Although it is a shocking behaviour for humans, there are several natural reasons why a cat may consume its kittens.
This overview will lead us to discover the reasons behind this strange behaviour.
You will discover that maternal instinct, illness, lack of experience, malnutrition and even stressful labour can lead to this act. Fascinating, but sometimes puzzling, this photo gallery will give you a unique perspective on one of the least understood behaviours of cats. Get ready to explore this fascinating and complex feline reality.
Although it is a shocking behaviour for humans, there are several natural reasons why a cat may consume its kittens. This overview will lead us to discover the reasons behind this strange behaviour. You will discover that maternal instinct, illness, lack of experience, malnutrition and even stressful labour can lead to this act. Fascinating, but sometimes puzzling, this photo gallery will give you a unique perspective on one of the least understood behaviours of cats. Get ready to explore this fascinating and complex feline reality.
A cat might eat its kittens if it is malnourished and needs the nutrients it gets from eating them. The placenta is also often eaten. If the cat is extremely underweight, it might eat the whole litter to survive. If there are kittens left, they will get more nutrients from their mother's milk and the sacrifice of one may improve the health of the others.
When a kitten is stillborn, the cat has no choice but to consume it, as it can quickly spread bacteria to the rest of the litter.
During a long labour, the cat may eat a kitten to recover lost nutrients. This can occur when the cat is hungry after a long stressful labour and is trying to obtain sustenance to continue the birth. Cats are carnivores and can benefit nutritionally by eating a kitten in these situations.
Inexperience may lead some cat mothers to eat their kittens. They may not know how to behave or be too rough, accidentally killing them and then consuming them. This is rare, but it can happen.
The mother cat may eat a sick or unhealthy kitten because it is unlikely to survive. Cats have a highly developed sense of smell and can detect illness. This behaviour protects the rest of the litter from bacteria that could spread if the sick kitten dies.