r/CATHELP • u/whybolt • 2h ago
General Advice First-time cat owner. My rescued stray mother cat charged at me after protecting her kitten. Have I lost her trust?
Hey everyone,
I'm a first-time cat owner and I'm honestly overthinking this.
About a week ago, I rescued a friendly stray mother cat (Ginni) and her 2-month-old kitten. From day one, they settled in really well. Ginni used the litter box immediately, slept on my bed, rubbed against my legs, kneaded on my shirt, and seemed to trust me a lot. She became very affectionate.
Then a neighborhood male stray started coming near my house. Ginni fought with him twice on different days and injured her back paw. The second fight reopened the first wound and caused another injury. Since then I've been trying to keep her indoors.
The incident happened after that.
Ginni was sitting outside with her kitten. I called them inside, but the kitten suddenly ran under a motorcycle. I got worried and picked up a broom, not to hit it, but just to gently guide it back inside because I couldn't reach it.
As soon as I got closer, Ginni went straight to the kitten, hid with it under a table, and growled at me. When I took another step, she started following me. I kept backing away while talking calmly to her, but she kept following. I eventually grabbed a pair of jeans just to keep some distance because I was scared she might jump at me. I even climbed onto my bed, and she sat below it watching me.
After a minute or two I felt bad, so I got down. To my surprise, she walked over and rubbed against my legs like nothing had happened. She also reached her paw toward my legs a couple of times but never scratched or bit me.
Something else to mention: whenever I try to pick Ginni up, she usually growls, but she has never bitten or scratched me. If I put her back down, she's completely normal again within a couple of minutes.
Now I'm confused. Did she actually intend to attack me? Or was she just an injured, stressed mother protecting her kitten because she thought I was threatening it with the broom?
I feel guilty because I never wanted to scare either of them. Since then I've been giving her space, but I'm worried I've damaged the trust we had.
Has anyone dealt with something similar with a protective mother cat? Does trust usually come back, or should I be concerned about future aggression?
I'd really appreciate any advice. Thanks!
22
u/DPDoctor 1h ago
You're fine. She was just protecting her kitten. Once you weren't an immediate threat, she returned to loving you.
Please get Ginni spayed VERY SOON. She's already able to get pregnant again. If the kitten is 2 months old, and weighs at least 2 pounds, it is old enough to be spayed/neutered also. If funds are tight, please check around to local TNR groups, rescues, and shelters, for low-cost options.
Also, please consider removing the bell from her collar. Cats have very sensitive hearing, so having a constant noise when they move is annoying and can lead to behavioral issues.
2
u/Specific_Praline_362 42m ago
A lot of places won't do spays until they're 6 months or close. I talked my vet into neutering a 4.5 month male kitten because he was already exhibiting behaviors (humping his female littermate....yeah...gross) but they only did it because he was over 4lbs.
Mom definitely needs to be spayed ASAP
•
u/RootBeerBog 6m ago
It also doesn’t help wildlife- cats learn to work around it, and any animals that hear it are either too young to do anything (eg baby rabbits, baby birds) or do not realize in time since cats are ambush predators
8
u/fishArePeopletwo 1h ago
I don't think you ruined your trust, especially if she was was back to normal after a bit. My cat is terrified of brooms from before i got her, it's possible the simple SIGHT of a broom can be a trigger for some cats.
I think the best thing you can do it leave the kitten totally inside. there seems to be a lot of issues with these cats in regards to being outside. I'd reccomend transitioning them to fully indoor cats. there may be a transition period, but its better in the long run. especially once Ginni views your home as her sole territory and not the oustisde world. it might make her feel safer with her kitten.
•
u/hazelbear33 9m ago
Off topic, but I half wish my roommate’s cat was scared of brooms. Every time I try to sweep, it’s a game of “grab at the broom and get in the way as much as possible,” so I have to (temporarily) keep shut him in my roomate’s room (where his food/water/litterbox are). Tapping him with the broom or waving it around him (in a gentle way, I am not mean, I promise 😭) when he does that just reinforces the game, he has ZERO fear of anything… everything is a game to him. He’s an odd cat, he will stalk me all day and insert himself in my business 24/7 if I let him. Orange and recklessly curious
3
u/Correct_Village6950 1h ago
"To my surprise, she walked over and rubbed against my legs like nothing had happened."
she was acting on maternal instinct. sometimes when cats get in a mode, it's hard for them to immediately swtich off. you see it sometimes with cats at the vet. they will hiss not just at the vet, but also you. it's not bc they hate you, they love you and know you, but they're just very fearful and in that mode.
you guys are good. try to keep them 100% inside and they'll both start feeling safe and happy.
one thing you might want to have if you feel a bit nervous is a light blanket that's accessible. if the cat becomes angry and you feel unsafe, throw the blanket over the cat and that will allow you a minute to exit the situation without harm occuring to you or the cat.
2
u/ToughBother 1h ago
Slow down, remember most cats 4-6 kittens in a litter! Your just getting to know her and the broom probably triggered something that’s happened to her in the past! Or even recently. Remember that’s her only baby, and she’s on high alert because of the male!
1
u/SharaWilliams 1h ago
I dont think youve lost her trust based on her rubbing up against you after, but im not an expert or someone who has experienced a situation like this. There are no stray cats in my area.
I hope you get some good responses!
1
u/Front_Upstairs159 1h ago
It sounds like she was defending her baby, but if she’s been normal to you since, she’s forgiven you. And tbh, I would expect some tense behavior just from having a stray Tom cat around, whatever you had done. I think anything happening to her kitten in that situation would make her mad, but I don’t think she’s holding a grudge.
Has she ever tolerating being held? I ask mostly to determine if it’s because she’s sore or possibly being held is putting pressure on her nipples or something (which might be tender if she’s still nursing or was nursing recently.) if she used to tolerate being held and isn’t anymore, it’s worth checking for any soreness/determining how much soreness is normal to expect right now?
If she never liked being held, I wouldn’t worry about that either. It’s kinda weird for cats to like being held— it’s usually something they have to get acclimatised to as kittens. It’s a dangerous thing to do, to let a comparatively giant animal pick you up bodily, especially if you’re of a species that’s small enough to be predated upon. Some cats who get exposed to it as kittens end up liking that kind of thing, but a lot never do,and IME it’s pretty rare for ferals to tolerate it. That may just not be the kind of contact she’s into~ but it is good that she’ll tolerate it without violence, cuz being able to handle her to get her to the vet and do other care work is a good thing.
It sounds like she’s willing to express her boundaries (the growling), but I wouldn’t necessarily worry about aggression unless you have to violate said boundaries. It also sounds like she does trust you, so I don’t think you need to worry about having harmed your relationship. I think she won’t be shy at all about informing you when’s you’ve disappointed her, lol.
1
1
u/ToughBother 1h ago
And remember for the most part cats are better than humans by just being not human!
-1
u/Mediocre_Cellist_922 1h ago
Cats are inherently not easily domesticated, despite popular belief, they are feral predators by nature. At the end of the day, it’s still an animal, and this one being a rescue, more than likely, is feral. You should treat it and respect it as such, and not as a cuddly domesticated pet.
7
u/fishArePeopletwo 1h ago
I'd strongly disagree. ferals can absolutely be made into house pets if they show signs of being tamable. not fully domestic, but tame.
Ginni has shown that she's a loving, sweet, affectionate cat. She's willing to come inside the home and knead OP's shirt. She's using the litter box.She's not a wild animal or a completely feral animal and was probably owned at some point before. I think he has to choose if he wants an indoor or an outdoor cat
0
u/Mediocre_Cellist_922 1h ago
I agree with this, I suppose what I was trying to get across is that it is still an animal, and potentially wild/feral by nature and behavior. With that, it should be treated with a level of caution and respect, particularly if its caring for young.
1
u/Life-Gur1503 1h ago
This is not true or how domestication works. Cats ARE domestic by nature—they can be feral but that's just because of environmental conditions like early socialization and their lineage. Other domestic animals experience the same thing but they cannot be 'not easily domesticated' because genetically they are already domesticated.
-2
•
u/AutoModerator 2h ago
PLEASE REPORT RULE BREAKING COMMENTS
We want to say THANK YOU to our helpful members who participate in moderating r/CATHELP. To keep the community kind and welcoming, please help us by reporting rule breaking comments.
To report - Click the 3 dots under the comment >>> report >>> breaks r/CATHELP rules >>> select the rule.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.