Mother cats are known for their fierce protective instincts towards their kittens. Still, some mothers go too far and attack and injure their older kittens. Injured kittens may require surgery to repair serious injuries, including broken bones.
Why do mother cats attack their older kittens?
Mother cats are fiercely protective of their kittens and will attack any other creature that threatens them. The most likely culprits are other adult cats or dogs.
Still, sometimes another kitten will provoke a mother cat into attacking. There are a few reasons why mother cats might do this:
- Older kittens need to learn how to survive in the wild
- Older kitten attacking their sibling
- Moms may be stressed or anxious
- Older kittens may try to take over the mother’s role
- Older kittens may be trying to assert their independence
- The mother feels her kitten has made a malicious move toward her
- The mother believes her kitten is still nursing and needs to be physically disciplined.
Older kittens need to learn how to survive in the wild
Mother cats may attack their older kittens to teach them how to survive in the wild. Kittens learn how to hunt and defend themselves by watching their mother.
When a kitten is hunting, they will often follow their mother closely, which is why mother cats may attack them when trying to learn these skills.
Older kitten attacking their sibling
Mother cats are fiercely protective of their young. They often attack their older siblings if they feel the younger kitten threatens them. This is usually done to protect the younger kitten from hurt or even killed.
Moms may be stressed or anxious
Mother cats may attack their older kittens when feeling stressed or anxious.
Kittens require physical and emotional nurturing from their mothers, so when mother cats are stressed or anxious, they may be unable to provide this for their younger kittens.
Older kittens are a threat to the mother’s food supply or territory
Mother cats often attack their older kittens because they represent a threat to the mother’s food supply or territory.
Older kittens also tend to be more independent and may steal food from the mother or try to compete for her attention.
Older kittens may try to take over the mother’s role or dominance
Mother cats may attack their older kittens to reassert their dominance over the offspring.
Kittens depend on their mother for food and protection, so when a mother feels she is losing control over her younger kittens, she may lash out at them.
Older kittens may be trying to assert their independence
Mother cats typically attack their kittens when they are trying to assert their independence and assert their personality.
The older kitten may be trying to show that it is ready to take on the responsibilities of being a cat, such as hunting and gathering.
The mother feels her kitten has made a malicious move toward her
When kittens begin exploring their surroundings and mischief, mother cats may become aggressive to keep them safe.
Kittens learn how to control their impulses by observing their mothers. So if the mother cat attacks her kitten out of anger or fear, the kitten will learn that this is acceptable behavior.
The mother believes her kitten is still nursing and needs to be physically disciplined
Mother cats often attack their older kittens because they believe the kittens are still nursing and need to be physically disciplined.
Kittens usually stop nursing around four weeks old. Still, some mother cats may continue to provide milk even after their kittens have stopped nursing.
Risks of mother cats attacking their older kittens
There are several risks associated with mother cat attacks:
- Kittens can be seriously injured or killed if the mother cat bites them in the face, neck, or head.
- Kittens may also suffer from shock if they’re attacked and don’t have any way of defending themselves.
- Kittens who survive an attack from their mother may suffer from physical and emotional scars for life.
What are some warning signs that mother cat is about to attack her Kitten?
There are some warning signs that Mother Cat may be about to attack her kitten.
The first sign that Mother Cat is about to attack her kitten could be when she starts growling or hissing. This sound is usually used as a warning by cats when feeling threatened or defensive.
Also, suppose she starts clawing at the ground or walls near her kitten. In that case, it could indicate that she is losing control and will most likely attack her kitten to protect herself.
Another sign that Mother Cat may be about to attack her kitten is when she becomes domineering towards her kitten or ignores her kitten entirely.
What to do if you witness a mother cat attacking her kitten
If you see a mother cat attacking her kitten, you can do a few things to help.
The first thing is to try and get the mother cat’s attention. You can do this by making noise, waving your arms, or spraying them with water.
If that doesn’t work, the next thing you can do is try and separate the mother cat and her kitten. You can grab the mother cat’s back leg and pull it away from the kitten.
If that doesn’t work, then you may need to call for help.
How to prevent mother cats from attacking their kittens
Kittens are not fully grown and can be hurt if a mama cat attacks them. Here are some ways to prevent mother cats from attacking their kittens:
- Keep your kitten confined to a small area first, and gradually increase the space he or she has access to over time.
- Feed your kitten in a separate room, away from the mother cat, so she doesn’t feel threatened when he or she isn’t eating.
- If mom does become aggressive, try scaring her off with a loud noise or throwing something at her.
- Never approach a mother cat unprovoked – give her plenty of time to calm down before approaching.
- Socialize the kittens with other adult cats as soon as they’re able. This will help them learn how to handle conflict and aggression.
- Make sure there are no potential threats in the vicinity of the litter box or the kitten’s bedding area. Leave toys and catnip out for the kittens to have something to play with and explore.
Conclusion
Mother cats attack their older kittens for various reasons, such as to protect their offspring or assert dominance.
Kittens are developmentally vulnerable and often cannot defend themselves. So mother cats may feel that it is necessary to act aggressively to ensure the safety of their young.
While this behavior can be upsetting for humans, it is important to remember that mother cats do what is best for their kittens.