The mother cat doesn’t breastfeed her kittens? Here’s why and how to help her


Your cat has just given birth but doesn’t want to feed her little kittens? Here are the probable causes and how to help her get through the moment.

Usually in bitches who have just given birth, the instinct of rejection towards small babies can arise. Yet even in cats, and especially in primiparous females, or in their first pregnancy, it may happen that they do not want to know their maternal role. The causes can be different but it is important to understand what they are to help the mother cat to overcome this difficult moment of being estranged from her little ones.


When the cat is not a mother: causes

If the cat does not want to breastfeed her young, it is necessary to intervene in time to avoid other unpleasant consequences. Kittens are in dire need of their mother’s milk, which is the most complete and healthy meal of their diet. Before resorting to artificial milk, never cow’s milk, it is important to try to convince the cat to fulfill her role as ‘mother’.

It is her first pregnancy

Some cats, especially those in the first birth experience, may feel inexperienced and inadequate to take care of their young, who, like newborns, are totally dependent on her and seek her contact constantly.

Stress and noise make her nervous

The environment in which a cat gives birth is extremely important as it affects her way of being and her postpartum attitude. Loud noises, chaotic environment, persistent sounds create a kind of agitation in the mother. When she is about to give birth, let’s worry about finding a quiet environment, perhaps sheltered from the voices of children and from the noise of the street or the house.

It has no milk

It is probable that a mother will not breastfeed because there is a lack of ‘raw material’, that is, milk. The wailing cry of kittens, hungry because they cannot suck the right sustenance, could make them nervous. In this case the cat tries to breastfeed them but she fails and she gives up.

He has health problems

However, a cat that goes through childbirth undergoes a great effort: this could compromise her physical health. If the conditions were already precarious, with the birth she could have new ailments such as nausea, vomiting, high fever. So her mother’s poor health could prevent her from breastfeeding and caring for her newborn babies.

He foresees little hope of survival

If the litter has little hope of surviving a mother warns it. And paradoxically she could give up breastfeeding in order not to waste her energy of hers. It seems a rather cruel motivation, but in reality it is a survival instinct.


The survival instinct in cats

If a cat is born with infections and diseases that seriously jeopardize its survival, it is easy for the mother cat to even remove it from the rest of the litter to prevent it from infecting them. This too is part of the survival instinct of a mother who for the sake of her children sacrifices one, the weakest one. It may seem cruel behavior but it falls within the animal instinct which often does not match that of man.


The cat does not breastfeed: what to do

If the mother is unable to take care of the newborn kittens then it is essential to do something to help not only the cat but also her little kittens, which they have at the moment are particularly in need of help to survive. Here are the right moves to do in order not to jeopardize the mother and the little ones.

Visit to the vet

Contacting an expert immediately is the best solution. He will be able to help his mother and her children understand where the problem is and how to overcome it. He certainly will need to undergo specific tests to diagnose any ongoing pathologies. Of course, if the mother is sick, she must be treated to ensure that she is able to take care of the kittens.

Give milk to the little ones

If the mother is unable or unwilling to breastfeed them, the little ones cannot stay long without eating: we must provide for their nourishment ourselves. We always prefer top quality products, especially in such a delicate moment as the one immediately following birth. Powdered milk is ideal, and should be given every 2-3 hours a day. Furthermore, as soon as they have finished eating, we try to stimulate their digestive system with light massages on the stomach. We pay attention because this area is among the most sensitive of our feline friends: even if they show us their bellies, they don’t really want us to touch it too vehemently.


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