Due to cats being the second most commonly kept animal in the world when it comes to pets, we constantly see a large number of questions month in and month out about keeping a pet cat.
With many outdoor cats who have not been neutered often coming home pregnant, we often see questions specific to the behavior of a mother cat towards her kittens.
We have already published an article going over why a mother cat bites the neck of her kittens but we have seen a steadily increasing number of people reaching out to ask about why a mother cat is sitting on her kittens recently.
Due to so many cat owners being worried about the safety of their cat’s kittens, we wanted to publish a dedicated article over this behavior to try and help our readers understand it as well as how they are able to stop it.
Is It Normal For A Mother Cat To Sit On Her Kittens?
In some situations, it can be totally normal for a mother cat to sit on her kittens but this does not necessarily mean that the behavior is good for the kittens.
When we say sitting on her kittens, we mean laying across a part of her kittens, not laying or sitting directly on top of her kitten as this increases the risks of the behavior and although some young mother cats may do this, it should be discouraged.
If a mother cat is just relaxing with her kittens and her kittens are not having problems then there may not be anything to worry about, especially if the mother cat is experienced and has had a number of litters previously.
Why Does A Mother Cat Sit On Her Kittens?
There can be a few reasons for why a mother cat sits on her kittens but the most likely reason is due to the fact that she is either trying to keep them warm or she is trying to protect them from any potential dangers.
If you find that your mother cat is sitting on her kittens more often than usual or she is doing it for long periods of time, then it may be a sign that she is feeling stressed or anxious about something.
This could be due to a change in her environment such as another pet being introduced into the home or even just a change in routine.
Another reason that a mother cat may sit on her kittens is due to a lack of available space for the mother cat to use as her nursery area for her kittens.
In very small areas, the mother cat may have no choice but to lay or sit on her kittens.
Now, some mother cats can be a little strange with the space that they will use as their nursery area for their kittens and even if they have a large amount of space available, they may only use a small amount of it.
We have no idea why this is but it is surprisingly common but in our opinion, unless the kittens are in danger, it is better to just leave the mother cat to run her kittens as she wishes rather than try to move them around.
Can A Mother Cat Suffocate A Newborn Kitten By Sitting On It?
One of the most common questions that we see asked about this behavior is whether or not a mother cat can suffocate a kitten by sitting on it and unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes.
A mother cat can easily suffocate a kitten if she is laying or sitting directly on top of it as this will prevent the kitten from being able to move or take a breath.
This is why it is so important for cat owners to make sure that their mother cat is not sitting on top of her kitten for long periods of time as it can result in the kitten’s death.
Normal behavior is when the mother cat may lay over a part of their kitten and the kitten can easily move if it wants.
Many mother cats will not sit or lay on their kittens though so in many cases, this is not actually something to worry about.
The more litter a cat has, the better she tends to be at caring for her pet kittens and she may not lay or sit on her kittens in future litters.
How Can I Stop A Mother Cat Sitting On Her Kittens?
If you are concerned about a mother cat sitting on her kittens then there are a few things that you can do in order to try and stop this behavior.
The first thing that we would recommend is providing the mother cat with a larger area for her to use as her nursery.
This will give her more space to move around in and it will also give her kittens more space to move around in as well.
You should also make sure that the area is free from any potential hazards such as sharp objects or other animals that could harm the kittens.
Another thing that you can do is to try and provide the mother cat with some toys or objects that she can use to keep herself occupied.
This will help to reduce her stress levels and it may also help to keep her from sitting on her kittens as well.
You should also make sure that you are providing the mother cat with plenty of food and water as this can also help to reduce her stress levels.
If you have tried all of these things and the mother cat is still sitting on her kittens then you may need to take them to the vet.
The vet will be able to check the kittens over to make sure that they are healthy and they will also be able to give you some advice on how to stop the mother cat from sitting on her kittens.
If A Mother Cat Sits On Her Kittens, Is She Rejecting Them?
One of the most common questions that we see asked about this behavior is whether or not a mother cat sitting on her kittens is a sign of rejection.
The answer to this question is no, a mother cat sitting on her kittens is not a sign of rejection.
There are many reasons why a mother cat may sit on her kittens and in most cases, it is not a sign of rejection.
A mother cat may sit on her kittens if she is feeling stressed or if she is trying to keep them warm.
She may also do it if she is feeling tired or if she just wants to rest.
In most cases, a mother cat sitting on her kittens is not a cause for concern and you should not worry about it unless the kittens are in danger.
If you are concerned about the mother cat sitting on her kittens then you should take them to the vet so that they can be checked over.
