# Mother cat hisses and growls to kittens



## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

I have been feeding the stray cats in my neighborhood for about 2 years now. My question is the one cat had 3 kittens and when they were old enough she brought them to the food that I put out for them and she was always a good mother to them. Now when they are all there she hisses and growls at them and will not let them get to close to her. The kittens are about 4 months old now. I have never heard of this before. I do not think she will really hurt them but I wish she would not do it at all. Could any one offer me any advice on why she is all of a sudden acting this way? Any info appreciated


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## Lorna (Sep 7, 2004)

At a guess I would say that she was making them fend for themselves. Tough love (so to speak!) Try feeding at different times and see if the juveniles appear without the mother?


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Lorna, Thanks for the advice. All of the cats come at night from dark untill early morning. I did notice that the kittens come together without the mother but sometimes they meet up and that is when she gets alittle aggressives with them. Hopefully I can try and trap the kittens and give them a good home. Thanks ! :wink:


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## Zalensia (Aug 25, 2003)

yep basically tough love.
Otherwise the kittens would keep bugging her to suckle. Vienna sometimes hisses at her kittens we kept, others they are fine.


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Zalensia, Thanks for the advice. I still worry how she is treating them when they leave my yard. They stay under a building that is not being used and they slip under a 8 foot chain link fence to get to my house. The kittens come over on their own now and the mother cat usually comes later. I know when they leave in the morning they all go back the same way. Do you think the mother cat cuddles with them when they are all sleeping? Does she only act that way when there is food around? Does your cat still cuddle with her kittens when they rest? Thanks!


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## Zalensia (Aug 25, 2003)

yes, ive seen them on the bed together sleeping. But when she is up and about she is sooooonasty to them. HIsses and just doesnt want them around.


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## fluffy (Sep 7, 2004)

She will soon leave them, and leave them to them self. They are big enough to make through life without her help now, so she's is trying to wean them from her...

Don't worry  It's natures way of life :wink:


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Fluffy, Do you think the mother cat will go somewhere else even though she knows she always gets food, water and milk at my place? She has been around for about 2 years now but this is the first time I saw her with kittens. I would hate for her to leave the area and not come around any more.Do you think she might still stay around the neighborhood? I feed another mother cat who gave birth to one kitten last year and they still both come around to eat(at different times) They live in a barn across the street from me. I look forward to seeing them all and would hate it if one of them would not come around anymore. We even have names for each one of them even though they do not know that, not yet anyway!Thanks


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

She doesn't have another litter or is pregnant again, isn't she? Though they take care of the kittens longer than housecats some strays/ferals will reject their first litter if another is on the way. And of course they won't like their first if they are nursing a new one.
Then again, it depends on the cat. I think it can be tough love too "time to learn what life's like, kids"..I've seen some of my ferals do that.


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Rosalie, Thanks for the advice. I can not really say if she is having another litter again. I can not get close to her and I have to watch them from my back door. She is a fluffy/semi-long hair cat. I think she probally had this litter May. Could she be having another litter this soon? I hope not. Do you think she bothers with them when they leave and go back to where they stay? As far as I know they all stay together. Thanks!


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

..mmmm, hard to say if she'll have another litter soon but probably will. I mean alley cats sometimes have 2 litters a year..perish the tought but it's true  ..now with cold weather coming and all.
Do you have rescue groups in your area or people that can trap them and take them to the vet to be spayed? I think that for the mamas that's the best thing; where do you live in PA? Check out http//www.alleycat.org


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## Cameocat (Sep 8, 2004)

Rosalie, Thanks for the website alleycat.org. I found it very helpful. I do not have ay rescue groups in my area. I would like to try to get at least 2 of the kittens to keep. We have a 16 year old Tabby cat who is our baby. I am going to get a bigger trapping cage and see how that works. The one that I have now does not seem to interest them. I REALLY hope to catch them before the cold weather comes. Thanks again for your help!


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## rosalie (Oct 9, 2003)

You're most welcome cameocat; I hope you can get the kittens, that is wonderful of you..about trapping kittens, cages, etc I can't tell you much b/c I've never done it but there're several posts here and info online about catching and raising kittens & introducing young ones to a senior cat.
..looking forward to updates


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