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Is My Cat Trying To Kill Her Kittens?

If you are concerned about how harsh your cat is treating its kitten, you may be wondering how far it will go…

Is my cat trying to kill her kitten?

Cats do not purposely try to kill their kittens, even if they are not emotionally attached to them. In many cases, cats will leave their cats to fend for themselves if they do not form a close bond with them. In that case, the kitten will die from starvation, stress, or dehydration.

Cats may sometimes abandon their kittens when they notice health abnormalities. A health abnormality in one kitten often reflects poorly on the entire litter, making the cat take negative action against the unhealthy cat.

How do you know if your cat is trying to hurt its kitten?

If your cat is exuding aggressive behavior toward your kitten, it is a sign they are purposefully trying to kill them. The clearest indication of aggressive behavior is swatting and clawing. Cats may also refuse to nurse their kittens when hungry or leave them alone at night to find their heat sources, which can jeopardize the kitten’s life.

What can I do if my cat is acting aggressively toward its kitten?

If your cat is acting aggressive toward its kitten, you should intervene immediately so the kitten does not get hurt. Full-grown cats can be ten times larger than newborn kittens, making the young cat vulnerable to the cat’s attacks if they are not stopped.

First, separate your cats if they are fighting, so they do not hurt each other. Then, you should try reintroducing your cats so they can become friends. If your cats do not become friendly by the time the cat reaches adulthood, you may want to try creating safe spaces for your kitten.

Some cats can feel intruded upon when a new cat comes into their territory, even if it is their kitten.

What could cause a cat to kill her kitten?

Cats can kill their kittens because they are neglectful. Some cats are inexperienced or do not have a maternal instinct, so they might abandon their kittens. Cats might reject their kittens and kill them purposefully because they do not fit in or have health defects, making them a sty in the litter.

Is it true that mother cats reject kittens that have been touched by humans?

Mother cats do not typically reject kittens after being touched by humans. Before touching a cat’s kittens, consider getting on good social terms with them. They might not be accepting of your touch if you are not on good social terms or if you have been unfriendly with them in the past.

A cat that does not have a good relationship with you might be less friendly toward its kitten after you touch them.

Is it safe to touch a newborn kitten?

It is safe to touch a newborn kitten if the mother trusts you. Otherwise, the mother may attack you to defend their newborn kitten. Kittens cannot protect themselves, making them extremely vulnerable to outside threats.

If the mother mistakes you for a threat, she will attack you by clawing, swatting, or biting you.

Some mammals will abandon their offspring after you touch them because of the scent of humans. It is not common for cats to abandon their kittens after you touch them because most cats form close bonds with their owners beforehand. Cats most commonly abandon their kittens when they notice health abnormalities that could impact the quality of the litter.

On the other hand, if you are not bonded with a cat before touching their kitten, it could compromise a mother’s relationship with their child.

Is it true that cats eat their kittens?

Domestic cats do not eat their kittens because most are born with maternal instincts. However, feral cats might eat their kitten if they sense something is wrong with the kitten. Feral cats are much more likely to eat their kittens when they have birth defects because they make a negative impact on the litter’s quality.

If a kitten negatively impacts the overall survival rate of the litter, the mother cat could become cannibalistic.

Why did my cat kill her 3 day-old kittens?

Your cat might kill their 3-day-old kitten if they are neglectful to their kitten or they are trying to protect their litter. Maternal instincts are natural for cats. However, some cats are born without these maternal instincts, making them unable to care for newborn kittens.

Furthermore, mother cats sometimes kill disabled, sick, or vulnerable kittens because they negatively impact their litter. This is because it can be difficult for the mother to allocate her resources to the weak kitten, especially when protecting them in the wild. A feral cat might abandon or kill a cat if it sticks out from the litter.

For instance, a white cat in a pack of calicos would prevent the litter from blending into the environment, making them vulnerable to predators. The mother cat resorts to killing her young because it will protect the rest of the group.

Why does my cat kill her kittens only to get pregnant again?

Your cat might kill her kittens and get pregnant again because she has poor maternal instincts. She may have the inability to raise kittens because she is inexperienced. If your cat undergoes repetitive failed pregnancies, you might want to have them examined by a veterinarian. There might be something problematic with their health that your veterinarian could solve.

In contrast, a cat might fail with their first litter because they are inexperienced. Fortunately, after supervising the birth of another cat’s kittens, they can adapt to motherhood. Like humans, cats mature with age.

When a cat has kittens too early, it can be problematic for their physical and psychological health. Immature cats are not ready to care for something else, let alone several lives at once.

Do cats suffocate kittens?

It is unusual for cats to suffocate kittens unless it is an accident. Cats usually have good intentions with their kittens, but there are many reasons they may suffocate them. The most common reason is an accident.

However, discontent with the litter may cause a mother to suffocate their kittens by sitting or laying on them.