If you have a pregnant feline and you have read that some mothers eat their babies, you’re probably terrified and looking for answers to why this is happening.
First of all, don’t worry as this isn’t a common behavior in felines. They typically eat one or the entire litter, if they’re stillborn or have birth defects among other possible reasons which can explain this behavior.
In this article, I will explain why some female cats eat their kittens in detail and share advice on how to prevent such a bad and upsetting situation, so let’s dive right in.
Is it Normal For Cats to Eat Their Babies?
Unfortunately, it’s normal but not very common for female cats to eat their babies. A mother cat can eat one or all of the babies in their litter box.
Although there aren’t specific studies that would explain this behavior, experts have released hypotheses on why this might be happening in cats and other animals, for that matter.
You as the owner can take some steps to minimize the possibility of your mother cat eating her own kittens. However, note that your actions won’t guarantee that you will save the kittens.
Now, let’s learn more about the possible reasons for cats eating their babies.
Why is My Cat Killing Her Kittens?
Several reasons could explain why mother cats eat their kittens.
Those reasons include stillborn or threatened newborn kittens, birth defects, inexperience, stress, malnourished mothers, inability to recognize their own kittens, or mercy.
Now, let’s take a closer look at each possible reason and explain why cats eat kittens.
1. A Malnourished Mama Cat
Like other pregnant animals, momma cats need more nutritious food during their pregnancy and post-partum to stay strong and feed their babies.
Household felines don’t need to worry about food as they follow a well-balanced diet already. However, that’s not the case with feral cats.
They’re usually the ones not consuming nutritious food throughout their pregnancy so they’re often malnourished and more prone to eat their kittens post-partum.
You can help feral cats by leaving food near the place where they reside until their kittens grow old enough to eat on their own.
However, no matter if it’s a household or stray cat, always provide high-quality food that has enough protein, fat, and calories.
Otherwise, there’s a higher possibility that once the cat gives birth, they will eat their babies as they’re malnourished or hungry.
2. Stillborn Babies
Mother cats eat stillborn kittens to provide enough milk for the other kittens in the litterbox. You can prevent this by removing the stillborn kitten(s).
3. Birth Defects
Mother cats know when something isn’t right with their babies and they kill kittens with birth defects.
However, that’s not the case with all cats. Some mothers won’t feed the kittens with a birth defect and completely ignore them.
If your cat isn’t feeding all of her kittens, you can take out the ones she ignores and hand-feed them to save their lives.
4. Possible Danger
Some cats eat their kittens if they believe that they’re threatened by other animals or people.
So, keep your feline and her babies away from other animals and/or people who can get near the kittens to prevent this unwanted situation.
Also, don’t rush to meet the newborns. Let their mother take care of her babies until they’re ready to meet you.
5. Mercy
Mother cats can also eat their kittens if they see any predators near and they think that they will harm the kittens. So, place the mother in a safe place after she gives birth.
Another merciful reason why cats eat their babies is their instinct to produce enough milk for all the kittens. If her litter is bigger she can eat 1-2 babies to provide milk for the remaining kittens.
A female cat usually has 4-6 kittens, but the maximum number in one litter is 12. If your cat has a big litter, there’s a higher possibility that she may eat some of her kittens.
6. Long Stressful Labor
If your feline has long stressful labor (+3 days), she can still eat and drink during the process but she may feel weak.
Weakness can make your cat feel like she doesn’t have enough strength to deliver the remaining kittens, so she might eat one kitten and continue to deliver the rest of the babies.
You can provide enough food and water near the place where the cat is delivering the kittens but even then she can eat her kitten.
7. Stress
One of the most common reasons why cats eat their babies is stress.
Mother cats usually act protective over their kittens. In other words, they don’t want other animals and/or people around their kittens. And if they’re disturbed, they may eat a kitten.
You can prevent this by not touching or picking up their kittens. Leave the cat alone to get used to the kittens and her new life.
Enter the room where they live only to give food and water to the mother and leave. You don’t want to be the reason why she eats her kittens.
8. Lack of Experience
All the animals have their motherly instinct, so they know what to do when they gave birth, however, on rare occasions, first-time mothers don’t know what to do and start eating their kittens.
They can also be very rough and kill their kittens by accident during the delivery and then eat the dead babies.
9. Inability to Recognize Their Own Kittens
Cats have a strong sense of smell, which helps mothers identify their kittens.
If you have touched the kittens, your cat will notice a change in their scent and think that they’re predators, so she will kill the touched kittens to save her other babies.
Therefore, don’t confuse the mother by touching her kittens, as she recognizes their smell and just a small change will make her feel threatened.
Why Do Cats Eat Dead Kittens?
Not all cats eat their dead kittens. Some mothers will lick their dead kittens, take them to the owner, hide them, or bury them.
However, if they’re eating a dead kitten, they’re likely doing so to clean the place and protect their other babies from getting sick by the bacteria spread from the dead ones.
They’re also protecting the dead kittens from being eaten by predators. You can step in and remove the dead kittens to prevent this from happening.
Male Cats Eating Kittens: Does it Happen?
Male cats don’t eat their kittens as they’re too occupied with finding new mating partners and protecting their territory.
However, some male cats eat the babies of other male cats to make the female mate with them, while other male cats can help raise their kittens.
Overall, male cats eat their kittens in some cases, but it’s not a common thing.
How to Prevent My Cat From Eating Her Babies?
You can prevent your feline from eating her babies by providing all the necessities, like food, water, and a safe place where she will deliver and raise her kittens.
However, keep in mind that even if you provide all of these things, your cat may still eat her babies.
Follow the next tips on how to help a cat to deliver and take care of their kittens until they grow up without causing any unwanted events.
Provide A Stress-Free Spot for Your Mama Cat
Stress is one of the reasons why a cat can eat her kittens, so provide a warm, quiet, stress-free spot for your feline. Make sure that their resting area isn’t anywhere near other pets as well as people.
Provide Toileting Facilities Nearby
Mother cats don’t like being separated from their kittens. On the contrary, they want to keep their babies in sight at all times.
Therefore, to avoid unnecessary stress, place the litter box near the kittens, so their mother doesn’t need to leave her babies alone.
Make sure that you wash the litter box and change the litter once or twice a week to keep it clean and safe to use by your cat.
Keep in mind that a dirty litter box is dangerous for the mother and can also expose their kittens to bacteria, parasites, and viruses.
Provide Nutrition For Mother
To stop the mother from eating her kittens provide all the necessary nutrients before and after she gives birth. In other words, make sure your cat eats nutritionally-balanced food.
That way your cat will have enough milk for the entire litter and won’t have to kill and eat any of them to sustain herself and her other babies.
Keep The Area Clean
You have to keep the bedding and the sanitary area clean and safe for the cat and the kittens. Kittens have a fragile immune system, so they can easily get infected by their mother and die. Therefore, keep the litter box clean at all times.
Avoid Touching the Kittens
After your mother cat gives birth, she needs time to bond with her own kittens and learn how to feed and raise them. And you can help her by not touching her babies for the first two weeks of their birth.
If you touch her babies as soon as they’re delivered, she will notice a different smell and think they’re predators, so she will kill the kittens that you’ve touched.
Closely Observe the Kittens and Their Mother Cat
Monitoring kittens and their mother can help you determine any possible issues and provide the necessary help. Or call the veterinarian if necessary.
Start monitoring the mother cat and her kittens as soon as the birthing process starts so if any of the kittens is smaller, stillborn, or the cat can’t tear open the membrane and clean the kitten’s nose and mouth, you can help.
You can also cover the kittens with a blanket to keep them warm as newborn kittens can’t control their body temperature.
Also, pay close attention to the state of the mother. If she is distressed, loses blood, or the kitten is trapped, you have to call a veterinarian for help.
After the delivery process, replace the dirty bedding. If the cat doesn’t want to feed a kitten, you can take charge and provide milk with a syringe or a bottle.
Final Tips for Cat Owners
I want to end this article by providing a few important tips for mother cats as some can experience different medical conditions after the delivery of their kittens.
And those health issues need to be treated by a vet. Common postpartum medical conditions in a mother cat include mastitis, milk fever, feline hypocalcemia, endometritis, and an attached fetal membrane.
The Veterinary Centers of America highly recommend a vet check after your feline has delivered her kittens to set the proper diagnosis and treatment.
So, if you’re a responsible owner, have a vet examine your cat after she gives birth as these conditions can endanger their life.
See more: Symptoms of dead kitten inside cat
*image by directornico/depositphotos