Maternal aggression in mother cats

If your cat has just had a litter of kittens don't be surprised if she acts a little more protective than usual. Maternal aggression is a defensive behaviour we shouldn't take personally.

Why does a mother cat become aggressive?

Maternal aggression is triggered during pregnancy, pseudopregnancy or while the mother is nursing her kittens. It is a defensive behavior to protect future or existing kittens.

If the mother cat experiences a threat to her or the kittens' life or the security of the territory, she may feel compelled to attack to defend this.

Is maternal aggression common?

Maternal aggression is common in fertile cats, whereas cats which has been neutered are less likely to show maternal aggression.

It is also more common in cats that have not been properly socialised or if they have previously had bad experiences with people, such as cat shelter cats, cats of unknown background, cats born in cat colonies, etc.

How can help a mother cat with maternal aggression?

In order for the mother cat to feel safe, you need to create a safe space or allow her to nurse her kittens somewhere she feels most comfortable. This will ensure that she can escape the thing that triggers the fear that makes her feel that she needs to defend herself.

When she no longer has any kittens, it may be time to neuter her. 

If you have a fearful, aggressive cat before breeding know that the fears can also be passed on to her kittens. Therefore, she may not be the most suitable mother.