Mama Cat Turned Vicious Toward Other Cats In The House

[kliriano]

One of my cats had kittens about 2 1/2 months ago. She was always very close with our other two cats in the house. She is a good mama, but she has gotten increasingly aggressive and vicious toward the other cats, one of which is her sibling. My other cats are now terrified of her as they are literally being hunted by mama kitty. One cat tends to hide in a closet all day, and the other has now resorted to "living" on top of the kitchen cabinets and peeing on the kitchen counter because she is afraid to go to the litter box. Is this increased aggression normal at all? I'm completely heartbroken because I feel that I am going to have to give her up in order to give my other cats a chance of any peace.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Are the kittens still with you/her? That might be the thing if she's feeling territorial.

Have you spayed her yet?

Has she been in to the vet to check for other health issues?

I would try some calming products or music for your other kitties, and until this gets squared away either contain her, or give them a room to themselves so everyone gets a break from the stress.

 

[kliriano]

Thank you for your reply. We do still have all of the kittens--there are 5. Last night the cat fights were horrendous. We put mama kitty in the garage to give all the others space, it is the only place we have in order to separate them. I will try some calming products maybe. The ones inside the house have calmed down somewhat now.
I am just baffled by mama's vicious attacks on my other cats (not her kittens though, she is a perfect mama to them).

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. How is the mama reacting to being separated from her babies - or, did you put them in the garage with her? Separation from them may only cause her to behave worse. She sounds like she is still protecting them from the other cats. That will likely subside soon.

However, if she isn't/doesn't get spayed soon, it is a possibility that she will also turn on the babies in order to prepare herself for another litter. It doesn't always happen, but it could. Are you planning on keeping the babies?

It doesn't sound like you have the room to do so, but it would be ideal to treat the mama (and her babies) as if they were new to your home and to go through a formal introduction process. That would mean keeping them separated from the other cats, but obviously the garage (unless it is warm enough) is not the best confinement. But, just in case you can come up with a way to separate them, I've included a couple of articles about proper introductions.

How To Fix An Unsuccessful Cat Introduction

How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide