My Cat Keeps Laying On Her Kittens? Know Everything About It

If you were a careful cat owner, you would follow the expectations of your pregnant cat; you should know the next move after getting the kittens.

Your analytical skills are important during this critical phase. Look for some guidance on how the mother cat and her kittens are handled and also for early signs of health conditions and kitten growth milestones.

Mother cat might be laying to her kittens due to several reasons. She might be inexperienced in this field and doesn’t know about the consequences or she is purposefully ignoring her kittens.

Another reason might be there that she is protecting her kittens from the outside environment which she has lost faith in!

Why Mother Cat Keeps Laying On Her Kittens: Reasons To Know

1. New To Motherhood

She is naive, a new mother and bored and cares about the kittens or she is not pleased with the world and needs to shield babies and thus sit on them to hide them from others.

She wants to prevent them from getting bored.

I would warn you not to cloth since the babies might get beneath it and suffocate for it with any newsprint. Keep the box in a secluded location, and many people don’t have keys.

Do not encourage people to inspect or touch the kitties. You also added it. You and her viewpoint vary considerably from the perspective of ‘defense.’

When she doesn’t like the package and takes her babies to a nearby place (or tries to carry them), try making it exclusively available to you.

My cat considered a room behind her bed as convenient for her babies, and I kept shifting her babies to that spot, however comforting I made her box. I made the place sweeter and got away from it, and she completely settled down.

Just contact her and not the babies, if you want to check on her.

She should rest and look after the babies. She would do well, provided an opportunity, cats are incredibly good moms.

If you ever believe that she couldn’t improve, find a replacement mum, because it is very difficult to treat newborns.

Cats like their babies to be secluded, and they choose exclusive rights for infants before the kitties open their eyes claim for about 10 days. Give her the secrecy and she’ll be all right.

No maintenance or change of book, etc. is required. Mother is going to brush the babies while she licks them to pass bowels.

Let her be for 10-15 days. Feed her well and caress her, and give her space when she comes out of the cage.

When you send her children to a replacement, know that she is going to find her babies and have been in trouble for a long time. Try resisting this option if it is your final preference.

It will be interesting read about how to tell if a mother cat has abandoned her kittens

2. Nest Problem

First of all, a lot of people come across litters of kittens outside and conclude that they were lost if Mom’s hunting is in fact near.

Sometimes outdoor or feral mothers disperse their kittens to discourage predation.

Mother is sure to be present, if the kittens are well fed, are in a comfortable spot, and after screaming, sleep. A nest is better tracked for a few hours in order to see if it returns.

She might be sick and unable to recover or she may have been killed if she does not.

Kittens will walk alone, too, and get lost or trapped where mothers can’t go. This can be achieved both inside and outside. So if you see a mother strolling nervously about or a kitten weeping, they may try to find each other.

You might also like to know about will a mother cat kill her kittens if you touch them

3. Suffering From Illness

A mother often refuses a sick kitten to prevent the disease from spreading to others. It’s not necessarily the “runt” that’s diseased.

A mother cat might even refuse the deformed physical kitten, like a “Janus” cat, as it is completely safe otherwise.

Experts warn that any kittens absolutely refused are taken away so that the mom does not ignore others in the litter.

Kittens are most frequent in intestinal parasites. Infectious conditions such as respiratory infections and congenital diseases are also issues with the well-being of young kittens.

The syndrome of a fading kitten is where the kitten is not flourishing.  It may be symptoms of the condition if you note that one of the kittens is usually more lethargic and sleeping than her brothers. This kitten wants the urgent care of a kitten expert.

Pregnancy, delivery, and post-care are difficult periods for a new mother’s body.

A new mother gets a hormonal surge, milk starts and regeneration is swinging absolutely. There are some serious problems in your mother cat to keep an eye on.

Also, check out where do stray cats hide their kittens outside

4. Mastitis

Any babies develop mastitis, a mammalian gland infection. This may arise naturally or by the breastfeeding kits scraping the tissue.

The nipple is heated, thick, and bloated. So it may seem that the mom refuses to encourage her kids to suck because they are simply too painful.

Mastitis is a bacterial milk duct infection that occurs when the milk production of the mother cat is blocked by inflamed mammary glands.

The Teats swelled and hot, and the mother cat did not encourage the Kittens to feed, with obvious “bruising.”

A veterinary crisis is Mastitis. In order to avoid the infection, the cat normally requires antibiotics. The cats will have to be fed by hand before the cat is healed.

5. Hypocalcemia

Cats are occasionally affected by hypocalcemia or milk fever, yet another veterinary emergency.

Calcium may be an effect of a shortage during pregnancy and childbirth. Symptoms include convulsions, tremors of the muscles, unrest, and heavy panting. The kittens must be fed by hand while their mother heals.

Metritis is a serious uterine disorder, and a vet emergency as well. Typically, after puberty, the mother cat would have natural vaginal drainage.

But it is a red flag if you find a scentless discharge. Additional signs include lethargy, fever, and milk loss.

The mother cat will need to be hospitalized and an emergency spay will be needed. When the mom cat gets back, you will be fed and cared for.

Also, check out about are cats protective of their kittens

6. Litter Size

Try to utilize a huge box to keep your mum and kittens safe. Pack towels that are safe to the line. When the kittens defecate, the towels will easily soil. The towel to expose a clean layer is easier to remove.

Hold the litter box of the mother cat, food, and bowls of water nearby. Join premium canned kitten foods in addition to KMR to ensure you feed her (Kitten Milk Replacement).

These diets that are specially made ensure that a breastfeeding mother cat receives the nutrition she needs.

Any litter that is too big will also lead to refuse. If all her kittens don’t have enough milk, Mom could not encourage any to conserve their milk.

In the first 24 hours of birth, careful observation would usually find that.

6. Premature Kitty

A young mother with no parental ability may be puzzled or disinterested. Some moms try to work things out and then. Some do not. Some do not.

For e.g., where a mama has not been at a healthy location and has physical problems in labor, she may have been traumatized during the delivery.

Her high alertness and nervousness will render her comfortable and sitting down so that the kittens can suck.

For any animal, maternity may be a struggle. Much as you would do for some battling mothers, give these cat moms love and consideration and support if they need it.

Also, read about how long can a mother cat be away from her newborn kittens

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

Contact your nearest shelter, rescue agency, or veterinarian for assistance, and bear in mind that, as cute as kittens are, over 4 million animals are euthanized in the United States each year due to overpopulation.

Please get your cats spayed or neutered.

Have you ever seen a mother cat refusing her kittens? What behavior did you take to assist? Please let us know in the comments section below!

Also, check out why do cats bring you their kittens