10 month old wanting mums milk… (they don’t)

[gaogier]

So, sparky got pregnant after a Tom broke into our house, she had 5 kittens on the 10th May 2023 when she was 54 weeks old herself. She was spayed about 2 months later, and the kittens started to eat norma cat food. About 10days after her milk dried up, we went out, there was food left for them, but when we got home all of my cats were hungry and I didn’t feed them straight away, so sparky started to play with the kittens and 2 of them though mum gave us food/milk before so they started to try and feed off mum, who ended up having a few slightly bleeding nipples. Since then, if my kittens (we kept 3, 2 have gone to my sisters) go near sparky to play, or groom she growls, hisses, swipes then runs off, as she thinks they want food, she is 100% fine if she goes to the kittens for grooming, play or cuddles but will not have her kittens come to her.

how can I get her out of this behaviour…

 

[FeebysOwner]

Are you saying this has been going on for several months, or is Sparky's behavior more recent? If more recent, I would suggest to you that it might have something to do with the strange cat that came into your home that you have another thread about. She could be on guard from that incident.

If she is OK with approaching the kittens, but not OK if they approach her, then she is just telling them she isn't interested in being bothered with them at that time. It sounds like the kittens keep trying, so that means that they have not become afraid of her when she 'rejects' them. I am not sure you can do much about that, other than to make sure she has somewhere to go where she can be away from them when she doesn't want to deal with them.

 

[Hellenww]

Since then, if my kittens (we kept 3, 2 have gone to my sisters) go near sparky to play, or groom she growls, hisses, swipes then runs off, as she thinks they want food, she is 100% fine if she goes to the kittens for grooming, play or cuddles but will not have her kittens come to her.

how can I get her out of this behaviour…

I don't think you need to. She is setting limits with teen kittens. Saying "I decide when we interact"
As long as no one seems scared most of the time and you have no cat fights let them be. They are working out grown up communication.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I agree, she's setting boundaries with the kittens, as she should. They will continue to nurse as long as she allows it, left to their own devices. LOL, there is little in this world as funny as a "grown up" son nestled in, nursing on mama along side his 4 week old siblings! I'm glad she has the good sense to say, "The shower is still operational, but take your meals elsewhere!"