Mother Cat and Her Three Kittens

About this drawing

A mother cat and kittens spend their first weeks in almost constant contact. Kittens arrive tiny and helpless after a pregnancy of about nine weeks, with eyes shut and ears folded down. They cannot keep themselves warm, so they pile against their mom and each other in a soft, purring heap.

During those early days, the mother leaves the nest only for short breaks. She feeds her babies, washes them and moves them if the spot feels unsafe, gently carrying each one by the loose skin at the back of the neck. Kittens go limp when held this way, which makes the trip easier for everyone.

Around the second week, their eyes open, and by the fourth they are wobbling around and picking fights with their brothers and sisters. All that wrestling is good practice. It teaches them how hard they can bite and how to read the body language of another cat.

Mom is the teacher here. Kittens watch her use the litter box, groom herself and go after prey, then copy what they see. They begin nibbling solid food at about a month old and slowly stop nursing over the next few weeks. Most shelters and vets suggest keeping kittens with their mother until they are at least eight weeks old, so they have time to learn these lessons.

• mother cat
• kittens
• cat family
• pets