Mother's Behavior Toward Kittens

A mother cat, called a queen, exhibits specific maternal behaviors during the first six to eight weeks of her kittens' lives. In most cases, instincts kick in and the mother has no problems raising a healthy litter. However, you should know what behavior to expect from the mother to ensure her kittens thrive.

  1. The First Three Weeks

    • For the first three weeks of her kittens' lives, a mother cat attends to all their needs. She takes few breaks away from them, and only leaves for a short time to take care of her own needs. Since kittens know their mother's scent, she bonds with her litter by nestling, or cuddling, which keeps them warm and secure. She spends most of her time nursing, grooming and cleaning them.

      During these few weeks, she may exhibit aggression toward visitors or other animals as she protects her babies. If she feels threatened, she may pick her babies up by the neck and attempt to move them to a safer location.

    Four Weeks

    • At four weeks, the kittens begin to develop teeth, which makes nursing painful for the mother. She nurses for shorter periods and leaves them more frequently. They begin awkwardly walking about, which mother encourages with gentle nudges. If they wander too far, she may guide them back to safety or call out to them.

      Because they may begin eating soft cat food, they also begin learning to use a litter box. While they learn, mother cat stills cleans them.

    Five and Six Weeks

    • At five to six weeks, kittens become more independent and spend a lot of time playing with their siblings. Mom may occasionally join in the fun, teaching her little ones to pounce and hunt, even if they only hunt each other. The mother spends less time with them, but still keeps an eye on her litter. Because they are weaned at this age, she will limit their time nursing or discourage it altogether.

    Apathetic or Aggressive Behavior

    • Sometimes a mother cat may seem void of maternal instincts and show little interest in her kittens. She may not nurse long enough each day for them to get the nourishment they need, or she might avoid nursing altogether and leave them for long periods. Worse yet, she could show signs of aggression toward her kittens and attempt to hurt or kill them. In such cases, her aggression may stem from a complication of her pregnancy that requires medical attention.