protective mama kitty...will she mellow out?

[Talula Fairie]

Ok, so some of you may remember we are fostering a stray mama kitty and her 3 kittens. We plan to rehome most of them. I believe the mother is a stray that was born a stray about a year ago (stray cat the neighbors feed had kittens around that time). She just showed up in box on our porch one day with three kittens. She is not at all feral, so I presume she got some human contact from our neighbors feeding her, but she did live outside for all of her life. She has really warmed up over the weeks and lets us pet her, rub her belly, pick her up, ect. We would actually like to keep her BUT:

She has attacked my other cats. Now, she did not actually hurt them at all, and it wasn't a catfight (also we broke it up right away), it was more that she chased them away from her baby kittens. We have kept her and the kittens separate from the other cats, but this happened once or twice when we were going into the room and she spied one of our cats down the hall. Now her kittens are coming up on weaning age so it's time to make a decision about which ones are going to get rehomed.

Do you think she will chill out after awhile, or is it just too big of a risk? I really do not want to have an epic catfight on my hands or the vet bills that would go along with it. I could make her an outdoor cat or I could try to rehome her to a home that has no cats currently (difficult to do with the cat population around here, but she is really cute so it's possible). And yes, before you ask, we are going to get her and the kittens fixed at a local low cost clinic.

Oh, and this post is useless without pictures, isn't it?

Mama kitty
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/...95a57108_o.jpg

Squeaky
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/...a3c1794c_o.jpg

Fluffy
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/...65445feb_o.jpg

Stripey
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2583/...df9598f2_o.jpg

[JTA Mom]

She sounds really protective. How old are the kittens? Also, are the cats she is attacking males, by any chance.

In the 'natural' world, male cats are KNOWN to kill liters of kittens, just so the mama cat will go back into heat. So, if your cats are males (neutered or not), I would understand her reaction. How is she with other cats outside?

My cat, Jewels, will chase other cats around outside. She will cohabitate with cats indoors, but not happily. There were some minor fights, but most of her acting out was behavioral--she'd pee everywhere.

If your mama cat seems happier outside, I'd let her roam free. With feral/semi-feral cats like her, they really aren't truly happy/comfy if not allowed access to being outside.

Ami

[Talula Fairie]

She also went after my female cat, but the other two are males. I know it's instinctual for the reasons you mentioned. The kittens are just about 8 weeks now, but still nursing. As soon as they are weaned I'm going to get everybody fixed. I don't want mama kitty running around outside until she's fixed.

She actually seems surprisingly happy inside the house. I have known other outdoor cats that go nuts indoors, but she's totally fine to just lounge around, doesn't try to get out or seem upset in any way.

It's been a few weeks since she's gone after one of my cats, although that could be becuase they've all learned to stay the heck away.

[Minky]

Our family has done this. Mom chilled out as the babies got older and became a full member of our 'cat family' once the babies went to their permanent homes.

[phatchristy]

Well, she's still intact, it will be different if she is spayed.

Right now she is the dominant cat in the pecking order. I'd say the order from personal experience is intact males-intact females-neutered males-neutered females.

And, in between those levels, depending on persnonality you see dominant/submissive levels.

I'd say have her spayed and then give her a few weeks for the hormones to get out of her system. Once the hormones are out and she has a month or two to adjust the cats will work it out. And, yes, she will absolutely protect those babies. While a mother is nursing she will instinctively even risk her own life to protect her babies.