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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

3615.0. "kittten stealing" by DYO780::AXTELL (Dragon Lady) Mon May 21 1990 13:47

    I've got a litter of 4 week old barn kittens that seem to be
    disappearing one by one.  They live in the tack room and although
    the mom cats can get in and out, the kittens are still too little
    to "escape" by themselves.
    
    So what steals kittens?  I've lost 1 each night for the last three
    days!
    
    -maureen
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
3615.1Just a crack, and they are inWILKIE::IVESMon May 21 1990 16:432
    RATS......
    
3615.2TPMARY::TAMIRACMS design while-u-waitMon May 21 1990 16:545
Or racoons or opposums.  My Momcat has moved back into her house on my deck and
spent the evening chasing away critters.  She and the babe were fine this a.m.,
and after seeing her in action, the critters had better keep their distance.

Mary
3615.3Maybe?AIMHI::SJOHNSONMon May 21 1990 17:394
    The mother may also be moving them herself.  Is that a possibility?  Or
    the male cats could be getting in and causing harm.
    
    Sonia
3615.4Mother is moving themCGVAX2::LANDRYCloser to the HeartMon May 21 1990 18:097
    My vote would be the mother cat moving her babies.  Are you going in
    and handling them?  Maybe she doesn't like it.
    
    Try to follow her and see where she is going.  Good luck, let us know.
    
    Anna/zildjian/spunks
    
3615.5CIRCUS::KOLLINGKaren/Sweetie/Holly/Little Bit Ca.Mon May 21 1990 19:193
    If the mom cat were moving kittens, wouldn't she move all of them?
    I am afraid something bad is getting the lost ones.....
    
3615.6Another cat could be taking them.PHAROS::LAURIEMon May 21 1990 23:2415
    
    Mother cats don't seem to be able to "count."  They sometimes move all
    but one of their kittens.  
    
    I've never known a cat to move just one kitten at a time, though.
    
    Another possibility:  do you have more than cat who is currently or
    recently a mother?  I have very often seen cats "steal" kittens from
    each other.  When the two cats are friendly with each other, they 
    may end up all in one big box with everybody's kittens together.
    
    If they are more competitive, one cat may be taking kittens away
    from the other.  This of course is not very good for the kittens,
    since there is less milk to go around.
    
3615.7more infoDYO780::AXTELLDragon LadyTue May 22 1990 18:2213
    Mom cat is still around.  This room has always been her home and
    she shows no inclination to leave.
    
    The other "mom" cat may be moving them... she abandoned them to
    the above cat.
    
    If rats, tom cats, etc are getting them, wouldn't there be at least
    a little gore around?
    
    The two remaining kittens have been moved to my home - much to the
    dismay of the burmese who are just a bit spoiled.
    
    
3615.8not necessarily messyFORTSC::WILDEAsk yourself..am I a happy cow?Wed May 23 1990 01:0710
>    If rats, tom cats, etc are getting them, wouldn't there be at least
>    a little gore around?
    
Normal predator behavior is a quick (silent, if at all possible) kill and
removal to a defensable location for dining.  Any predator (almost) out
there can be overcome by something bigger or several others working in
concert....don't expect to see much gore at the kill site.

BTW - barn cats often fall victim to owls as well as the four-legged
creatures...they are all hungry (and feeding little ones by now, probably).