Why did the cat eat her baby?

Answer 1

Cats in general do not eat their young. Feline mothers actually go to great lengths to ensure the safety of their kittens, until they reach a certain age.

Male cats, however, will eat their fathered children if given the chance. The reason for this is that the male does not recognize the kittens as his children. So it is really just eat to survive. Female cats also don't recognize their young after they mature and leave 'the nest.'

I'm not positive, but I'm assuming that the reason for this is that cats are solitary animals; there is no real social structure among cats in the wild (lions being the exception). So from an evolutionary standpoint, there is no reason for cats to form a connection with their young. The mother understands that her kittens are her's until her job as a mother is done. Then she goes back to a solitary existence, doing what she needs to survive, even if that means killing another cat (who might be child, but she wouldn't know)

The mother cat also eats their young when the kitten's born deformed or turn sick. She does this to protect the rest of the litter or at least herself if all of them turn sick. It's better for her to eat them then having the dead corpse lie about and flourish with diseases that may harm the rest, and also the predators would find out where she and her other kittens are by the dead corpse.

Answer 2

if you touch the kittens right after they are born dont touch the kitten or it will be killed!!!!!!!!!

Edit: It all depends on the cat, and the person touching the babies. If the mother growls/hisses/does ANYTHING to make you think she doesn't want you to touch her babies, don't.

However, if the mother trusts you enough, you will be able to handle the kittens directly from birth.

Generally, cats identify their young by smell. If they smell like something the mom deems as threatening (such as another cat), they could be killed because she may think the kitten isn't hers. It's an instinct used to preserve her own litter, as ironic as that seems. Several species do the same thing to rival young.

Answer 3

Infanticide (killing or eating of the young) is noted in most mammalian species that are not capable of spontaneous abortion. Rabbits can reabsorb their young into their bodies if it does not seem like a good time to give birth to them. Felines are not so lucky, and if a feline mother is stressed to the point where she doesn't think her babies will have a good life, killing them is her way from keeping them from suffering.

This happens VERY rarely, especially among housecats. First-time mothers should always be watched to see how they interact with their babies (in extreme cases you may have to separate the mother from the kittens, and nurture them yourself.) This is usually just a precaution, since most cats (even without prior experience) are very good mothers.

NOTE: Male cats, particularly if they aren't neutered, can be dangerous to little kittens! The male has an instinct to destroy any kittens that aren't his, so the female can spend her energy nurturing the next litter, which he assumes he will father. Be very careful introducing male cats to young kittens, and always supervise the interaction.

Answer 4

It's a matter of balance! The cat mother always knows the health situation of her babies and knows who's going to die and who would survive , so she would rather to take care and feed the ones who are able to live and kill the others or eat them, that way she would be able to feed and take care of the healthy ones properly So it's all a matter of BALANCE. ziyad saieya

Answer 5

whoever you are what in the world made you think that female cats eat their young!!!! your making me cry!!! :(