Do Mother Cats Kill Their Kittens?

Some cats are known for killing their kittens. It’s not just a myth, it’s true. But it’s not as common as you might think.

It’s not unusual for a mother cat to attack one of her kittens if she feels it is going to die anyway. This is especially true if one of her kittens has been sick or injured from birth. She may see it as a mercy killing.

Can A Mother Cat Kill Her Kittens?

The topic of mother cats killing their kittens is a complex one. There are many different reasons why a mother cat may kill her kittens.

The first thing to do when you suspect your female cat is harming her kittens is to take them away from her and isolate them.

Yes, a mother cat can kill her kittens under certain circumstances. This is usually because she has not learned how to be a good mom. Most of the time, mother cats who kill their kittens do so because they are not properly prepared for motherhood at the time of birth.

This can happen if they have been abandoned by their owners and left to fend for themselves. That is often a common occurrence in feral cat colonies.

Also read: Why My Cat Had Kittens but Still Looks Pregnant

Why Do Mother Cats Attack Their Older Kittens?

There are a number of reasons why a mother cat might attack her older kittens.

The older kitten may be a threat to the young kittens in the litter. The mother will see this as another cat trying to take her babies away from her and might attack.

A very common reason is if the kitten is too rough with the other kittens or their mother.

 If one kitten is playing too roughly, or biting and scratching too much. This can make the mother cat feel threatened and she may lash out at them.

The mother may also lash out if there is an imbalance in the litter and one or two of her kittens are getting more food than others.

 This could happen if one kitten has a strong sucking reflex and sucks harder than the others, so gets more milk.

How Do Cats Kill Their Kittens?

Cats have many ways of killing kittens.

Some cats will accidentally suffocate them by lying directly on top of them during sleep; others will drop them when transporting them from one location to another; still others will stamp on them while playing.

All these methods are accidents rather than deliberate acts of cruelty by the mother cat.

Most cats will kill their kittens if they feel threatened or feel that the kitten is sick or deformed in some way.

Why Do Male Cats Kill Their Kittens?

Male cats are more likely to kill their kittens than females. This behavior is usually attributed to an instinctive drive to eliminate the offspring of a rival male. However, there is no evidence that this is the case.

Rather, males may be more aggressive toward kittens because they are not able to recognize them as members of their own species and may see them as prey.

Male cats who have been neutered are less likely to exhibit this behavior than intact males. Neutering also reduces aggressive behavior toward other cats, including kittens.

Kittens who are born in the spring or summer may be at greater risk for infanticide by their fathers than those born in winter or fall. This is because the father cat has more opportunities for mating with other females during warmer weather.

If a male cat smells another male’s scent on his kittens, he will kill them. It’s just one of those things that happens.

If you have a male cat who has never been neutered and he starts killing the kittens, it’s best to get him neutered as soon as possible.

If your male cat is neutered, you shouldn’t notice any change in his behavior after the procedure.

However, if he kills kittens after the surgery goes through, this could be caused by a physical problem that needs to be treated before it causes any more problems.

Do Cats Kill Their Owners?

The myth that cats kill their owners is not true.

 Most of the time, it’s just a myth. Yes, cats can transmit diseases to humans that can potentially kill them (but this is unintentional.)

Cats do not deliberately kill their owners. It’s not in their nature to want to harm humans, and they’re generally very loyal animals.

That said, cats are not capable of killing adult human beings except maybe by accident.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for cats to go out of their way to protect their owners from harm or danger.

A cat has sharp claws and teeth, so it’s possible that they could accidentally scratch or bite you if they were startled or frightened by something sudden in your house like a burglar or a loud noise.

Why is Mother Cat Sitting on Kittens?

Mothers are protective, and mother cats are no exception. If you are a new cat owner, there is a chance your mom cat may show signs of aggression towards you.

If your mother cat is sitting on her kittens when you are present, this could be because she thinks you are a threat to her kittens, and she simply wants to protect them.

On the other hand, if mom cat feels her kittens are being threatened, she can even end up harming them or killing them (this is called infanticide).

In such cases, it’s best that you separate the mother and kittens until they grow up enough to be able to survive on their own (about 6 weeks).

The best way to deal with this situation is to give mom cat some space and privacy. If you want to interact with her, do so when she is not around her kittens.

She will also feel more comfortable if you stay away from their nest or any places where she might feel like she needs to protect them.

Another reason a cat could be sitting on her kittens is because of an illness.  If your mother cat is sick or injured, it’s possible that this could cause changes in her behavior.

 Cats get sick just like people do and when they’re not feeling well, they can become moody and temperamental.

 If this happens with your mother cat after having kittens, try talking to your vet about possible causes and treatments for her illness.

Read also: What Temperature Is Too Hot for Newborn Kittens?

Why is Mother Cat Suffocating Kittens?

Cats are very protective of their kittens and will do anything to keep them safe. This is especially true when it comes to the safety of their litter.

However, there are a few things that can lead to a mother cat accidentally suffocating her kittens.

She may be trying to protect them from harm or predators, so she lays on them. A cat may fall asleep on top of a kitten without knowing it. In trying to keep them warm, mother cat can accidentally suffocate her kittens.

 If a mother cat is stressed or worried about something, she may also accidentally suffocate her kittens by moving around too much while lying down with them.

There are some things you can do to prevent this from happening:

• Make sure your cat has plenty of space in her cage or carrier when transporting her and her kittens together. If you’re using a carrier, place it on its side (like an igloo)

Do Mom Cats Kill Their Kittens If Humans Touch Them?

There are very rare cases of a mother cat killing her kittens if humans touch them. This is because there are certain behaviors that are hardwired into the feline brain and instinctive.

We can’t change these behaviors, but we can learn to understand them better so we can avoid triggering them.

One of these behaviors is called “the fight or flight response.” When the cat feels threatened or stressed, it will either fight or run away from the threat.

When cats give birth to their kittens, they are vulnerable;  they have no other way to protect themselves or their babies except by fighting off predators or running away from them.

So, when a human touches a newborn kitten in its first few hours after birth, it may trigger this instinctive response in some cats

Why Do Cats Kill Baby Kittens?

A mother cat can kill her kittens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes she will do so because there is something wrong with the kitten.

The most common reasons for this are:

• If the mother cat knows that her kittens have very bleak chances of survival.

Kittens born with deformities or who have serious health problems are often killed by the mother cat.

 In some cases, the mother eats them to prevent attracting predators and so that they do not suffer from their poor health condition. This can happen if the mother is not well herself or if she is too young to give birth.

• Mother cat will also kill her kitten to save her energy and milk. This is especially true if she has already had more than one litter and cannot keep up with the demands of caring for another.

Sometimes, a mother cat will eat her kitten to replenish her lost energy or to prevent attracting predators.

• Cats can also kill their kittens by mistake such as when they accidentally step on them while hunting or playing with their littermates. This can sometimes be seen as an instinctive behavior that cats have inherited from their ancestors.

• The smallest kittens are most vulnerable because they often get stuck under their bigger siblings when they are nursing from their mother. In an attempt to push the larger kitten away from the teat, she might accidentally hurt or suffocate one of them.

Why Do Feral Cats Kill Their Kittens?

There are several reasons why feral cats kill their kittens.

1.  A cat can give birth at an early age, before their maternal instincts develop. Because of that, they can kill kittens out of confusion.

This is often seen in the case of stray cats who give birth at an early age due to lack of nutrition during pregnancy or other factors such as stress.

These cats are not mature enough to take care of their kittens properly. Thats because they don’t know how to feed them or clean them properly.

This is usually seen in feral cats who have never been socialized and have had no human contact since they were born.

2. If mother cat knows well that the environment is not safe enough for her kittens to survive she may abandon them or even kill them unintentionally while trying to move them from one place to another.

This can be due to factors such as moving into an unfamiliar territory where there are other cats around or moving into an area where there isn’t too much competition for food.

3. Another reason why a mother cat may kill her kittens is because she rears them at the wrong time of the year.

This is because cats give birth to their litters when there is plenty of food available for them as well as for their babies so that they do not have any problems feeding their young ones after birth.

 In that case, she can kill them so that she can  rear new kittens at the right times for the year.

Read also: Why Is My Mom Cat Hissing at Her Kittens? [Surprising Facts]

Conclusion

Overall, it seems as though cats don’t intentionally kill their kittens. It is possible that they are still learning to care for them in a proper manner.

With just a bit of research, you’ll find that this isn’t an uncommon behavior with many mother cats.

Unfortunately, the truth is that it does happen, but not as frequently as most people think. In reality, it is actually a lot more common for cats to abandon their kittens than it is for them to kill them.

However, if you think that your cat is rejecting her kittens, it’s always best to talk to your veterinarian about the possibility.

References:

https://www.thesprucepets.com/post-natal-cat-care-555416

https://animals.mom.com/signs-of-a-cat-rejecting-kittens-12602953.html