Why does a cat move its kittens to a new nest?
Maijs. 30., 2009 | 01:00 am
No:: begemots
When the kittens are between 20 - 30 days old, their mother usually moves them to a new nest site. [...] The real answer lies with the wild ancestors of the domestic cat. [...] The first, old nest had to be chosen for maximum snugness and security. The kittens were so helpless then and neeed protection above all else.
But during the 2nd month of their lives, [...] they need to learn how to bite and chew the prey animals brought by the mother. So a second nest is needed to facilitate this. The primary consideration now is proximity to the best food supply, reducing the mother's task of repeatedly bringing food to her young.
[...] The removela operation still occurs in domestic cats -- [..] despite the fact that the feeding problem has been eliminated...
But during the 2nd month of their lives, [...] they need to learn how to bite and chew the prey animals brought by the mother. So a second nest is needed to facilitate this. The primary consideration now is proximity to the best food supply, reducing the mother's task of repeatedly bringing food to her young.
[...] The removela operation still occurs in domestic cats -- [..] despite the fact that the feeding problem has been eliminated...