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Why Is My Pregnant Cat Hissing At Her Kittens?

If you have a pregnant cat, that also has kittens, you may be alarmed to see her hissing at them and wondering why, and what you should do about it…

Why Is My Pregnant Cat Hissing At Her Kittens?

Your pregnant cat is likely hissing at her kittens to preserve her territory. Since she is preparing for birth, she wants to ensure her space is safe and that nobody is going to try to interfere with her and her babies. If her kittens are not fixed, this could potentially exacerbate the aggression she shows.

Is It Normal For A Pregnant Cat To Hiss At Her Kittens?

It’s completely normal for a pregnant cat to hiss at her kittens. Her hormones are at an all-time high, and her instincts are to protect her kittens in the womb. Those maternal instincts don’t extend to her kittens that are already born, especially if they are not fixed.

At a certain age, it is expected that her kittens will become independent of her, so she no longer has that urge to protect them. She does not mean to be cruel; this is just the way nature works when it comes to cats.

What Should I Do If My Pregnant Cat Hisses At Her Kittens?

It’s best to keep kittens separated from your pregnant cat so she’s not hissing at them or getting stressed out. Your pregnant cat needs to feel safe and calm as she prepares to give birth. Consider keeping her and her kittens separated until she has been able to give birth and all the newborn kittens are okay.

Typically, female cats will calm down a few weeks after she has given birth and she knows that all her kittens are happy and healthy. She also needs to be able to get some rest as she’s just gone through a lot.

Could A Mother Cat Reject Her Kittens?

There are a few reasons that a mother could reject her kittens. If she is experiencing difficulty with nursing, she might try to keep kittens away to avoid pain or discomfort. With this being a possibility, you must be keeping your eye on mom and her kittens so you can step in if needed.

Cats also have instincts to reject kittens that are sick, as they may not survive; this instinct traces back to before cats were domesticated. Moms would reject these kittens to avoid wasting resources such as milk and to avoid attracting predators looking to take advantage of the situation.

Why Are Pregnant Cats Aggressive?

Pregnant cats are aggressive because they are protective of their litter, and their maternal instincts are high at this stage. As such, she will do whatever she feels necessary to keep all parties involved safe. This might even include her becoming aggressive towards you if she wants to be left alone.

It’s important not to take offense to her aggressive and protective actions. Be sure to give your mother cat space and remain calm around her. Reassure her that she is safe with you and that you mean her and her kittens no harm.

Why Is My Cat Attacking Her 4-Month-Old Kittens?

Once kittens reach about four months old, they are expected to become independent. As such, mother cats will try to encourage them to explore and become self-reliant. If she is having a hard time encouraging kittens to venture out on her own, she might seem to attack them to encourage that independence.

If there are male kittens and they haven’t been neutered, she may also make an extra effort to shoo them away so they don’t try to mate with her. Mother cats have instincts that encourage them to avoid inbreeding, so they don’t want their male kittens to come anywhere near them.

If you are worried or paranoid that your cat might hurt your kitten you are likely to be keen to understand if it’s possible and, if it can, what could trigger this.

Will a Cat Hurt a Kitten?

Older cats can hurt tiny kittens. Especially kittens under 16 weeks old. They are infants that are delicate and prone to getting hurt easily.

So, now you know it can. But, what are the things that can trigger this? What can you do to prevent it? What is the best way to introduce them? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more…

3 Things To Look Out for To Save Your Kitten

Here are the 3 most crucial signs that you need to look for to save your kitten from an aggressive older cat:

01. Aggressive Hissing or Swiping

Hissing, swiping, and growling are all clear signs of jealousy. Your cat will continue to do such actions at the object that they are jealous of, even if it is your book or phone.

If they see you spending time with the new kitten instead of them, they will start to show signs of jealousy. Jealous cats can be very aggressive as well and they might begin to scratching or bite you and the new kitten.

02. Demanding Your Attention

A jealous cat might also start intruding into your personal space. So, if you are spending time with the new kitten or even your newborn baby, they will start trying to cuddle with you or sit in your lab.

03. Destroying Your Furniture

Extreme jealousy may also lead to destructive behavior. Your older cat might start shredding or chewing on your curtains, furniture, cords, etc. They might also start knocking objects off your table, which can be dangerous if you have glass items left on the table.

You need to pay very close attention to such behaviors. Such behaviors can be a clear sign that your new kitten might be in potential danger and it can get hurt.

Do All older Cats hurt kittens?

Fortunately, some older cats quickly adapt to the new kitten and treat them like a mom. But this is not a probable thing if your cat has never dealt with smaller kittens before.

If you have to leave an older cat with a kitten, then your objective would be to try to not allow anything negative to happen between the older cat and the kitten.

How Can You Prevent Your Cat From Hurting Your Kitten?

If you noticed signs of aggression or jealousy from your older cat towards your new kitten then you need to take action quickly before they get hurt.

Here are the essential steps that you should take:

• Avoid negativity: The first thing you should do is never allow any negative thing to happen between the two cats. You can only allow a bit of batting.
• Show your older cat love: Do not show your older cat that you love the new kitten more than them. Keep spending time with your older cat and show them that you still love them the same. If you happened to play with the new kitten, do it away from your older cat’s sight.
• Reward: Reward your cat with treats if they don’t show aggression towards the new kitten until they adapt to each other.
• Isolation? Take both cats to the vet and see if you should isolate both of the cats from each other until the new kitten gets older.

Why Do Some Cats Feel Threatened by a Kitten?

Here are the main 3 reasons why your cat might feel threatened by a kitten:

1. There is a new lack of personal space that your cat is not used to. If you made both cats share the same belongings, toys, beds, food trays, etc., the older cat will start feeling threatened and jealous of the new kitten.
2. Your cat’s daily routine changed suddenly after you introduced the new kitten to the house. Changes such as feeding schedule, playing time, etc., can all cause behavioral problems for the cat and make them feel threatened and unwelcomed.
3. You are paying more attention to the new kitten more than your older cat. They will start feeling jealous and threatened when you stop paying them not as much attention as before. This does not only happen with new kittens but only with your newborn baby, your significant other, or even your gaming console.

All of these reasons will make your cat feel jealous and threatened by the new kitten.

Make sure you avoid them and make your cat feel as loved and welcomed as possible so you will not have to face their aggression and jealousy.

How Do Older Cats Adjust to Kittens?

It can only happen through time. Do not try to rush try the socialization process and make them adapt to each other as soon as possible because it is very difficult and unlikely to happen.

Stay as patient and calm as possible and try to make them adjust to each other gradually. Start working in increments and increase their interactions with each other slowly.

Try giving your cat treats as a reward when they don’t show aggression to the little kitten until they fully adjust to each other.

Do Kittens Learn From Older Cats?

Older cats do teach kittens how to behave, and it is very beautiful to watch! Once your older cat starts adjusting to the new kitten, they will act as a mother to the kitten and show it how to behave around.

Kittens are usually quick to learn and they have a lot of energy to burn. It will be a bonus if your cat is well-behaved and they know what is right and what is wrong.

That way your new kitten will grow up with the same behavior as your older cat and they will be able to differentiate between right and wrong.

How Do You Bring a Kitten Home With a Cat?

Here are 5 quick tips to help you bring a new kitten home if you have a resident cat:

1. Make a separate space for the new kitten. This is a win-win situation for both cats. The new kitten will get more used to the place and not feel overwhelmed and the older cat will not have much interaction with the new kitten to feel jealous.
2. Start introducing them to each other gradually and slowly.
3. Pay very close attention to any warning signs of jealousy or aggression from your older cat.
4. Stay patient. It takes time for the cats to adjust to each other and not feel jealous or unwelcomed.
5. Do not allow aggression or negative behavior. Separate the two cats if it happened.

Do You Need To Vet-Check a Kitten Before Mixing With Your Cat?

Yes, a vet check is needed before you allow the two cats to meet each other. This is important because your cat could have any sort of infection that could harm your resident cat.

It is best to isolate the two cats completely until you go for a vet appointment.

Why It’s Important To Have a Room or Space Reserved for Your Cat?

It is important to give your cat a special space for them because they might have to escape if they faced any sort of aggression from the other cat.

What Can You Do if Your Cats Show Aggression?

First of all, you need to understand how to respond to aggression. It is normal if they started to fight playfully and chase each other. But you need to take action if you noticed real aggression that involves scratching, biting, arching, etc.

Make a loud noise to get their attention and make them stop fighting. Try giving them their favorite toys to distract them away from each other. You may also want to separate them for a while and slowly introduce them back until they adjust to each other.