Can't find the kittens!

[Carpathian2]

Can anyone advise me that please?

My cat is a first ( and last!) time mum and she had her kittens 4 weeks ago. Since then she's been a bit neurotic, she moves them every few days and I have to hunt to find them. The latest move is into a lovely deep and long cupboard that I house the tumble dryer in, and there's loads of junk behind it. I haven't seen or heard them, but she keeps going back to the cupboard after she's eaten. I started pulling stuff out of the cupboard last night, but she got really upset and started hissing at me so I left it.

They're now 4 weeks and I would normally be weaning and litter training them by now, but she just won't let anyone near them. So, do I get them out of the cupboard and ignore her if she kicks off, or should I just leave her to it?

Thanks for any advice, I'm worried about the babies!

Forgot the obligatory photo!

I don't know much about kittens and mothers, my cats have always been older strays. Are they making any noise from behind the tumble dryer? I hope someone will be able to offer advice.

They're very cute.

Thanks for your reply.

If I try and go in the cupboard she hisses and spits at me.

I despair 😩

Ring the vets for advice. They are all still working atm

Food outside the cupboard door and she'll allow them out when she feels ready - she's moved them so many times because you keep on searching for them and scaring her/she thinks you're a threat.

As she's obviously got such strong instincts, I'd have faith in her as a mother and minimise her distress by letting her get on with it undisturbed for a couple of days - she might be ready to let them out at the end of the weekend if she's allowed to look after them in peace.

Sounds like maybe she had been disturbed a bit too often!! Can you rehouse her in a room with a well shut door?

Thankyou for your replies.

I think that, because I have other cats, she might feel threatened. I have only moved them once, I think that might have scared her a bit.

I'll leave her to it and thanks for your help.

My cat kept moving her kittens and I kept getting worried and I also think it's because we had another cat

I solved it by getting a large dog crate with a blanket over it so mum and babies could be safe and she entered and left as she pleased. It also was the best for litter training and weaning as I covered the bottom in puppy training pads so it was super easy to keep clean!

@Maxamill
That's a really good idea. I'll try that and thanks.

No problem! It also helped keeping mum away from the kittens food and eating it all once they were on proper food as I found they grazed a lot at first ☺️ hope you get sorted - super cute kittens by the way!