New CatMum leaving kittens

[Mark57]

I have a previous post about a neighbours cat that ended up giving birth at our house but has subsequently gone back to her real home next door...

The kittens are 9 days old now. The mum has been allowed to go back out by the owner... Whether this is periodically or free reign I dont know... Is that OK??
She comes to our garden but we deliberately ignore / dont encourage her because I dont want her to abandon her kittens next door. Is the owner being irresponsible letter her out??

[Mark57]

this orig thread if anyone wants the full story ,
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=8964

[Mollycat]

Not experienced with mother cats but I wouldn't think so. Mothering instinct should be stronger than the attraction of another home and if not I doubt she would come back to you without them! Sounds like you get on well with them and so mother cat is in good hands between you both regardless of where she chooses to go or take or give birth to her little ones. But as far as I'm aware mother cats will leave the kittens for gradually increasing periods of time as they grow and I wouldn't have thought a trip out into the fresh air would be a bad thing.

[booktigger]

Yes, it is highly irresponsible, not only could the mother get into an accident and leave her kittens without a mother or pick up a transmittable disease (fleas can kill kittens that young), but they can come into heat while nursing - the earliest I've read is 2 days.

[Mollycat]

Yes, it is highly irresponsible, not only could the mother get into an accident and leave her kittens without a mother or pick up a transmittable disease (fleas can kill kittens that young), but they can come into heat while nursing - the earliest I've read is 2 days.

Oh!
When I was a child my kittens' mothers were kind of left to get on with their lives and mothering but things do change so much. Not our cats being mums, I mean the mothers of kittens we had.