There is only one way to interpret the behaviour of this stray, female domestic cat who leads the video maker on a rainy day towards a lobby area of what appears to be an apartment block where she has her … continue reading…
In this article on kitten development, I refer to the development of the domestic cat after birth. About 70% of kittens are born nose and feet first (the so called “diving position”). They are covered in a transparent membrane (foetal … continue reading…
People ask why mother cats kill their kittens. Here are five possible reasons. The first general point to make is that inexperienced mothers are more likely to kill her kittens. And stress plays a major role. There may also be … continue reading…
There is an official world record for the largest number of kittens in a single litter. The source of the information is, of course, the Guinness World Records website. They state very succinctly that the world’s largest litter of domestic … continue reading…
Not always, is the answer. You would have thought that as the domestic cat is considered to be barely domesticated that they would have inherited the full range of parenting skills from their wild cat ancestor but it seems not … continue reading…
You may know the answer so I won’t go on about this. It’s actually often a reversal of roles depending on the gender of the cat. Normally the human owner of a domestic cat is the surrogate mother, the provider … continue reading…
I argue that cats recognise their mothers based on the evidence including how their recognise their human guardian.
continue reading...This form of feline behaviour is a reflection on the fact that adult domestic cats relate to their owners as their mothers. They might not relate to their owners as their mothers all the time but in this instance they … continue reading…
With reference to domestic and feral cats, mothers do not abandon their newborn kittens if you touch them. But the question opens the door to a much bigger topic and before I address that topic, I will expand on the … continue reading…
“Sibling suckling” is when domestic cats beyond the age of weaning suckle on each other for reassurance and comfort.
continue reading...Domestic cats give birth 2-3 times per year. As for the wild cats, it is normally once per year
continue reading...If we are to assess whether domestic cats protect humans, we have to look at the nature of the relationship. In terms of the physical ability to protect a human I think the answer is yes but there are limitations … continue reading…
AMERSHAM, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK: Highly unusually, a tabby stray cat made a den for herself and her three kittens in a bird’s nest in a tree. Also, unusually, a tomcat was watching over the kittens as well. Cats Protection, a cat … continue reading…
This is a cool photograph because when you first see it you are unsure if you are looking at an adult domestic cat killing or eating a newborn kitten (!) or a mother cat grabbing her newborn by the scruff … continue reading…
Cats raise their bottoms to facilitate their mother’s anogenital stimulation. It is a neonatal reflex action by the kitten. It’s instinctive and is carried out automatically.
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