mother cat attacks kitten

Question
My 2 cats both got outside and and had kittens now 6-7 weeks old.  We let one cat back in before the kittens were born and the other had her kittens outside.  After searching we finally found the kittens and mother and brought them in.  8 kittens total in all.  My question is all of a sudden both mother cats are attacking one of the kittens.  why

Answer
Hi Joanne!

That is very unusual. Do you have the mothers and kittens all together? or are they in separate boxes?

My guess is that you disturbed their equilibrium. They were used to the way things were and now you brought the other mother and kittens in which upset both mothers and made them nervous. When they get upset a mother cat sometimes will take it out on a kitten.

The new kittens have a different smell and that is probably upsettiing the other mom. To her they are strangers and all she knows is that suddenly there are threats to her babies.

Cats don't have reasoning ability and can't think things out. They just react.

I would put the mothers in different parts of the house so they can each have 'their' place. If they want to be together they will. Or put the other mother and babies back outside.

They should settle down when everyone adapts to the new living arangements.

Also keep in mind that a female CAN get pregnant again while she is still nursing.

Carol