# Cat won't stop moving her kittens?



## Shadowbear (Sep 1, 2015)

Last week my dad's cat had kittens. Everything was fine until today, when she decided to move them into the living room. This evening she decided to move them back into the bedroom where they stayed for a few hours. Now she's moving them again! I don't understand why she keeps moving them from place to place. I'm worried something will happen to the kittens if she keeps moving them around like this.

Is there any way to make her feel comfortable enough to where she will stop moving the babies?


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## Marmoset (Feb 18, 2014)

I don't think there's any direct harm to the kittens from being relocated. However it does sound like the mom doesn't feel like she has a nice secure spot for the kittens. Either the kittens are being handled by people or other pets are being a disturbance in the house or there isn't an adequate place for them but I'm inclined to think that maybe your dad has been handling the kittens. It is hard for cat-people to be hands off with new babies. It's a test of willpower.

I'd set up a nice quiet nesting place in each room so she has options and stop all the handling if there is any. She should calm down once she feels more secure. If she is so nervous that she's not letting the kittens nurse or if she stops caring for the kittens then it is a real problem. Let us know immediately if that happens and someone with more recent newborn kitten experience can help.


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## Shadowbear (Sep 1, 2015)

Everything is fine now. 

My dad emptied out a cabinet in his bedroom, and she now has her kittens in there. He thinks the other cats in the house were disturbing her and making her feel nervous. Thanks!


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Yep, sounds like stress.

She needs to be kept in one room with the door shut to all other pets and in a quiet area away from foot traffic.

I also use a basic scale of age for kitten handling.

<1 week, one person only handles the kittens - the person the cat is most comfortable with. Each kitten is away from mum for 5 minutes or less, and twice a day at most. This is for weighing each kitten, and a little bit of handling. Only remove one kitten at a time.

1-2 weeks, two people can handle the kittens. The rest still applies.

2-3 weeks. You can start having a single guest at a time - they must be quiet, calm, and relaxed. no more than 2 people in the kitten room at a time though, and it MUST be kept calm and quiet to reduce the mother's stress. No more than 3 times per day, 5 minutes or less.

3-4 weeks. This is when things can get a little more fun, but still keep things calm. 3 people in the room at most, you can start taking out 2-3 kittens at once (always leave 1 with mum), and they can be out and toddling around for 10 minutes max. Allow the kittens to walk around in a restricted area and supervise carefully.

After that gradually add more people, and work on slowly upping the noise level for short periods so the kittens become well socialized. People should always stay calm and relaxed around little kittens with a mother - too much noise or excitement could really upset mum and upset mums are trouble. When the kittens start trying to climb out of the nest on their own (usually around 4 weeks) fence off a safe area for them to explore. At this point you can up the people in the room to 4-5, as long as everyone stays calm and quiet.

ETA: You mentioned having other cats - if any of them is the father of the kittens or an unneutered tom it is VERY important the mother is kept apart from him. She can become pregnant again right after birthing and this is VERY bad for her health. I'd suggest taking the opportunity of needing to keep the mother separate to neuter any unaltered males, so that it'll be safe for mum when she can be spayed. She can be spayed when the kittens reach 6 weeks, but 8 weeks would be better as the kittens will nurse right up until then.

Please keep the kittens together and with their mother until 8 weeks at the very least. 12 weeks is much, much better.


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