Why does a mother cat always sacrifice its first born kitten by biting the kitten's head?

Question

I've witnessed 3 times (once at my grandma's, once at cousin's, the other at friend's..different mother cats..).I thought it's like placentophagy. So it means I've witnessed kitten murders.

Answer 1

It DOES happen. For different reasons.
Mother cats reject kittens that have either a health problem or anatomical defect. They do this because kittens born with health problems have a very low survival rate even under the most intensive care. By passing on these unhealthy kittens, mother cats are able to focus and better care for those kittens that have the best shot at making it through.
If the kitten(s) have been handeled, the momma cat will have greater difficulty identifying the kitten. This then makes the kitten different than the others and, in turn kicks in the rejection instinct.
Cats are opportunists by nature.
There are NUMEROUS reasons that this happens, and all reasons vary from an illness in the kitten, to simply the mother "felt it was the wrong time of the year" to birth her litter.

Answer 2

I have never heard, or seen anything like that before, and had many cats that gave birth. I know some cats tend to ignore thier first litter sometimes, and you have to make sure she feeds them, but as far as them doing that never in my life witnessed anything like it. I know they do kill some of the kittens sometimes if they think there may be something wrong with them, but other then that stuff like that dont happen. The only time I have ever witnessed the mom cat even using her mouth on a kitten was to either clean it, or pick it up, and move it.. in which case they do pick it up by the head/back of the neck area, but if you mean killing it then the kitten probibly had something wrong with it if she did something like that.

Answer 3

You've got some strange cats. I've witnessed many cats giving birth. Never have they bit the head off the first born.

I did have one cat that ate a kitten that was sick. This was a few days later. Some cats just ignore them if they know they are sick and some do eat them.

I have never heard of a mama eating her first born for no reason.

Answer 4

Are you constructive it grow to be actually her? the comparable element handed off with my cat's beginning muddle, and it would desire to have regarded like she had performed it through fact she grow to be bloody contained in the mouth from attempting to lick them yet actually it grow to be thier dad the male cat that hung around the area. He killed all the adult males contained in the muddle (destiny compition) and left the girls human beings. It grow to be in precisely the type you defined the family members got here domicile approximately an hour later to discover all yet 2 of the kittens (the girls human beings of the muddle) lifeless. She grow to be interior on the time yet on a porch so he had gotten in.

Answer 5

Not always the first born, but the weakest of all, the mother cat do this so as not to prolong the suffering of her kitten.

Answer 6

Never heard or have seen that. I have foster 13 mother and their kitten, was at each birth and not once did the mother do that. That is strange.

Answer 7

I don't know where the hell you heard that but your information source was definitely wrong or just plain stupid. Rarely, if the mother is incredibly stressed, she will freak out and someimes will eat one of her babies. BUT, that is very incredibly super duper rare. She also might accidentally bite off an ear or a leg when chewing off the umbilical cord if she is stressed or rushing, but once again, that is incredibly rare. I think you should research cats a bit more. :)

Answer 8

Are you thinking of rats? Mother rats have been known to eat their young. I have seen several cats give birth and someone is messing with you. Go back and tell them its the same reason why rabbit mothers hop on the runts...and then they will go on yahoo answers and look crazy too

Answer 9

Never heard of it either. I have only seen 3 different cats give birth, but never kill their own young on purpose.

Answer 10

I suppose a cat could do this. It is not normal, probably rare, and you say you yourself have witnessed this three times? Something is wrong with this situation.