The reason why your cat is moving her kittens is quite simple – she wants to find a better place for her kittens and move them there because she doesn’t like the old one anymore. It might be because of an unusual smell or just because she doesn’t feel safe anymore. This is a usual cat behavior, so don’t worry.
It’s quite a fascinating act to see from cats. Not only are they showing actions out of instinct.
More than that, they show how they are also capable of love and concern for their young.
But, what if your pet keeps moving only ONE, among the others?
Contents
Why does my cat keep moving one of her kittens?
If you see your cat moving all her kittens, it may be because she feels that the area where they are is unsafe.
However, if your cat is moving only one of the kittens, it merely means she sees something wrong with that baby.
According to a study, the feral kittens’ mortality rate is so high it comes to 75 percent. That’s three out of four kittens.
Further, about 20-40 percent of all born kittens don’t survive in the past 12 weeks.
The reason for this is a lot of kittens are born with defects or issues. From a mother cat’s perspective, this baby cat wouldn’t live long, so she’ll separate it.
Separating the kitten with a defect is only one of the things a mother cat will do. Most of the time, she’ll eat it.
During this instance, it’s on you whether you want to take care of that particular kitty on behalf of her mother.
However, do this only when you are already sure that the mother has left it and prevents it from feeding.
Try to keep the kitten warm and dry and give it the nutrients it needs to survive.
Now, if your pet moves her kittens to a place you think is dangerous, you may wish to move them from there.
Do you think it’s alright?
Related – Do cats love their kittens?
Can you move newborn kittens?
In the first place, cats move their kittens because she feels the area is unsafe.
Please note this: both our cats and we have different opinions about what is safe and what isn’t.
Maybe your pet thinks it’s not safe where you want them to be.
In such a case, it’s better to leave the decision to your pet. Let your pet move its kittens until it already feels safe.
Moving the kittens may even get your pet stressed and end up eating them.
Try to create a stress-free environment for your pet and her young. If you have extra pets, separate them.
If you have other people in your place, don’t let them access the kittens.
As soon as your feline pet already feels secured, it’ll stop moving her kittens, and you won’t need to do so as well.
You May Also Read – Do cats remember their mothers?
Should I let my cat move her kittens?
As I said earlier, what may look safe for us may not look safe for them.
If you have prepared a place for your cat and her young, and she moved away from it, don’t take it personally.
Maybe the place is too noisy, or perhaps some people and other pets walk around it.
To a mother cat, all animals and people seem like a threat to her young. At the same time, she may not be comfortable lying in the area you gave them.
Like a mother cat, she’ll figure out on her own which place she will feel safe.
Just let your pet move her young until she settles in a particular area. Once she already feels safe, it will stop moving.
How to recognize if your cat is dying? Weight is good signal. Read more.
How do I stop my cat from moving her kittens?
If your cat doesn’t stop moving her kittens, it may mean that she can’t find any suitable litter for her young.
As I said, cats and humans have different perspectives. Thus, they can feel unsafe in places where we think they will.
The best thing to do is to let your cat decide where she wants her kittens to lay.
Still, there are things you can do to help her secure her young, or at least make her feel so.
Keep your place quiet
If your place is quite noisy, it may feel disturbing for your cat. Make your cat’s environment a quiet one, free from loud noises.
A quiet and peaceful environment might be the key to help your cat settle.
Avoid other people and pets from entering
If your pet sees that other pets have access to her kittens, it will certainly move.
It’s always their instinct to move their young as they see everyone as a threat. Thus, avoid other pets and people from going near.
Avoid interrupting your pet
The same thing applies to you. Although your pet trusts you, it doesn’t mean you can approach anytime you want.
Only intervene when you think your pet needs help.
Make sure the place is clean and warm
A clean and warm place is best for your pet and her young. Ensure it’s well-cleaned and maintained. Give your cat some warm bedding for her pets.
Can cats also have psychic problems? Learn more.
Summary
Cats can be quite protective of their young. Further, they get easily stressed whenever they feel their kittens are in danger.
It may be quite stressful for you to see your pet moving her babies. Indeed, it looks tiresome and senseless.
Still, what our pets need is understanding.
Always remember that cats move their young if they feel unsafe. Still, you can stop it by carefully understanding the needs of your cat and attending to it.
What if your cat comes to you with her kittens? What should you do, and how should you respond? Read more about it in this related article: Why does my cat keep bringing me her kittens?
Resources
Image credits – Photos by Kelvin Yup and Raul Varzar on Unsplash
