box together all evening, Boo has been grooming Bit and the kittens. I've since taken her out, since it's night time. If anything I'd rather this be gradual. I'm afraid that Bit will decide that the kittens aren't her's anymore and will stop taking care of them. Boo is scratching at my door right now wanting in -______-

Any advice?

Thanks.

 

[sk_pacer]

No real advice, but I have seen cats co-mother litters when they kitten close together. I have also seen tom cats, neutered and not also take care of kittens. One old guy that alternated homes between here and the neighbour (her cat) was so kitten crazy, he would stretch out and let them crawl over him, try to nurse and he would just lie there, stretched out, purring madly. My big neutered tom still mothers his 'kitten; and she is almost 4 but she lets Jack dote on her, drag her around a bit, wash her, etc.

I guess the answer is this: if the real momma has no objections let them be. At three weeks, they are going to rely less and less on mom for food and comfort can be any willing cat to a kitten that has played itself out.

 

[adrianne davis]

Thank you so much. I'll let her back in the room now 

 

[catspaw66]

No real advice, but I have seen cats co-mother litters when they kitten close together. I have also seen tom cats, neutered and not also take care of kittens. One old guy that alternated homes between here and the neighbour (her cat) was so kitten crazy, he would stretch out and let them crawl over him, try to nurse and he would just lie there, stretched out, purring madly. My big neutered tom still mothers his 'kitten; and she is almost 4 but she lets Jack dote on her, drag her around a bit, wash her, etc.

My brother has "Mama"  Sterling, a neutered male, who loves kittens. He washes and cuddles them just like their mother would

 

[sk_pacer]

My brother has "Mama"  Sterling, a neutered male, who loves kittens. He washes and cuddles them just like their mother would

\It's certainly odd to see, isn't it? Strangely, the neighbour's cat was an intact tom, too wiley to be trapped and hauled in to be fixed, but that sure didn't stop him from loving on kittens, his or some other tom's. He and Jack tried to raise an orphaned litter, but sadly only two made it and one went to a new home and the other is Jackkkkkk's 4 year old 'kitten' that he still tries to mother.