I see from scanning the posts that many have issues with cats not recognizing their own - this scenario is a bit different- after following and feeding a cat at a gas station dumpster for a few weeks I found she had two kittens. I was able to trap one and went back the next morning and trapped mom, but had not seen the other kitten in a week when I got mom - the last time I saw him there was a big commotion with a pack of wild hogs running through the wooded area and I really thought something may have happened to him, but I still went back and looked every day. It seemed less and less possible he was still out there all by himself that long, but a couple nights ago when looping the lot I saw him at a chick fil a dumpster looking for food. It had been three weeks since I’d had his mama and the other kitten - in those weeks mom has stayed vigilant and on guard but the kitten has been on cloud 9 loving being with mom all day plus getting food pets and play. She not totally tame but a lot of progress has been made. I hoped I’d be able to add the tabby boy in and it would be a great reunion- instead he remembers them and desperately wants to go in their “den” but they growl hiss and the kitten charges at him. It is absolutely breaking my heart for him. His eyes look so incredibly sad. He was up all night calling to them over and over as if he thought he could get them to recognize him but they show no signs. I had him on one side of a glass door and the first kitten on another thinking of she got a good look she’d recognize, but she growled and hissed. It kills me when he tries to go to his mom but she won’t let him, then the other kitten gets to run right in the “den” in front of him. What can I do??? There’s got to be something to help him... not only didn’t he have to survive on his own somehow for three weeks but now he’s in a strange place he doesn’t recognize, terrified of me, and his mom and sister are rejecting him. I put some of his pee in their box, put the bed he slept in near mom... I don’t know what else to do. If they were in the wooded area around the gas station mom would probably remember him still, but being a different location and this much time I just don’t know... any suggestions, or any advice on what to do to help him? I can’t make them accept him so all I can do is try to make him as comfortable as possible with the things I can control, but all he wants is them. :-(
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Mother and Kitten not recognizing other Kitten
- Thread starter BuddhaCat
- Start Date
Hi. And, oh my! You could try scent swapping - take a towel or blanket/etc. that mama and/or kitten #1 have laid on and rub it on kitten #2. It is most likely because he no longer smells like them. Is he eating/drinking/peeing/pooping OK? There is a remote possibility that mama rejected him before you trapped the other kitten and her because there is something wrong with him, but if he survived that long on his own, I sincerely doubt that is the problem.
You could try a bit more 'drastic' measure and use the 'vanilla trick' - Ode to vanilla extract.
I am sure much more experienced members will come along with some advice as well - be patient and check back often.
You could try a bit more 'drastic' measure and use the 'vanilla trick' - Ode to vanilla extract.
I am sure much more experienced members will come along with some advice as well - be patient and check back often.
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If mom and sister don’t settle down and recognize him within a day or two, you might want to try getting the two kittens together separate from mom. Kittens adjust to “strangers” much more easily and they will probably be playing in no time. After they are better friends it might be easier to reintroduce to the mom cat.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thank you very much Feebys - I will continue to check back and look into your suggestions. And thanks Susan about the idea of separating them. The reason I trapped mom was to see if she could be socialized or would need to be TNRd. since she doesn’t seem to want anything to do with people she’ll likely need to be released back after getting her shots and recovering from spaying. My hope is the kittens will bond together once the first kitten doesn’t have mom to run to. She seems perfectly happy to have 100% of moms attention for now but I think mom is getting tired of her - I’ve heard her growl at her first kitten a couple times when she tries to come in to the carrier/“den”. Likely because she wants a break and also the kitten will ignore her food bowl to eat out of moms while mom is eating. Mom is extremely patient but she may be reluctant to accept her second kitten in this situation even if she does recognize him.
I had seen all three together several times behind the gas station and fed them together as a family whenever they were. the first kitten was much more bold and ran all over the shopping area and in traffic while the second kitten was much more cautious - stayed back and only darted out to the closest dumpster. Somehow despite it all the second kitten seems to be accepting my presence he will slow blink when I talk to him - staying out instead of hiding when he sees me, also will play with a feather wand after seeing his sister doing so. Last night was another hard night with him calling out to them all night and them hissing and growling back. I keep him in my bathroom during the day and This morning before I left for work he was sitting in his covered kitty bed with his head out and front half clearly visible - didn’t seem to mind when I looked in at him and he stayed there as I did my morning routine. Before he was pushed so far back in I couldn’t see him and if he was at all exposed when I entered the room he’d move somewhere to hide. His pupils are now normal instead of dilated and look less scared so he seems like he’s moved past the terrified stage. Still hoping I can find a wayfor mama and the other kitten to accept him. I got some leaves from the area they lived and the kitten spent a lot time smelling them- thought maybe it would bring up a memory of the area she could connect to the kitten.
I had seen all three together several times behind the gas station and fed them together as a family whenever they were. the first kitten was much more bold and ran all over the shopping area and in traffic while the second kitten was much more cautious - stayed back and only darted out to the closest dumpster. Somehow despite it all the second kitten seems to be accepting my presence he will slow blink when I talk to him - staying out instead of hiding when he sees me, also will play with a feather wand after seeing his sister doing so. Last night was another hard night with him calling out to them all night and them hissing and growling back. I keep him in my bathroom during the day and This morning before I left for work he was sitting in his covered kitty bed with his head out and front half clearly visible - didn’t seem to mind when I looked in at him and he stayed there as I did my morning routine. Before he was pushed so far back in I couldn’t see him and if he was at all exposed when I entered the room he’d move somewhere to hide. His pupils are now normal instead of dilated and look less scared so he seems like he’s moved past the terrified stage. Still hoping I can find a wayfor mama and the other kitten to accept him. I got some leaves from the area they lived and the kitten spent a lot time smelling them- thought maybe it would bring up a memory of the area she could connect to the kitten.
This is going to be fine. Just put disappointment at the non-recognition aside and treat it like a normal cat introduction.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles
Kittens tend to be easier, since adult cats close to never attack kittens despite hissing, growling or even swats. So they can work through stuff. And kittens are super adaptable. Just give it a bit of time, and then let them work stuff out under supervision.
How To Successfully Introduce Cats: The Ultimate Guide – Cat Articles
Kittens tend to be easier, since adult cats close to never attack kittens despite hissing, growling or even swats. So they can work through stuff. And kittens are super adaptable. Just give it a bit of time, and then let them work stuff out under supervision.
You should be able to see a bell symbol and the word "Flag" in the bottom left hand corner of each post. You can click on that flag and enter a note in a drop down box that goes directly to a moderator.
Non neutered mom cats usually start distancing themselves from their kittens once they are eating on their own because biologically they are getting ready for the next litter. And first kitten is probably clinging to her more than normally because she is still a bit nervous. Best to get mom in as soon as possible for her spay so she can be released and you can try to socialize the kittens.
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Any progress?
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- #9
Thanks for asking! The night after I posted this the poor thing was crying it’s heart out and I was sitting with her and calling back to her cries which seemed to calm her a little. I thought she looked like she wanted to approach my hand but was scared. I reached out and little by little was able to touch and then start petting her- and she just melted into a puddle of affection and purring. It was really sweet and I was so glad I could comfort her. She’s continued to allow me to pet her but still really wants to go to mom and sister. They refuse to go in the room where her scent is. The kitten that’s with mom also is batting at me when I try to pet her now, I think because she smells the kitten. I’m not sure what to do other than get mom spayed ASAP and work on getting them together and not losing the progress I’ve made with the kitten with mom.
I took the new kitten to the vet yesterday because she’s had clear liquid poo - I’d thought it was a boy but found out it’s a girl and also that they’re six months old but just severely, severely underweight - the new one is not even two pounds. They should be at least six at that age. Although it’s normal for many moms to leave their kittens when they wean this mom was still going back to both her kittens and protecting them against other cats while they were living outside. I saw her charge a male cat that approached wanting food - even at that age. Maybe because it was so hard for them to find food she was still helping hunt for them.
I feel so bad that the new kitten has to be alone all day when I’m at work instead of with mom and sister but I spend as much time as I can when I’m home giving her all the affection I can. It was really sad, she poked her head in the big closet they have their beds in and when they started to come out she ran to the “den” she’s seen them sleeping under in the main room- like she was hoping they’d come and find her there and accept her. Instead they hissed and wouldn’t enter. She tried to come in the room when I was with them last night and her sister hissed at her and she turned and went out. I’m not giving up but my main priority is getting her healthy, putting on weight, and giving her plenty of affection. If there’s any silver lining it’s in terms of her socialization because if she had mom and sister she wouldn’t care nearly as much about human interaction. Her sister that I’ve had four weeks now is far less friendly than she is after just a few days of human interaction.
I took the new kitten to the vet yesterday because she’s had clear liquid poo - I’d thought it was a boy but found out it’s a girl and also that they’re six months old but just severely, severely underweight - the new one is not even two pounds. They should be at least six at that age. Although it’s normal for many moms to leave their kittens when they wean this mom was still going back to both her kittens and protecting them against other cats while they were living outside. I saw her charge a male cat that approached wanting food - even at that age. Maybe because it was so hard for them to find food she was still helping hunt for them.
I feel so bad that the new kitten has to be alone all day when I’m at work instead of with mom and sister but I spend as much time as I can when I’m home giving her all the affection I can. It was really sad, she poked her head in the big closet they have their beds in and when they started to come out she ran to the “den” she’s seen them sleeping under in the main room- like she was hoping they’d come and find her there and accept her. Instead they hissed and wouldn’t enter. She tried to come in the room when I was with them last night and her sister hissed at her and she turned and went out. I’m not giving up but my main priority is getting her healthy, putting on weight, and giving her plenty of affection. If there’s any silver lining it’s in terms of her socialization because if she had mom and sister she wouldn’t care nearly as much about human interaction. Her sister that I’ve had four weeks now is far less friendly than she is after just a few days of human interaction.
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- #10
Forgot to add - got kitten tested for fiv and flv and they were negative. Fecal float was also negative. Vet said to treat with metronidazole and drontal. Both kittens are underweight but this one missed out on three weeks of a regular feedings the other one got so there’s more difference in size between them than there used to be. Plus with her condition she’s not eating as heartily. or absorbing as much as she’d otherwise be. The first kitten had bad diarrhea for two and a half weeks also, was treated with dewormers and metronidazole and just finally started clearing up.
