Maternal Instincts

[klunick]

Our prior female cat had zero maternal instincts and we would joke it was a good thing she could never have kittens. Our male cat was more mothering than she was.

When we first got Boone and Gracie, I picked up some mice for them to play with. Gracie has really taken to them and acts like they are her kittens. She is always carrying one around and will move them to different locations around the house.

When she brings me one, I make a big fuss over them and give them back. I heard you were supposed to do that when a momma kitten brings you her babies.

 

[FeebysOwner]

So cute!
Feeby was about 2 when she first found me, and I bought her a stuffed mouse that she loved. For the longest time she carried it around with her and often hid it underneath furniture, just to go back and move it elsewhere later. She really had a fit when we had some work done on the house that required moving around the furniture. When "Mr. Mouse" was exposed, she would run to him, pick him up, and literally 'cuss us out' as she moved him to underneath another piece of furniture. It was so funny, that we repeated moving the furniture just to watch and listen to her - I know...cat abuse, but she forgave me, thankfully!!!

 

[klunick]

Gracie has six babies but she really only loves three of them. Had to toss one out because the insides were coming out. Three seems to be her magic number because she added one of the lesser ones to her loved ones. I bought more but a different kind because her current 3 are looking pretty ratty. She HATES the new ones!! Boone likes them though because they have a string tail that he can chew on.

 

[susanm9006]

When she brings you one of her toys, try throwing it. Cats pick up on the game of fetch very quickly and it is a great way to exercise them. If she doesn’t run after it, go get it yourself, bring it back and toss it again. You might need to do this dozens of time before she catches on to what she is to do.

 

[klunick]

When she brings you one of her toys, try throwing it. Cats pick up on the game of fetch very quickly and it is a great way to exercise them. If she doesn’t run after it, go get it yourself, bring it back and toss it again. You might need to do this dozens of time before she catches on to what she is to do.

Oh, she loves playing fetch. I am really hoping she will learn to bring it back to me to throw again.

 

[susanm9006]

If she runs to the toy when you throw it, hold off for a few minutes before picking it up. What happens is they start looking at you very expectantly because they want you to throw it again. When you don’t retrieve they will start to play with the toy and move it closer. Eventually you hold off until the toy is right by your hand or the light bulb goes off and they realize the game includes bring the toy to you. I have had some figure it out in a couple of tosses and others that took months of me retrieving their toy before it sunk in.

 

[klunick]

If she runs to the toy when you throw it, hold off for a few minutes before picking it up. What happens is they start looking at you very expectantly because they want you to throw it again. When you don’t retrieve they will start to play with the toy and move it closer. Eventually you hold off until the toy is right by your hand or the light bulb goes off and they realize the game includes bring the toy to you. I have had some figure it out in a couple of tosses and others that took months of me retrieving their toy before it sunk in.

She will sometimes drop the mouse on my lap after running around with it for a while. I think it's more of a "Hold my baby Mom so Boone doesn't steal it." He likes to do that because he learned it upsets her.

I forgot to mention what she did during Hurricane Isaias. When it was really bad, she kept moving her babies around like she was trying to make sure they were safe. She seemed very panicked when the wind and rain was at its worst.

 

[Hellenww]

Oh, she loves playing fetch. I am really hoping she will learn to bring it back to me to throw again.

Yoshi loves to fetch but I have to look away when he is walking back with his mouski. If he sees me looking his way, he drops it, and wants me to come and get it to throw again.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Hekitty has a couple of "mowzies" that she does that with, as well. And occasionally she'll lie down with them tucked snugly against her tummy, "nursing." It's the cutest thing! That does NOT extend to a real kitten, no matter how young. THAT causes her to blow up like a dandelion puffball, and hiss like a dragon in heat!