While it may feel like a mother cat will be upset that her kittens will be taken away, cats don't think the same way people do. It's natural for a mother cat to begin weaning her kittens around four to five weeks of age, and they'll be fully weaned around 10 or 12 weeks.
The short answer is yes, cats do experience separation anxiety. However, there's more to learn about the way cats process separation and the symptoms they may display if they have separation anxiety, too.
It's important to separate the kittens from the queen when they're ready. Don't separate them before they reach eight weeks of age, as they will still be learning from their mum.
At six months and 1 year of age, both male and female kittens showed a strong preference for sniffing the swab with their mother's scent, compared to the other two swabs. This suggests that kittens might retain a memory of the scent of their mother for up to one year.
Outdoor mom cats sometimes scatter their kittens to save them from predators. These kittens will appear well-fed and you will find them hidden in a safe place. If you see a kitten, then monitor the location until you see the mother coming back. Take the kitten only if she does not return.
Some factors could predispose a cat to developing separation anxiety, while other causes are environmental: Being a female cat. Female cats are diagnosed with separation anxiety more often than male cats.
Kittens who have been separated during the early weeks of life tend to forget each other. Young kittens often miss their mom and siblings and show signs of separation anxiety after being taken into the new home. However, it doesn't take them too long to adapt to the new home and develop bonds with their new family.
Newborn to 8 Weeks
In their first weeks of life, it's normal to hear baby kittens crying or meowing because they need food and warmth, says the ASPCA. Kittens usually stay with their mothers until the age of 8 weeks so that they can nurse and stay cozy.
A Mother cat will leave her kittens for hours at a time. She will NOT return if you are standing over her kittens. The mother cat offers her kittens' best chance for survival, so wait and watch as long as you can. The best food for the kittens is their mother's milk.
A kitten that is removed from its mother too soon may also have trouble adjusting to its new home and you. Growing up with a mother and littermates is an essential part of cat socialization. Without proper socialization at a young age, the kitten may grow up to be fearful, skittish, or even aggressive.
Abandoned kittens will be dirty and the nest will be soiled, and they will cry continuously because they're hungry. Ideally, kittens should not be taken from the mother until they are five to six weeks of age.
What is “Fading Kitten Syndrome”? Fading kitten syndrome, sometimes referred as “failure to thrive”, describes a kitten that “crashes”, suddenly becoming ill or unresponsive, even if it was previously healthy.
"Your cat is most likely staring at you while crying because they're trying to make sense of what they see and hear," McGowan says. Your cat might not understand human crying, but she'll gather as many clues as she can and use them to adjust her behavior.
Tips to Help a New Kitten Settle In
Although a mother cat may only miss her kittens for two or three days, the kittens themselves can be depressed for a few days after the separation.
“It is common for cats to remember you even if they haven't seen you for years,” Dr. Hawthorne told The Dodo. “It is important to note that kittens will typically have worse memory recall compared to adult cats, which is a similar thing that happens in human babies.”
In the wild, kittens usually remain with their mothers until they reach sexual maturity or until the mother gets pregnant again.
Signs of a Depressed Cat
Changes in body language, including ears held back, tucked tail, and hairs standing on end. Meowing more or less than usual or making low-pitched, mournful meows. Lack of energy or a decrease in activity level. Retreating from humans or other family pets.
The mother cat usually remains continuously with newborn kittens for one or two days after giving birth. She may then leave the 'nest' for short periods. Also, a mother cat will often pick up and move her litter to a new location, especially during the first few weeks after birth.
If a mother cat is threatened by other cats, people, excessive noise or other stressful situations she may abandon her kittens or develop aggressive tendencies towards them. First-time mothers may also be more prone to behavior problems.
A mother cat will NOT “reject” kittens that have been touched by humans. You can try scattering flour around the nest and leave the area completely for a while. Look for paw prints in the flour when you come back.
Cats have the power to sense their owner's emotions. So, cats have the ability to feel whenever their owner is sad. Beyond sadness, domestic cats are also able to feel whenever their owner has switched moods and emotions.
Cats can get very grumpy when they feel ignored – without human interaction, your cat might feel neglected and sad.