mother cat and thier kittens

Question
what does it mean when the mother cat has her kitten head in mouth and kinda nibbles on them?

Answer
Hi Starr.  I'm having a little bit of trouble envisioning exactly what you mean, but it sounds like mom could be either grooming the kitten or trying to figure out how to carry it.  Moms carry babies by grasping the back of the neck, but this is a skill that takes a little bit of practice.  First-time moms especially can find it confusing.  I've seen them pick up their kittens by the head, rump and even tail.

If the kittens are getting older, say 3-4 weeks, mom might even be playing with them.  The kittens will wrestle with each other as well as their mother, but she will generally be very gentle.  If it looks like mom is doing anything more than nibbling, you should separate her from the kittens and bottle feed.  The vast majority of cats are great moms, but a few mothers turn aggressive on their babies for reasons unknown.  They can seriously harm and even kill their babies.  To try to ensure their survival, the babies should be hand-raised and mother should have no contact with them.

Best wishes!

Jessica