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-   -   Is male cat harmful to new born kittens (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=154036)

  • Nov 19, 2007, 11:09 PM
    nieburbryjen
    Is male cat harmful to new born kittens
    I have a female cat giving birth as I type, we also have a male cat from her last litter which are still kittens 6 months old, what I'm worried about is if I should keep the male kitten away from the new born kittens or will he be OK around them.
  • Nov 19, 2007, 11:11 PM
    BiWiccanAndProud
    I think it's normaly just the father cat that is dangerous to new borns but I'm not sure.
  • Nov 19, 2007, 11:15 PM
    layla79
    All you can do is carefully watch him and how she reacts. Some mother don't mind if a male is around and other times they do. I have 3 cats right now and non of them mind. Some male cats will try to kill kittens other will try to be there mom. It is different for all cats. Just be careful and watch the way he reacts and the mother. That is the only for sure way to find out.
  • Nov 19, 2007, 11:18 PM
    nieburbryjen
    Comment on layla79's post
    This is what I was thinking also
  • Nov 20, 2007, 12:25 AM
    Wondergirl
    A female stray had a male kitten in our garage, then six months later had two kittens also in our garage. The older brother babysat the two babies while the mom went out flirting. The three kittens would come to our front door for meals, and the big brother would carefully wash their faces and make sure they looked adorable. I was finally able to rescue all four of them, get them neutered, and find them homes. The big brother, a total sweetheart, is one of our four housecats now.

    From what I have read, a male that's not the father may try to kill the kittens and mate with the mother in order to establish his own line. In any event, I would keep the mother and kittens away from any unneutered adult male cats.
  • Nov 20, 2007, 08:24 AM
    bushg
    Nie, please pay attention to wondergirls post. Your cat will keep having kittens and on and on... please find a way or a rescue to get your animals spayed / neutered. Shelters are over flowing with them, many die each day waiting for homes/rescued.
  • Nov 20, 2007, 03:31 PM
    layla79
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Wondergirl
    A female stray had a male kitten in our garage, then six months later had two kittens also in our garage. The older brother babysat the two babies while the mom went out flirting. The three kittens would come to our front door for meals, and the big brother would carefully wash their faces and make sure they looked adorable. I was finally able to rescue all four of them, get them neutered, and find them homes. The big brother, a total sweetheart, is one of our four housecats now.

    From what I have read, a male that's not the father may try to kill the kittens and mate with the mother in order to establish his own line. In any event, I would keep the mother and kittens away from any unneutered adult male cats.

    While I agree with this, I had a female cat who had kittens. Her brother in our home took care of the kittens, washing them, staying with them etc while she went out and ate. So a male cat in the same house could do either. You just have to keep an eye out. He might like our own male turn out to act like a mother just as much as the original mother. This is something one can not pridict but only watch and see what evolves.
  • Nov 20, 2007, 08:44 PM
    froggy7
    At 6 months, it might be touchy. It's the desire to mate which drives toms to kill kittens, so that the queen comes back into heat. If the male kitten has been neutered, I wouldn't worry a whole lot, but would keep an eye out. If he's not neutered, then you may have adolescent hormones to deal with, and that might make him more likely to try and kill the kittens.

    I will second bushg's plea. Your cat had kittens six months ago, and has just had more. She will have another litter in 6 months if you don't get her spayed. While this contributes to the cat overpopulation problem, it is also physically draining on the mother. Also, if she's continuously having kittens, she never really has a chance to just "be a cat". I remember a researcher on _Big Cat Diaries_ remarking on a leopard that was obviously playing (it was "attacking" a leafy branch on a bush) that this was the first time that she had ever seen that behavior. And that it was probably because the leopard's two kittens had vanished (probably killed by hyenas), and she had not yet come back into heat, so it was one of the rare times that she only had to worry about herself and actually had the extra time and energy to play. Your cat deserves to experience that as well.
  • Oct 20, 2010, 11:30 AM
    Kaylie1w
    I have a cat and I don't really know if she is pregnant, I think she is because she has been acting kind or funny the past two days, like she won't let me hold her much, she is eating and sleeping more than she used to. And her nipples are getting a little bit bigger and a little big pinker (not much pinker) I just need to know EMAIL ME THE ANSWER PLEASE. Email me at [email protected]. THIS IS NOT A FAKE EMAIL. THANKS :)

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