Mother Cat Help!
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
June 30, 2007 2:32am CST
My sisters cat just had a baby. She only had one kitten (which I found odd but I'm not an expert at numbers in litters). Anyways, the momo and baby cat are locked in my sisters room. There is a little bed made for them, a comfortable laying aread...I saw the mom cat lay completely on the baby, covering it's whole body and head! My sister said that's normal and cats do that...but won't that smother the baby! It can't breathe when it's mother is on top of it like that! Right?
3 people like this
7 responses
@luvcatzzz (207)
• United States
30 Jun 07
i hope the baby is doing ok so far... but try to relax... this is normal behavior for a mom... my mom has a cat with four babies right now in her bathroom fostering them and the cat is freakin' mom out all the time because she's rolling around on the babies... but everything so far is fine. now, if something is wrong with a baby kitten, a mother cat will instinctively know this and kill it... that happens all the time too, it's not pleasant but it's a reality. so sometimes you have to let go and let nature take it's course.
i wish you guys the best! i foster and i have a mom under the bed right now with 6 babies that are about 3 weeks old!
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
30 Jun 07
How cute! I love baby kittens and you have 6 right now! Lucky! lol. I don't think my sisters cat is trying to kill her baby because she is very protective of it, but she is also a young cat and I don't know if that makes her more inexperienced as a mother.
@luvcatzzz (207)
• United States
30 Jun 07
actually sometimes a first time mom will loose the whole litter because they just don't 'get' it... and sometimes a cat will have only one kitten. that's happened to a couple of my fosters... ya just never know with 'em sometimes!
i'm glad she's being protective of the baby, that's a good sign! keep us posted! :-D
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
30 Jun 07
My cats have done that before with their babies. I usually take them out from under her because I have always felt that they couldn't breath. But maybe the momma is just trying to keep the baby warm. I really don't know for sure. But I would want to move it out from under the mother. Also, I have heard of cats only having one kitten. It sometimes happens with the first litter. Is this the cats first? I have also had a cat have another baby about 12 hours after the first one. How long ago did she have the baby?
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
30 Jun 07
She is a very young cat and she shouldn't have gotten prgenant, but yes it is her first litter. The baby is 2 days old.
Since she is so young I feel that she doesn't understand how to take care of the baby. And I feel helpless since it isn't my cat and I don't live with my sister. She doesn't seem to worry about the mother laying on it, so I don't think she'll worry too much about moving it.
@brendalee (6082)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Well hopefully she is just trying to keep it warm. Some cats don't like you messing with their babies anyway. So I guess all you can do is hope for the best.
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
1 Jul 07
She may not know, if she is young and this is her first litter. If it looks bad, try to reposition her a little. Otherwise, it hopefully should be okay. Good luck. Just watch them.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
30 Jun 07
well, most cats have so much fur that they can breath some, so long as the weight isn't that much. it could also be that there is something wrong with the kitten & mom is trying to kill it.
One kitten, depends, if she was very young or small or old then its possible. Solo got his name because he was a single birth & mom had to have a c-section to deliver him.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Solo! What a cute name, I love it! :)
The mother doesn't seem to want to kill it. She protects it very well, and feeds it. But she'll just plop down on top of the baby sometimes and it worries me! hehe
@sugarfloss (2139)
• Malaysia
30 Jun 07
hrmmm i don't think that's normal.is the baby still breathing?
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
30 Jun 07
yes the baby was still alive. I was there when she layed on top of it so I quickly moved her. But I'm worried she'll keep doing it, and since I don't live there I can't stop her from doing it.
@copperkitten (3473)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Its ok. The mom is just protecting her baby and keeping it warm. If you think shes smothering her then check her every so often. They will be fine.
