URGENT HELP

Question
My 2 female cats gave birth the eldest 2yrs 3months kittens were born 8th July my 1yr 3mnth old cat kittens were born 18th July all was fine they have both been helpin each other with feeding cleanin etc.At 11pm last night (saturday) weve no idea wot went wrong but the mums started fighting each other they were hissing and spitting this had never happened before (they are mum n daughter)They had 2 be seperated for the safety of the cats, kittens and ourselves. Eventually early this morning we let the younger cat back in (the older  one was still in) They were fine for a while but we woke early hours to them fighting. We have now put the elder cat in kitchen and left younger one in front room where myself and my husband are keeping an eye on the kittens. We even tried to put one of the kittens in kitchen with its mum but she hissed at it. We are not sure what has caused this they usually get on really well. HELP PLEASE IM NOT SURE WHAT 2 DO PLEASE HELP IM VERY CONCERNED

Answer
Denise,

It's possible that one or both mother cats are sick so taking them to the vet as promptly as possible is my recommendation. The fact that these gals haven't been spayed could account for the unexpected aggressive behavior because cats are territorial by nature, which is obviously made worse by sex hormones. I do think that spaying these little girls should be a top priority because they are contributing to an already serious pet overpopulation problem. Sadly the vast majority of cats that end up in shelters will never leave simply because there just isn't enough space and there aren't enough suitable adoptive homes that these cats and kittens can be placed in. Many of these kittens will likely end up in animal shelters at some point. The hard reality is that millions of healthy, adoptable cats with great personalities are put to sleep each year in North America alone. These deaths are preventable by spaying and neutering. There are also numerous medical and behavioral benefits to having your cats spayed and neutered besides the obvious benefit of population control. Common behavioral issues like urinating/defecating outside of the litter box, fighting, or wandering can often be prevented with these routine surgeries. Cats that have been spayed and neutered are also at a significantly decreased risk of developing infections in their reproductive organs. A few other examples of preventative care that is provided by spaying and neutering include preventing ovarian, uterine, testicular, prostate and mammary tumors (breast cancer). Ultimately choosing to spay/neuter your cats is a wise decision to make for the health and safety of your cats. While there are some risks with any surgery these are minimized because vet clinics use the same drugs to anesthetize their patients as human anesthesiologists use to put people to sleep for the duration of their surgery.

Sometimes female cats that are beginning to cycle again or have become pregnant will all of the sudden reject their kittens and become aggressive with other resident cats. Cats can become pregnant while they are nursing and even shortly after giving birth which is obviously not healthy for the cat. Sometimes cat owners are concerned that surgically removing the reproductive organs is unnatural or immoral. It is my opinion that cats who haven't been spayed/neutered and are either allowed to cycle repeatedly without mating or allowing cats to produce litter after litter of kittens is unnatural. It is important to treat your cats ethically, which means that you should carefully consider that the majority of kittens that are born will likely end up being admitted to an animal shelter or being abandoned within the first two years of their lives. Cats and kittens that have been abandoned often live a horrible, difficult and short existence. For the cats that have been abandoned in rural/wooded areas they can become dehydrated and starve to death. There is also the very real risk that domestic cats will be attacked by predators like raccoons, coyotes and fishers. If a cat is abandoned in a populated/suburban setting they run the risk of being a victim of cruelty, being poisoned, attacked by domestic dogs or sustaining serious injuries after being hit by a car. Cats that have been spayed/neutered are healthier and better behaved which can mean that they have a better chance of remaining in a permanent home.

I would strongly advise that you keep these girls inside and away from any intact male cats to prevent pregnancy. In the meantime I would recommend that the two girls be kept away from one another. You can try using a homeopathic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy which is a blend of flower essences that effectively calms and reassures. Rescue Remedy can be found in most health food/natural health stores. This remedy is safe even while the girls are nursing their kittens. I would suggest that you try a dosage of about 9 drops in a freshly filled water bowl every morning. This may well help to settle things down a bit. If the girls don't settle down then you may have to ask your vet to refer you to an animal behaviorist. A behaviorist is able to see the environment, see the cats interacting with each other and make suggestions based on your unique situation.

I hope that you have found this information helpful. If you have any further questions, concerns, or you would simply like to send pictures or updates my way, please don't hesitate to contact me again.