Why does my cat keep walking away from her kittens?

It is probably too much out in the open, or there is too much going on, too much foot traffic. Cats instinctively try to hide their young kittens. If you don’t have a cage to put her in that is big enough for a litterbox, bed and food/water (safest), try moving her and the kittens somewhere quiet and dark.

Do cats leave their kittens after 3 months?

Mother cats don’t mean to leave their kittens before they are old enough to make it on their own, which is around 10-12 weeks. But sometimes, she is unable to care for her kittens and will either disappear or gets killed.

Why would a mother cat reject a kitten?

If a mother cat senses that one of her kittens is afflicted by a viral or bacterial illness, she might abandon the kitten so that it will not infect its siblings. Some veterinarians will not treat newborn, abandoned kittens because chances are high that the kitten is already sick and has a low chance of survival.

How long can mother cat be away from kittens?

Lack Of Experience. Mother cats leave their kittens when they are not in the correct state to have babies. Some of the cats give birth when they are around 6-7 months which Is an indication that these cats are too young to be mothers. Some cats also end up suffocating their kittens when anxious and stressed.

How long do mother cats stay away from their kittens?

If cat mother has been around you and is familiar with the scent that you have, you can touch the new kittens. But if it’s about touching stray kittens then avoid touching them 2-3 weeks as the mother cat might end up disowning her kittens and consider you prey.

Will mother cat abandon kittens if you touch them?

A mother cat will NOT “reject” kittens that have been touched by humans. Kittens should only be removed from their nest if there is no evidence of a mother cat after several hours, or if the kittens seem to be in imminent danger or distress.

Will mom cat miss her kittens?

Mother cats tend to forget their kittens in a short period after they are separated as that scent vanishes in that time frame. Mother cats leave a certain scent on their kittens to retain them, but once the kitten gets out of the weaning period, and start eating solid food.

What happens when you take kittens away from their mother?

If the mother cat spends more time with the kittens, it will be easy for her to let go. However, taking the kittens before the weaning is complete can trigger separation anxiety in the mother cats. In that case, she can take a longer time to recover.

Do cats go into grief when you take their kittens away?

The mother cat can also go into grief in that case. If you take the kittens away at an appropriate time, the mother cat will be back to her carefree self in a few days. It is generally harder for the kittens to adjust to a new setting, and they miss their mother and siblings.

How much time does a mother cat spend with her kittens?

As long as your kittens are gaining weight, mom is spending enough time with them. Just like all new moms, your mommy cat must have a little “me time” too. She will leave her kittens for a few minutes at a time for a visit to the litter box or to eat and drink. The older her kittens, the more time she will spend away.

What does it mean when a mother cat rejects her babies?

This can happen spontaneously or from kittens scratching the tissue during nursing. The nipple becomes swollen, hard, and hot to the touch. So it may look like mom is rejecting her babies when it’s actually just too painful to let them suckle.