A little gross but my cat is having kittens and the 1st one she had she ate, anyone know why she would do this

Question

She is a calico and has had kittens before and never done this. When she had her last litter 2 of them died.

Answer 1

uhm was it dead before she ate it if so it would be a natural way to get rid of it but if it was alive then it is probably your fault for not taking care of it properly

Answer 2

I know it seems gross and cruel to us humans. We would never if at all possible eat our own children.

However, that is not the way with cats. Mother cats have an instinct that we humans lack.

She might have known that this kitten wasn't going to make it. Knowing this, she decided to end its life before it suffered any pain. So she spared it from a life of horrible suffering and provided herself some extra nutrition for the other kitten(s).

Yes, I know it is hard and gross and horrifying, but rest assured that mother cat was sparing the kitten something terrible in the future.

Answer 3

If there's something wrong with the kitten this is a common reaction from the cat. It's gross, but it's what nature does.

Answer 4

My understanding is that when they eat a kitten it's because the kitten was born with a handicap - it was defective in some way and the mother cat somehow realises this. It's nature's way of ensuring fewer disabled animals.

Answer 5

ok she is stressed! the thing you need to resolve is what the cause of that may be. in the wild it is instinct if the babies are in danger they will eat them i dont no why they just do they dont think like we do. is she in an area with lots of noise?
are there other animals around?
are there strangers or lots of people hanging around watching her?
try and put her in a darl safe place like set up a little area in a closet that she can hise in ..... you need to be able to keep an eye on her though so beare that in mind.
if you have scissors handy sterilize them and cut the ambilical cord yourself instead of letting her chew through it just cut it and leave it with her she will fix it.

all the best and hope it goes well just try and keep the place quiet and she will hopefully be ok if you elliminate whatever she thinks is a risk.
x

Answer 6

This is how nature makes sure that deformed or sickly babies do not live and procreate. Tigers do the same. Gross but true.

Answer 7

i heard they are trying to eliminate the weakest, sick, or the one with a physical disablities. its kinda a good thing. if the baby was to grow up witha a disablity it has a less chance of finding a home. kinda suvival of the fittest.

Answer 8

It's instinct to eat their newborns if they are dead. The smell of a rotting carcass attracts predators, thus endangering the entire litter.

Answer 9

wow, that's crazy. I would think it would be pretty bad if the cat was neglecting the kitten of nourishment, but for the cat to eat the kitten, that's even more primitive.

Answer 10

She was hungry?

They tend to eat the ones they assess as weak.