The First Weeks

Female Cats or Queens know how to look after their young charges by instinct. Even though Humans can substitute to a degree which will keep the kittens safe, the intense care that a queen lavishes on her litter cannot be hoped to be immitated. She is responsible for their food and grooming, she protects them when they are very tiny, she teaches them to defend themselves and also how to care for themselves. On top of that she ensures they will be prepared for their inevitable independance

After The Birth

Following the Birth, the queens body regulates itself naturally in anticipation of having to feed her extra charges. Her natural instincts again maybe telling her to keep the litter safe (as if she was out in the wild). Her response is therefore to keep moving the kittens in an attempt to hide them from possible predators who may have learnt where the "nest" is. Nieive ownere may feel mistakenly that she is hiding the kitten from the owner or rejecting it but this is not so. However to help her deal with this, move her kittening box to her newly selected site. Mother will also be seen to be washing the kittens frequently by licking. This is an important task as it stimulates urination and defecation.

The kitttens as maybe expected have their own natural instincts. One of which is to adopt their own individual teat. This saves arguments at the pumps! Another is to huddle together. We have often seen the delightful sight of a pile of kittens sitting on a sofa like a chaotic rugby scrum! They possibly do this not only for warmth but it probably reminds them of their mothers heartbeat when the were in the womb. In the same way kittens will only tend to rest when they are in close proximity to their siblings. this prevents seperation of the litter lessens danger.

Trouble at the Milk Bar

If the kittens are restless, cry constantly, and fail to settle in a row at the teats this may signify there is a problem with mums milk supply. Usually the milk is stimulated when the kittens press their forepaws against the mothers body. So the queen may not be letting down the milk due to stress if the kittens are geting uppity. And it may need one or two to be fostered and hand reared to make the size of the litter more mangeable. It may also be a sign of the queen having a lack of hormones. In this instance it is a good idea to consult your vet who can prescribe a course of hormones. Be aware that it also maybe a problem with an individual kitten all the time. In a case like this it is the kitten that would need to be seen by the vet.

When Mother calls...

The mothers voice is a very important way for the queen to keep her charges on track. Different sounds are used for scolding, greeting, calling together the litter, or warning the litter. A mothers growl is often a warning for them to scatter! Mum is also their for times of distress and her calls can be their to soothe as well.