Should I Feel Bad About Mama Crying For Her Missing Kittens?

[myfamily]

So I discovered 3 kittens outside in a shelter. This was about 2 weeks ago, or maybe 3 weeks. I took them in. I trapped the mama, and brought her in, too. So I had all of them in my apartment. I became a foster parent of the 3 kittens, and today I turned them into the shelter after socializing them for 2 or 3 weeks. They were eating solid food. Well the mama has tried a couple of times getting out by pushing out the window screen, but apparently her heart wasn't in it; her kittens were in here, for one thing. Well after I brought the kittens in today, I came back and she was crying. She was very upset and in fact acting like she did on the very first day I brought her in. I went out for a bite to eat, and came back and she had busted through the screen and got out. I thought I would never see her again. I certainly did not think she would ever enter this apartment again. (I have never been able to get closer than 3 feet to her). Well, as I write this she is downstairs meowing. She came in through the pet door downstairs and she is down there meowing for her kittens. My heart is breaking for her. As soon as I go down the stairs she quickly exits the apartment through the pet door. (the pet door had been closed while she was held in captivity, but I opened it up after she escaped since there was no use in keeping it shut anymore). Is this just part of life? Should I feel bad? Well she just get over it? It is killing me listening to her cry downstairs right now.

 

[amethyst]

So long as the kittens were fully weaned and old enough to leave then it's just part of life. She can probably still smell the kittens so she is looking for them, she should stop in a couple days. Her hormones are also still high from having the kittens, once her hormone levels come down she will settle down too. I am assuming since you are allowing her back out that she is spayed? That should help too.

 

[myfamily]

So long as the kittens were fully weaned and old enough to leave then it's just part of life. She can probably still smell the kittens so she is looking for them, she should stop in a couple days. Her hormones are also still high from having the kittens, once her hormone levels come down she will settle down too. I am assuming since you are allowing her back out that she is spayed? That should help too.

Thanks for your reply. I am glad to hear that she will calm down. I just feel bad for her. As I stated, she busted out the screen today. I didn't let her back out. She was scheduled for a spay on Friday.

 

[Summercats]

Good you are getting her spayed. For kittens they should ideally stay with mother and siblings till 12/13 weeks. Often they are sold or turned into shelters earlier. The time with mother and siblings helps teach manners and proper cat behavior, which leads to a better adjusted cat when older. Human interaction is needed as well for domestic cats. Being on solid food does not equal ready to leave mother.

 

[myfamily]

Mama seems to be doing better. She still meows for her kittens. But I am feeling less agony over it than I was initially. The shelter said the kittens were still under-socialized when I turned them in, but she said she would take them anyway because she knew I was anxious to bring them in. I have a roommate who doesn't particularly like animals and I never asked him whether he minded if I brought in 3 kittens and their feral mama. I had them for 2 weeks, but they never did get to a cuddly stage. They just ran around all the time wrestling with each other. They hissed at her when i brought them in. I worry they won't find a home, but like she said, they are super cute, and it's true, the are super cute.