Why Some Mother Cats Reject Their Own Kittens ?

It's one of the hardest things to watch: a mother cat who won't nurse one kitten, or pulls away from her whole litter. It looks like cruelty — but it's almost always instinct. In this episode, we break down the real reasons mother cats reject kittens: sensing a kitten unlikely to survive, painful medical conditions like mastitis, litters too large to nurse, inexperienced first-time mothers, and environmental stress. We also debunk the old myth that touching newborn kittens causes rejection, cover the warning signs that mean it's time to call a vet, and explain how this is different from normal weaning. 00:00 Hook 00:30 Rejection is instinct, not emotion 01:15 When a kitten seems unlikely to survive 02:15 When the mother herself is unwell 03:15 Too many kittens, not enough of her 04:15 First-time mothers and inexperience 05:00 Stress can tip the balance 06:00 Signs to watch for 07:00 This isn't the same as normal weaning 07:45 Wrap up 🐾 New episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe for more cat psychology explained. #catbehavior #motherCat #kittens #catpsychology #catbehaviorscience