Why Does Mother Cat Move Only One Kitten? (Explanations) And How To Stop It?

Sometimes, we can be so caught up in our own lives that we miss something completely obvious, like a cat who only moves one kitten around.

In this blog post, we’ll be exploring why cats move only one kitten and not several. And the answer is not just that they are selfish but that they are actually quite generous with one kitten at a time.

So why would they be willing to give up so much for just one kitten and not several?

She wants to move all the kittens to a new location

Sometimes a mother cat will decide to shift all her kittens to a new area. Maybe her existing nest seems too noisy or exposed, or there are too many people coming over to look at her and her babies when she truly wants to be left alone.

In this situation, a mother cat may relocate one kitten before returning to her nest to retrieve the others.

You may simply have caught her in the middle of her relocation, so keep a watch on her and see whether she’s planning on transferring the whole litter.

Don’t interfere with this process, other than to supply additional bedding, food, water, and a litter box once your cat has adjusted in her new area.

She may have too many kittens to care for

Some felines have litters that are too big for them to properly care for. Your cat may opt to abandon the weakest kitten in order to protect the others and ensure their survival. Infrequent though it may be, it does happen occasionally.

If your cat has recently given birth to an exceptionally large litter, and one of the kittens is attempting to escape the nest, she is only acting on her natural impulse to protect the group.

You might convince mom to keep the kitten in the nest and feed it milk replacement powder to ensure a healthy and robust development for all of the kittens.

If she continues to reject the kitten, you may always raise it by hand using milk replacement powder.

What should you do with the kitten that’s been removed?

What should you do next if your cat has already killed one of her kittens? The first step is to return the kitten to the nest where it belongs with the rest of its litter. If the mother cat has already tried to remove them, she may try again.

In that case, ensure the kitten has a dry, warm place to stay until she returns. Kittens need milk at regular intervals, therefore it’s best to consult your vet as soon as possible.

Your veterinarian may want further details, may want to see you and the kitten in person for a checkup, or may have suggestions for caring for an abandoned kitten.

Most abandoned kittens do well and develop into healthy, active young adults with the help of their human caregivers. If you keep a watch on your mother cat and her kittens, you’ll be ready to help if they ever need it.

Although it’s unusual for a mother cat to remove a kitten from her nest, it’s important to know what to do if it happens so you can be there for your cat and her offspring.

Why Is My Cat Moving Only One Kitten?

Something may be wrong with one kitten

Cats are delicate beings, yet they also have a strong need to survive. Sometimes a mother cat will notice that one of her kittens isn’t quite right, even though it’s not visible to us.

If a mother cat discovers that one of her kittens has an illness, she will likely abandon it so that she can care for the others.

This is a return to your cat’s natural instincts for survival in the wild, and while it may seem harsh, you must remember that.

A sick kitten in the wild may be a magnet for predators, putting the mother and the remainder of the litter at peril.

If you notice your cat has relocated only one of her babies and makes no additional attempts to build a new nest or relocate the rest of her kittens, something may be wrong with the lone kitten.

Put them back in the nest carefully and observe what happens.

In addition, you should take the kitten to the vet for an examination to see whether or not the problem is more serious. You may raise a kitten as an orphan on bottle feed if its mother cat refuses to let it nurse.

Kittens need to be fed often and kept in a warm, dry place. If you come across an abandoned kitten, consult with your veterinarian for guidance on how to care for it.

As a general rule, this will happen within the first 24 hours after your cat has given birth, so keep a careful check on her.

She is confused and disoriented

Manual labor is strenuous. Cats vary greatly in their ability to handle stress. After giving birth, some mother cats may show signs of confusion and disorientation.

She could do some unusual things like relocating the kittens to unexpected locations and then forgetting about them.

The kitten has to be returned to the nest, so go get it. Watch your cat closely, and if you see any changes in her behavior, contact your vet.

The mother cat doesn’t like its current spot

The mother cat’s current location is another probable explanation for why she only relocates one of her kittens. The cat mother presumably doesn’t think the birthing place is conducive to raising her kittens.

It’s probably evacuating the newborn kittens because of the possibility for too much disturbance, danger, or both. The mother cat presumably had more than one kitten at the time, but you only observed one of them.

Moving kittens can be a major distraction for mom cats, who may lose focus on their offspring. It could carry one for a while, then stop and wait a while before moving another.

Unless there’s an immediate threat, please don’t take the kitten away from where its mother left it. When the mother cat returns, she’ll bring the rest of the kittens with her.

The litter is too big

Sometimes when there are too many kittens, the mother cat may remove one of them.

This is so that the other kittens can get a chance at her food. It’s hardly common, but some mama cats might act strange after giving birth.

It is fairly uncommon for a mother cat to completely abandon her kittens. Kittens in this situation require human intervention for their survival, including feeding and playtime.

You’re Disturbing Them Too Often

In the presence of a mother cat and her newborn kittens, it’s hard to resist the urge to keep checking on them. Aren’t these just the cutest things ever?

No doubt you’ve also shown it to some pals… dropping by more frequently than Mom Cat would want.

She could decide to relocate if she and her kittens are often disturbed. Of course, she has no idea that you can easily track down her new home. She’s only showing that she needs some space and quiet.

They Have Outgrown Their Space

Kittens mature rapidly from infants. In preparation for giving birth, most cats nest in a small area, but after a few weeks they require greater room.

This is why most cat mothers will relocate their kittens around the ages of three to four weeks. You may be proactive by making sure she has access to a large box stuffed with blankets. Not even sure whether she’ll put it to use.

When we last had puppies, I put them in a big dog cage we keep in the house. Soft bedding, food and water dishes, and an open entrance were all prepped by me.

She looked at it twice, and then one morning I woke up to find her and the kids inside.

There Is Too Much Noise Where She Gave Birth

Any new human mother can attest to the need of peace and quiet during the postpartum period. In order to better care for her young, a mother cat may relocate with her litter to a more peaceful place.

Your cat may have given birth near a busy part of your home, and now that she has kittens, she may wish to relocate them for their own safety.

A single kitten is relocated at a time to test the waters and determine whether or not the remainder of the litter should follow. Soon after, she plans to relocate the rest of the occupants to the new area.

The Kitten Might Be Sick or Injured

In nature’s method of dealing with things, a mother cat will sometimes separate a sick or injured kitten from the rest of the litter and leave it to die.

Most kittens don’t make it through the first year, and if your cat thinks one of her babies won’t, she may be attempting to protect the others.

If you keep putting it back, she’ll keep putting it back, but if you really care about the kitten’s survival, you should probably take it away from its mother and start caring for it yourself.

It’s important to have kitten-specific milk and a good feeding arrangement if you want to take care of a kitten correctly. Make an appointment with the veterinarian to make sure you’re providing enough care for the kitten.

If you think your cat is rejecting one of its kittens because of disease, it may be able to detect problems before humans can. Please check her kitten over with a vet before you start caring for it.

It Might Be Instinct to Protect Her Kittens

To protect their young from potential dangers, feral cats will often relocate their litters to a safe, out-of-the-way spot. Even if your cat has been tamed, it still has this instinct.

If she thinks her kittens are in danger, she may gradually relocate them. Mama may not be happy if you return them to the nest and may instead relocate them to her favorite spot.

Additionally, mother cats may relocate their litter to a different den every three days to confuse potential predators. Predators know that a woman who has recently given birth is weak and that her infants will be easy prey.

Even if no outside dangers exist, a mother cat will nevertheless do all it takes to guard her young. Cats and humans aren’t the only creatures prone to motherly hostility; many other animals, including cats, do the same thing.

She Wants a Cleaner Nest for Her Babies

While you should do everything you can to clean the nesting spot after your cat has kittens, she may decide to shift the litter to a more sanitary site afterward. She takes these measures to ensure that none of her kittens become unwell.

Also, cats can detect any changes to their nest because of their enhanced sense of smell. When a mother cat detects a bad odor near her kittens’ nest, she will relocate them.

Why Does My Cat Keep Bringing Me Her Kittens?

It is possible for a mother cat to pick out one of her kittens and take it to her human. This is due, in part, to the cat mother viewing you as the pack alpha.

To a mother cat, who is naturally protective of her kittens, this action indicates a high degree of trust.

When domestic cats need aid, they will bring their kitten to their owner. Either the kitten is unwell, or the mother cat wants a vacation from raising her young.

You should let your cat outside, but it needs someone to stay inside to keep an eye on the kittens.

The mother cat will consider you the substitute mother and bring her kittens to you if she is sick. The intelligence of cats has been greatly overstated.

Last but not least, the mother cat could not be emotionally prepared to have kittens. While not all female cats will automatically assume the role of mother after giving birth, the vast majority will.

There’s no need to question the mother’s motives; the fact is that you’ve been entrusted with her kitten and must take care of it.

Can A Cat Forget Where She Put Her Kittens?

It’s quite unusual for a mother cat to forget where she left her kittens. A mother cat will still locate her lost kitten even if she relocates it.

Visual mapping is not a process that cats engage in. When searching for their young, they rely on their keen sense of smell. And if the mother cat stops caring for the kitten it has hidden away, it’s possible that she doesn’t like the kitten after all.

However, after the kittens mature into adulthood, the mother will no longer remember them. Mother and kittens may still be quite close, but mom won’t recognize her offspring among the other cats.

This is a behavior I’ve seen in Watson’s (my kitty) mother.

How Do Mother Cats Feel When Their Kittens Are Taken Away?

When a kitten is separated from its mother, it causes the mother cat stress. It will make a lot of noise and look for it actively. They meow to their cat in the hopes that it will respond.

Taking a kitten away from its mother is traumatic for the kitten as well. After being taken from its mother, the kitten may resist food.

This is why it’s recommended that kittens stay with their litter until all of the kittens have been weaned, usually between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks.

How Long Does It Take For A Mother Cat To Forget Its Kittens?

A mother cat may initially try to find her lost kitten, but after a few days, she will likely forget all about it.

When a mother cat has her kittens taken away, she may start meowing and looking around for them.

The mother cat may be missing her kittens at the moment, but she won’t have to wait too much longer.

The mother cat will be completely healthy again in around three weeks. However, this varies from cat to cat because of their individuality.

How Can You Stop Your Cat From Moving Kittens?

Care for the kittens once she shifts them, as there is no surefire method to prevent your cat from doing so. Nonetheless, if you fear your cat has abandoned the kitten, you can still help it.

Keep their place comfy

The mother of a kitten has the finest instincts. If the place of birth is unsanitary, the mother will search for another location.

This will help you provide a cozy spot for your cat and her kittens to relax and nurse.

Offer a better spot

You should create a new nest and provide it to the mother cat if you see her hunting for a new place to put her kittens. By regulating where the litter is taken, you can keep a close eye on it at all times.

Give them some privacy

The mother of a kitten will become quite protective of her young. Make sure kids have a calm and undisturbed place to be so that the mother doesn’t feel like she has to go.

It’s important to teach children to give the cat some space when she’s weaning the kittens.

Please don’t touch it

Keep your hands off the kittens unless absolutely necessary.

Don’t use your bare hands to reposition the kitty on the bed.

Conclusion

Why Does Mother Cat Move Only One Kitten? The mother cat moves her kittens from the nest into the den after she has fed them. They do not move on to the safety of the house.

This mother cat does not want to harm her kittens because she knows that they can get hurt. She has been trained by her parents to protect them.

source https://catshint.com/why-does-mother-cat-move-only-one-kitten/