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Can A Mother Cat Smell Her Kittens?

If you have a cat that is currently carrying some kittens you may be worried or wondering if there is a chance that she could forget where her kittens are.

Can a mother cat smell her kittens?

A mother cat can smell her kittens. They have a far superior scense of smell when compared to us humans. Mother cats have a instinct to lick and smell their kittens by placing their focus on their anogenital area. This may be why some cats may struggle to remember their kittens once they leave home because their scent is undetectable.

So, now you know. But, can cats actually recogmise ther kittens? Can adult cats remember their mom? Do mother cats have love for their kittens? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

Can a mother cat Recognise her kittens?

4 kittens standing together.

4 kittens standing together.

Once her kittens have left home some believe that cats can still recognize their kittens, however, others say its unlikely because they rely on theri scent, rather than sight.

However, regardless of the fact if they can or cannot, they do not have the same relationship with their offspring like us humans. Meaning, they will not hesitate to attack their own if they feel threatened, or if they infiltrate their territory.

This may seem weird, or unbelievable. And, I get it, it does, to us. But, cats are different, they do not have the same emotional connection we have. Once they have done their role of mother, and they leave they move on.

Obviously, if the kittens remain in the same household as a n adult its different, because the chances are they will mix OK. But, this is the same for any other random cat that may be introduced to their home.

Is it OK to give kittens away at 6 weeks old?

It is not advisable to give kittens away at 6 weeks. Ideally they should be at least 8 weeks old, or at least be weaned first. The later is most important. Why? Because this will mean they are not reliant on their mother for food and will settle in their new home easier.

Obviously, many people have giving away kittens earlier, but that does not mean that it is acceptable, or incouraged.

Do cats remember their moms?

Cats are unlikely to remember their mother once they leave home. This is because cats rely heavily on their scent rather than sight to identify other cats, or their owners. This is why if you leave home for a vacation your cat may act weird towards you when you return.

Do mother cats love their kittens?

Mother cats do not love their kittens like us humans do with out children. Instead, they have an instinct to care and nurture for their kittens until they are independant. At that point she will start to distance herself from them.

Can a cat forget where she put her kittens?

No, cats cannot forget where their kittens are because they have a very powerful sense of smell. They use this to locate their cats. This skill has been honed from its ancestors who lived in the wild and it has now become an instinct.

This sense of smell is one of the reasons they bury their waste (or even food) because they are always paranoid that another rival cat, in the wild, would find out where they are. Which could potentially cause them problems or attack their kittens.

Now that you know that a cat will not forget where her kittens are kept reading to learn how long mother cats take to forget her kittens, once they leave, if the father cat has the same connection with their kittens, and so much more.

How long does it take for a mother cat to forget her kittens?

If you have a new cat, and she has kittens (Click here if the adult is stealing the kittens food), you may be wondering how long it will take her to forget about her kittens when they are given away.

It takes a mother cat approximately 10 weeks to forget her kittens. After 10 weeks the kittens are typically weaned and ready to be moved on to a new home. Once they are moved on your cat may show some signs of missing them but will forget shortly after.

Within these few days of missing them, you may notice her looking for the kittens, confused. And, maybe meowing in their absence. However, as I said, after a few days this will pass and she will continue as normal.

Now that you understand that a mother cat will forget her kittens within approximately 10 weeks you may have had a situation where a kitten died unexpectedly. But, why would a mother kitten bring her dead kitten to you?

Why did my cat bring me her dead kitten?

If you have had an unfortunate situation of seeing a mother cat bringing you a dead kitten you may be wondering why this has even happened.

A mother cat may bring her dead cat to show her emotion. She is upset that her kitten has died and wants to share her loss with you. You may also see her attempting to bring the kitten back in vein.

Now that you understand why your cat may have bought a dead kitten to you. You may be wondering what she does with this dead kitten.

What does a mother cat do with a dead kitten?

If you have had the unexpected situation of having a dead kitten in your house you may be wondering what a mother cat does with this dead kitten.

If a mother cat has a dead kitten initially she will continue to treat it the same as any other kitten by grooming and licking it. But, once it is clear that it is not responding she may attempt to eat it unless it is removed.

Although this sounds barbaric to us humans, things are different in the animal kingdom. Especially for cats. Keep reading to see how you can say sorry to your cat in the absence of using your voice.

How do I say sorry to my cat?

A ginger cat being stroked on its head.

A ginger cat being stroked on its head.

If you have a situation where you have upset your cat, for example,  accidentally stepped on his paw, you may be wondering what is the best way to show that you are truly sorry for what you have done.

To say sorry to your cat you should give her some time to get over it. Once she has time to get over it, offer your hand and stroke her head gently. You can then try to rub just under her chin to show some love and affection.

As you can see it is easy to show your cat some love and affection to show that you are sorry. If you are a breeder you may be wondering if the father of a cat can breed with its daughter, keep reading.

Will a father cat mate with his daughter?

If you are a breeder you may have heard rumors of cats being bred with their direct relatives, such as the father mating (Click here to see why some male cats don’t know how to mate) with its daughter. But, is this true?

Yes, a father cat will mate with its daughter. Also, it is possible to mate a mother cat with its son. This is known as inbreeding and as shocking as it sounds it is commonly used by breeders with mixed results.

Sometimes this will work without any issues but there are occasions where there may be unexpected behaviors caused by inbreeding in this way. Keep reading to learn if your cat understands the name you have given him.

Do cats know their name?

After you have named your cat you may be wondering if she truly does understand what her name is. Or, if she is just responding to your tone of voice. Meaning, you could almost call her anything.

It is believed that cats do know their name. However, cats may behave slightly different from a dog. In particular, not be as obedient and come to you as quickly as a dog does. But, cats do seem to understand you.

So, now you know that your cat does know what her name is. Keep reading to see if you are seen as her mother or just another random person.

Do kittens see you as their mother?

If you have a kitten you may be wondering if in her mind she sees you as her mother or just a human feeder.

Cats know that you are not their mother. However, they do appreciate you in the same way as their mother. They know that you are an important part of their life by the way you feed and play with them. Also, by the love that you offer them.

Now you know that although you are not regarded as your cat’s mother, you are still appreciated. Keep reading to learn if a father cat knows his kittens or not.

Do Father cats know their kittens?

If you have a father cat amongst a new batch of kittens you may be wondering if the maternal love that a mother has with a kitten is the same as it is for a father cat.

No, father cats do not know their kittens. This is different from mother cats. This is because during a mother cat’s heat cycle she may mate with multiple tomcats. So, the father cat (or tomcat) does not know if the kittens are truly his.

Although this sounds sad, tomcats are very different from human fathers. Once they have mated they move on with their day without any problems.

Do cats get sad when you give their kittens away?

If you have a new batch of kittens and you have given them away to some new families you may be wondering how your cat feels about this. Does the mother cat get sad?

No, mother cats do not get sad when her kittens are given away. They are different from humans. Once they have been fully weaned their kittens a mother cat may even get annoyed with the kittens. for example, she may show some aggression towards them.

Lindsey Browlingdon