Why did my pregnant cat abandon her kittens within the first 24 hours of giving birth to them?

Question

-I did not see her kittens becuase the basket where she had given birth was tilted so i only saw my cats eyes glowing. The reason i went down there was to feed them
-I did not go near the kittens. I did not touch the kittens. I did not see the kittens, but i did hear the kittens
-This is the second litter she killed. I THINK she abandoned her 1st litter becuase i touched them by accident. *The kittens were abandoned when they were seven days old.
-I tried to look for the kittens(the second litter) i COULD NOT FIND THEM at all nor could i see or hear them after the night i fed my cat who had just given birth. I dont know what she did with them. They were in a closed room, so where did they go?

The main question i have is why she abandoned/rejected her second litter if i did not touch them or see them.

Please do not tell me to get her spayed or nuetered or whatever other negative things you have to say.

they should be about 9 days old now but i dont see her disapearing alot.
she is about two years old

The male (her brother who porbably got her pregnant) was in the basement with her becausse it was cold outside

Answer 1

She may not have abandoned them, a lot of the time cats move them to where they think is safe, if you see your cat dissapearing she may be going to check on them.

Also, sometimes younger cats (1-3) years of age will abandon kittens simply because they are not ready to be a mom. Youshould be able to hand feed them if you can find them.

good luck with them

Answer 2

Ok first there is a likly chance that the mother cat has hidden them...though if you dont see her disappearing for long hours then there is a good chance that they are already dead.

now here is the thing, you dont have to touch a newborn kitten in order for the mother cat not to take care of them. It could be where that she has her instincts that there is something wrong with the kittens....medically. Cats just like dogs both wild and domestic still have the instincts of danger to newborns and illnesses. They will do what they have to do...its just the way they are.

Though if your really concerned, then I would spend a day tracking her. See where she goes the most during the day...be patient otherwise you could tear up the house looking for them to see if they are still alive....though if you find them and they are alive then make sure to take them and the mother into a special area...

Also male cats have a tendency of also killin the young....just a heads up.

sorry but there is really nothing you can do unless you find the kittens and they are alive. Its just the natural order of things. Though next time she goes into heat keep the male cats away especially related male cats. Otherwise you may want to think about spaying her.

And just so you know, spaying is not a bad idea. Cats have a tendency of living longer and more healthier lives when they are spayed. Though no pressure but it is an option.

Answer 3

I had a cat like that once, she would have litters of cats and then just abandon them. I always attriubted it to the fact that her mother died when she was still very tiny and therefore didn't really know how to be a mom, also because she was a very young cat when she too started having babies. Secondly, like someone else said here, the kittens might have been deformed OR she just might have moved them to a place that she thought they would be more safe.
If you find the kittens and you see that the mom cat doesn't want them or want to feed them then go to either your local grocery store or to a pet store. They sell kitten liquid formula that comes in cans as well as small enough bottles for the kittens to use. It won't be cheap but you will have the most loving and devoted kittens when they get older! Also please make sure to keep them in a box (so they can't get out) along with a heating pad underneath a small blanket in the box. Good luck!!

Answer 4

Either the litter was defected (as in birth defects) or she is just not a good mother. Young cats especially are not very good mothers sometimes. If the kittens are still alive you should help them by keeping them warm and feeding them kitten formula from a bottle with a small enough nipple for them. They usually sell these in petstores, feed store, and sometimes places like walmart.

I'm leaning more on the birth defects side since you let her brother get her pregnant. Cats can tell if there is something wrong with their young and will abandon them.

Answer 5

She may just not be a good mother. Some animals, though typically very instinctual, are not the good mothers that should care for their young. She may have been trying, but then by those same instincts thinks that the kittens are not healthy. It's tough to tell. She shouldn't have killed the kittens because you touched them. That usually applies only to wild animals or rodents. And I know you think it's negative, but consider the likelihood of this recurring the next time you breed her... maybe you could invest in breeding another queen to breed, as this one is giving you so much heartbreak! Good luck :-( Sad to hear about the kittens.

Answer 6

do you mean by a couple of hours?

if so she didn't abandon them, some feel the need to do the "Nature" thing and find a new home/food.

No new mother will keep her kittens in the same spot for more than a day or so, especially if anyone is bother them.

Also, sometimes they will leave them for a day or so just to rest, that doesn't mean she won't be back, don't worry the kittens are fed enough to handle the time mom is gone.

however----some cats just aren't good moms and they do abandon their kids, usually they will favor one over the other if something like that happends, usually not both.

Answer 7

Cats will ignore and push aside a kitten if it is sick or defective. Cats have wonderfull instincts. It would be rare for a cat to abandon an entire litter. She may not be ready for motherhood, but this is rare. Chances are they are hidden someplace. Mother cats will leave little ones that can't move around for long periods of time. Just watch her to see where she goes. My big cats can hide so well that sometimes I can not even find them.

Answer 8

i know you didn't want any negative comments and this is not meant to be negative but i am speaking from experience.


she could have abandoned them because she didn't know what to do with them. since she didn't care for either litter i wouldn't recommend letting her have another one. my aunts cat was like that and unless you can find out exactly when she has them no litter will have a chance of surviving unless you care for them or have another mother cat that will do the job. most momma cats that reject two litters in a row will not care for the kittens unless forced to. we had to put my cat in a kennel with her kittens and only let her out to eat, drink and use the litter box.

Answer 9

Cats usually move their kittens to a different place that is well hidden from any outside predators. You say she abandoned the first litter after you touched them. I doubt that was the case. Considering it is your scent and she is your cat, she will be used to your scent. A wild cat would do that, much like if you touch a wild bird's eggs it will abandon them.

I don't think you should spay her. But I would definitely not let her have any more kittens for a while. It's almost like a teenage girl having a baby...she's just not ready for it.

Answer 10

I have found more and more that if a brother and sister in the animal world gets the sister pregnant the mother will not care for the litter since birth defects can or will accure also just so you know mateing the mom and kids is not a good idea! you get mean animals most of the time out of it.