Would a young feline mother be whining if I took her away from kittens?

by Kim
(Arkansas)

Stray found me this morning. She has protruding nips and a fat belly. I want to find her a home but afraid of leaving kittens. My cats are spayed. Would this young cat let me know she was unhappy?

Comments for Would a young feline mother be whining if I took her away from kittens?

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Aug 02, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Maybe Pregnant still
by: Anonymous

If the she has a really fat belly, she may still be pregnant and close to giving birth. In my experience, the mother cat slims down pretty fast once the kittens are born, especially if she is a stray and hasn't eaten well. You can usually see the kittens moving around if you watch her lower belly while she is lying still.
Jul 30, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		Could happen!
by: dapperandclassy

Probably, could happen! Maybe too soon to detach them from her. The motherly instincts kicking in.

Comment posted by Kurt (Admin) on behalf of response received via Twitter from a tweet by @dapperandclassy.
Jul 30, 2010
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starstarstarstarstar 		I think it depends
by: Kurt (Admin)

Thanks for your question, Kim. I'm glad you're trying to find a home for her. Cats are normally excellent mothers, and very protective. If she's got kittens nearby, I would think she'd be very distracted and wanting to get back to them. If the kittens have died, a mother cat may go back into heat soon after. If she lacks the right instincts, though, she may not show any indication that her kittens need her.

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