Acting like a mother

[jjcarr]

Ok, I have three cats; Nena 1 year and 1/2, Twinkie 8wks, and Chica 3months they think Nena is their mother, but there is one problem Nena has never had kittens. A few days ago Nena went into heat and the next I knew the two kittens started breast feeding. My questions are first, why is she breast feeding them? Is she pregnant? Do the kittens still need breast milk?And why now before Nena didn't like the kittens? Very confused please help

[jennielynn1970]

Welcome to Pet Talk!

Couple questions to help answer yours....

First... you say Nena is in heat, and you ask whether she could be pregnant. Has she been around any unaltered male cats?? If she hasn't been around any other unaltered male cats, I would have to guess no at the pregnancy thing, unless you're taking into consideration immaculate conception :p

The kitties, especially the 8wks old, more than likely are feeling needy and want to still feel and be mothered, and Nena is old enough and when they are in heat, many of them are very responsive to stimulation like that. I highly doubt that they are getting any milk as she would not be producing any if she's not pregnant (again, see previous paragraph on that one).

Many cats can display the nursing habits into adulthood. Depends what they focus on. Some are wool suckers, some use other materials. Many people, including vets, say it's because they were taken away from the mom cats too soon.

Get your cat spayed as soon as she is out of heat, that way you won't have to worry about her ending up "with kitten". If you need any leads for low fee spaying, let us know what general area you are from, and many of us can give you some basic info for vets and clinics etc...

Good luck!

[jjcarr]

No there wasn't immaculate conception. A few days ago she got out of the house while she was in heat. Vet won't fix her until she's done. Didn't know I needed to explain all that. For someone giving advice your kinda rude.

[KitCat]

If she got out while she was in heat she could be pregnant.

[jennielynn1970]

No there wasn't immaculate conception. A few days ago she got out of the house while she was in heat. Vet won't fix her until she's done. Didn't know I needed to explain all that. For someone giving advice your kinda rude.

Ummm... ok, it was called SARCASM. I wasn't trying, or being, rude at all. Sorry if you took it that way. Jumping to conclusions and being confrontational isn't very mannerly on your side either.

Just as an aside... many people wouldn't have just "guessed" that your cat got out of the house while in heat. Many cats can go into heat and do not get out of the house. I think it's the whole lacking opposable thumbs issue and not being able to turn the doorknobs. (Again, that last sentence was sarcasm).

If she is pregnant, your vet can also do a spay and an abortion for the kittens if you don't want to bring more kitties needing homes into the world. The vet for our clinics will do that with a lot of our TNRs to help out the overpopulation of cats. (again, not saying the kittens would be unwanted, but if you don't want the cat to have kittens, I'm saying this is an option... things get misinterpreted way too easily).