Why is my stray cat moving her kittens outside? Is she anxious?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! She could very well be moving the kittens- it’s quite common for them to move their kittens frequently. A hands-off approach works best. Provide access to quiet dark areas (open an empty cabinet, closets, etc). Keep an eye on her and know where she is currently nesting but don’t hover. She’ll take care of things. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Mino!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bissy feels for some reason that her kittens are not safe. I would get Bissy and the kittens and put them in a spare bedroom closet. Use a laundry basket, cardboard box or a large dog carrier with towels. Put her food, water and litter box in the room. Keep people, other animals and children away from the kittens. Have one person she is close with check and weigh the kittens daily. Also keep the bedding clean. In a week or 2 start socializing the kittens and see if you can let Bissy out of the room. I wish you the best!

She is trying to find a safe and quiet place to take care of them. I would suggest providing her with a box in a dark area of the home with little to no traffic. Once she feels secure, she should not try to move them as much.

If the box was moved to a location that Matcha doesn't think is safe for her kittens, she may have moved them to another location that she thinks is safer. I would leave her alone and see what she does. If she has moved 2 of the kittens, she will likely move the other 2 kittens to the same locations soon. If momma isn't worried, then I'm not worried. But I would be sure that she has a safe location for her kittens before night because sometimes momma cats don't chose the best locations for their babies. Once everyone is happy with their location, I would try not to move the box. I hope that helps!

I would set up a warm bed for them, and put in something like a hot water bottle covered in towels. They are just over four weeks old, and while it's time for them to wean, they are probably better with their mother. If the temperatures keep dropping, however, I would move them indoors.

I would put Mamma in her own room with the kittens and give them as much space as possible. Make sure she has food, water, and a litter box. Check on them only once a day to make sure things are going well with her and her kittens. It sounds like you may be a bit of a distraction for her, so leaving her alone with the kittens and having them be her only focus may help with this situation. I hope this helps!

Because she wants to! Often we set up what we think is the perfect environment for a nursing mother, but she may have other plans. She thinks it is safer or better to have the kittens in a different area. The kittens are also getting older, so they need to start exploring different areas. She may also be preparing them to start weaning, which usually occurs at 5-6 weeks of age.