Is it normal for a mother cat to stop nursing kittens at 4 weeks?

Question

another question i had is why a mother cat would stop caring for a litter after 4 weeks? as soon as they start crawling, she just stops caring for them. if the litter "doesn't make it" she does look for them and cries for them. Pet's info: Cat | Manx | Female | unspayed | 3 years and 9 months old | 5 lbs

Makenzie Kurth, DVM · Accepted Answer

Weaning is typically started by the mother cat at 4 weeks of age and will leave them more frequently to hunt and bring them food. It is CRUCIAL that you never move stray kittens unless you know that the mom is completely unable to get to them. If she cannot find them, she will call to them and eventually give up. All that being said, some mothers are just more nurturing than others so maybe she truly is neglecting her responsibility. In that case, discuss with your vet how to properly finish weaning the kittens and care for them. Best of luck!

Is it normal for a mother cat to stop nursing kittens at 4 weeks?

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