Is it normal for cats to bite recent adopted kittens?

[salgado]

My male cat won’t kill a fly (literally, he just stares at it but never attacks) he has always been really chill and only attacks if someone actively bothers him physically. I recently found two kittens outside and brought them home, at first he was scared and defensive (not attacking) and after a week they were pretty much adopting him as a dad and he seems to be ok with it since he was giving the baths and protecting them when my cousins dog stayed with us for the weekend (at least it seemed) and at the end of the week my cat seemed to be giving one of them a bath like usual and after a few minutes he started to bite the kittens neck? the kitten yelled a little but I separated them, and after an hour they acted like nothing happened lol and today he did it again, the kitten screamed really loud and it seemed like my cat was trying to carry him somewhere, but I stopped again because the kitten sounded like he was get hurt. Now they are acting like nothing happened again, can anybody tell me if this is normal? Did my cat adopt them or was legit trying to kill them??? Do you think that maybe the kitten was looking to be breastfed and might have hurt my cat? Cause I did see him trying multiple times. What should I do in any case?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi, Welcome! How old is your adult male?

 

[fionasmom]

If he is a male, neutered or unneutered, and the kittens are unspayed females it could be mounting behavior. I have seen male adult cats act as a "nanny" to kittens as well. He may not mean to actually harm them; however, since he is full grown and they are tiny you need to try to watch and assess. They are crying out when he grabs them, so something is wrong. Let them play or be together only if you are supervising until they are older.

Is he neutered? Do you plan to spay/neuter the kittens?

Thank you for helping these two little ones.

 

[salgado]

Hi, Welcome! How old is your adult male?

He is three!!

 

[salgado]

If he is a male, neutered or unneutered, and the kittens are unspayed females it could be mounting behavior. I have seen male adult cats act as a "nanny" to kittens as well. He may not mean to actually harm them; however, since he is full grown and they are tiny you need to try to watch and assess. They are crying out when he grabs them, so something is wrong. Let them play or be together only if you are supervising until they are older.

Is he neutered? Do you plan to spay/neuter the kittens?

Thank you for helping these two little ones.

Hi!! Thanks for the reply He isn't neutered but we will neuter him soon, one kitty is a female and the other a male and he has only bitten the male so far, we noticed that the male kitty has gotten really attached to our big one so we might keep him and give the other to our neighbor who has shown interest but if we do keep both we plan on neutering them as well.

 

[mani]

It is not unknown for male cats, particularly unneutered ones, to kill kittens, although they've been together a while and it would seem to be OK. I would still be very cautious about having them together. Toms are driven by their hormones.
How old are the kittens?

 

[StefanZ]

My male cat won’t kill a fly (literally, he just stares at it but never attacks) he has always been really chill and only attacks if someone actively bothers him physically. I recently found two kittens outside and brought them home, at first he was scared and defensive (not attacking) and after a week they were pretty much adopting him as a dad and he seems to be ok with it since he was giving the baths and protecting them when my cousins dog stayed with us for the weekend (at least it seemed) and at the end of the week my cat seemed to be giving one of them a bath like usual and after a few minutes he started to bite the kittens neck? the kitten yelled a little but I separated them, and after an hour they acted like nothing happened lol and today he did it again, the kitten screamed really loud and it seemed like my cat was trying to carry him somewhere, but I stopped again because the kitten sounded like he was get hurt. Now they are acting like nothing happened again, can anybody tell me if this is normal? Did my cat adopt them or was legit trying to kill them??? Do you think that maybe the kitten was looking to be breastfed and might have hurt my cat? Cause I did see him trying multiple times. What should I do in any case?

It depends a little, on when he was neutered, and how old they are. And the exact situation.
Anyways, its NOT any try to kill nor harm.

Its either a dominant behavior, he is showing them whom is the master cat here...
Say, he notices they arent small kittens any more and wants to be leaders them too... so he cuts them short.

OR he is trying to mount them...

In any case, whatever he does, he is NOT trying to hurt them.

That said, good you are watching out, and breaks off if he overdoes.

 

[salgado]

It is not unknown for male cats, particularly unneutered ones, to kill kittens, although they've been together a while and it would seem to be OK. I would still be very cautious about having them together. Toms are driven by their hormones.
How old are the kittens?

Yeah I’m trying to be more careful, but for example, this morning they were together again, they were trying to get breastfed on him and he was giving both of them a bath like nothing happened, but I’m watching them just in case. My dad thinks the kittens are around 3 to 4 weeks old!

 

[salgado]

It depends a little, on when he was neutered, and how old they are. And the exact situation.
Anyways, its NOT any try to kill nor harm.

Its either a dominant behavior, he is showing them whom is the master cat here...
Say, he notices they arent small kittens any more and wants to be leaders them too... so he cuts them short.

OR he is trying to mount them...

In any case, whatever he does, he is NOT trying to hurt them.

That said, good you are watching out, and breaks off if he overdoes.

its a relief to know he is not trying to hurt them, thanks! Gonna keep watching them

 

[StefanZ]

Yeah I’m trying to be more careful, but for example, this morning they were together again, they were trying to get breastfed on him and he was giving both of them a bath like nothing happened, but I’m watching them just in case. My dad thinks the kittens are around 3 to 4 weeks old!

you can give us photos on them, it may be easier to see the age... But if 4 weeks, they are awfully young.

Nothing peculiar they hope he is their MA, and he is doing his parenting duties... Perhaps including carrying them in the neck skin.