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Is it normal for a mother cat to hiss at and reject her kittens?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Hello, my cat with 4 kitten have been acting weird lately towards them like hissing at them and hit them sometimes!!! and she runaway whenever she sees them!! like shortly she doesn't seems to accept them! is this normal?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Shaneez Wallani, DVM

Answered By Shaneez Wallani, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 24th, 2018

If the kittens are old enough to survive on kitten food instead of needing to nurse (around 8 weeks) then I would not be too concerned. Mama may just be teaching them cat manners. If the kittens are younger than that and still dependent on mom for milk, then I would contact your vet, as it is important that they are getting enough nutrition, or they could quickly become ill. It's also important to have mama cat checked to make sure she isn't feeling unwell as sometimes conditions like mastitis (inflammation in the mammary glands) can lead to a mother cat refusing to allow kittens to nurse. I hope that helps!
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