As I posted a few weeks ago, I took in a stray cat. She has 6 little kittens who are all doing very well. They are all living inside now and seem very cosy. We still have a few weeks before we can take them to the shelter.

The mother cat has always been affectionate and gentle. But this past week or so she has been scratching and trying to bite. I am not sure why. She will meow and come over with that "pet me" look so of course we will. But then she will all of a sudden scratch or try to bite. I thought maybe we had touched a wound or something at first but she will try to scratch no matter where we try to touch her. It is so inconsistent because sometimes she doesn't scratch at all.Could this have anything to do with her being in heat? I haven't had a cat in years so I'm not sure what this could mean. Any ideas? Thanks!

Hello,

It is possible that the cat is in heat but there are many other possibilites as well.

She could be ill. Have her tested for leukemia. If she has it, most likely the kittens do as well. Leukemia is a deadly disease from which they do not recover and it can be spread to other cats.

Have you treated her for fleas? Sometimes, when they suffer from a flea allergy, their skin becomes very sensitive. Most of the time you will see hair loss at the base of the tail, back of the legs, and/or on the lower stomach. Also, there could be scabs around the neck and ear area.

Are you keeping her completely indoors? If she is a stay who is used to being outdoors, maybe keeping her couped up is causing her to loose her temper.

You can try some Feliway which is a phermone available in spray or plug in form to help aleviate any stress she may be feeling. Another product you could try is a Bach Flower Remedy called Rescue Remedy. 2 drops in the mouth once daily helps reduce stress and adapt to her new situation.

Hope this helps!

Regards,