3. Hi Dawn, I’m not a pet expert by any means and am just sharing my experience here. In this article, we’ll dive into the answers and everything in between. Today I found 2 of em and I tried to bring the cat family back together, but the cat mom was really cold towards them. I never knew that. If a kitten is separated from his mother, it won't take long for her to stop recognizing him. However, if one of them is taken away for a while and then re-introduced, then the cats see each other as strangers. Is it evolutionarily advantageous for cats to maintain family "bonds" and hierarchies when kept in a communal situation which may subsequently be interpreted by inquisitive humans as a sense of "family" - … Some will choose to ignore them, which means not letting them feed. I … Leaving The Nest. She gave birth to one female kitten. Why do mother cats abandon their kittens? A mother cat can even growl at the kitten if you keep them with her for too long. The kittens have copied their mother. No, cats do not usually remember their kittens once they move on. Previous: Red Velvet Ice Cream Cupcakes #recipe Smucker’s, Next: London Drugs Has Father’s Day Covered, Red Velvet Ice Cream Cupcakes #recipe Smucker’s. If allowed, Mom and her kittens will often stick together. Do Kittens Get Along With Their Mothers As Adults?→, How Soon Can I Cuddle My Newborn Kittens?→. A nest of kittens who are being cared for by their mother should be clean and content. Mercy. Some of them, like their intelligence, planning, and curiosity patterns, contribute to making them the delightful pets they can be. Please let me know what you think?? It was very kind of you to take in those kittens. “The mother cat does not abandon her kittens when they are weaned. Stray cats frustrate me too. She survived on her own outside until she came to us the day she had her kittens and another neighbour of mine found them and let us take them in. She'll also groom and rub against cats she is friendly with. Cats depend on scent, not vision, to recognize each other. Mother nature has PMS. This lets them know this is their safe haven. Outdoor or stray moms are sometimes scattering their kittens to avoid predation. I thought she was trying to show that she was the dominant one, but what has happened is that she has remembered being on her own last summer and can’t quite place where these two cats that she is living with fit in to her life. While It is shocking to know that your pet mama cat ate one or two of her kittens we have to remember that this is a natural instinctive behavior among cats and may be attributed to factors such as stress or undernourishment. I felt so bad taking a child away from it’s mother. As long as they're together, they retain the scent and will snuggle together and groom one another. You may see her investigating open drawers, cabinets, closets, spaces under furniture, etc. I have 2 homes, 1 in NH which is my primary and 1 in NJ where I go one wkend a month. Cat imprinting is the process by which a kitten bonds with his mother as she cares for him. When it happened, my husband tried to comfort me and said “Don’t worry, she won’t remember she gave birth”. the snow melted and it was time to set them loose to enjoy the yard and neighbourhood (fixed, chipped, tattooed and licensed of course). Most of the time they had to find a place in a hurry because lot of … Once the kitten leaves the nest, that scent quickly vanishes. Mother cats can get uncomfortable with the presence of her kittens after the weaning process is complete. Sheri publishes, and writes at This Bird’s Day where she shares all of the thoughts in her head without the voices. That’s really horrible in my opinion. When a mother and her kittens are nesting together, they have a unique scent, which all of them recognize. 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. They were born just before the snow flew and we had about 7 months of snow this winter. To understand, we have to remember our cats have patterns in their heads that are meant to ensure their survival in their natural environment. A female kitten will stay with mom and may help her raise future litters of kittens. When she hears their distress call, she'll come to the rescue. I don't remember any of them being this wild but I know we got them around 8-12 weeks (guessing). Hugs. They are all alive and well! It can be stressful for her kittens as well. I kept 2 of them (male and female) and gave 3 away. The environment of the nest creates a distinct scent for both Mom and kitten. Cats do not have the same emotional attachment to their offspring as humans do. Once they are weaned and rehomed they are not regarded as your cat’s responsibility and are often forgotten. Maternal aggression towards people and other animals is a very normal mother cat behavior, and it will subside as the kittens grow. In fact, cats may not even remember their mothers after being separated from them for a while. “What?” I retorted incredulously, “A mother never just forgets that she gave birth.” It was a ridiculous statement to me. But sometimes, she is unable to care for her kittens … Even though cats have astounding memory, their relationship with their family is far from the tear-jerking surrealness animal videos on the internet would have you believe. When they don’t recognize that the kittens came from them, the birth-related hormones that bond mothers to their litter are not released. These include kitten sickness or deformity, large litter size, and lack of maternal instincts. Do mother cats remember their kittens? Seeing a mother cat grooming and tending to her kittens is a heartwarming sight to behold. Each kitten will has a distinct meow that Mom understands. That means a cat will be protective over its territory and food, whether the other cat is a stranger or a sibling. When do mother cats leave their kittens? That was enough proof for me that cats make excellent mothers. This growing aloofness is normal behavior for mother cats as their kittens begin to grow up. All our cats lived long lives. Remember, not all mothers will consume their kittens with birth defects. All 5, regardless of where they live NH or NJ, are indoor cats only and all female. This is Oz at 8 months old (short for Ozzy ‘Osbourne’, named before we knew they were all girls). Thanks for the interesting post! I see their confusion at times because I know they remember that they like Tess, they just don’t understand her attitude towards them. It is tough when that happens. Mother cats abandon their kittens for a variety of reasons. Before giving birth, a mother cat will scope out the area for potential dens to keep her babies in. Mothers will recognize her kittens later in their lives, but if these grown now cats will act aggressively towards their mother cat on her territory – she will have no problem in defending what is hers against who once were her own kids.. You've probably noticed her rubbing against almost everything in your home, including you. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. This is a signal not only to her, but to any other cat who may enter her turf. MEOW: Do Cats Remember Their Owners After Years? They would lick each others hair clean and rub up against each other. For a few days after her kittens are gone, she may look for them around your home. When I came back to NJ. As for the kittens, they have each other and they are the closest of siblings. So when these cats gave birth they find a safe place to do it. Do cats … When your cat is taken from his mother at a young age and comes to live with you, he may imprint on you. It means Pile More Snow. Tess, the orange and white Tabby took her kittens outside for the first time ever. The kittens will stay with their mother if they recognize it. 2 yes ago, a stray cat had 4 kittens on my porch in NJ. Most experts recommend waiting until at least six weeks, while others say that it’s better to leave a kitten with its mother for 8 to 10 weeks. She'll also recognize her kittens by their cry. Cats aren’t any different. ), Thanks Tenille. I wondered if it was cruel to take the pups away and that’s the way she explained it as well! They do remember their parents and siblings if they continue to be around them as adults. Have fed and taken so many stray cats we loved her all kittens. By their mother if they recognize it can ’ t realize the of. 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