The latter assumption has led to tom cats being thought of as vicious brutes that will kill any kittens they can get hold of, even their own, in order to secure more mating opportunities. But the reality is that a litter of kittens may have several fathers, and tom cats are more likely to ignore their kittens or even take on a paternal role than they are to murder their offspring. Even kittens fathered by other toms may be ignored rather than killed.
A Litter of Kittens Can Have More Than One Father
The ability to produce a litter of kittens fathered by more than one tom cat is called superfecundation. A female cat in heat attracts many different males. If she has a particular preference, she will only mate with one tom, waiting for him to recover after prior matings rather than seeking the attentions of other males while he is incapacitated. But many female cats will accommodate a broader circle of admirers, so their ova may be fertilized by the sperm of various males, ensuring a diverse litter of kittens that look very different from one another. Superfecundation is particularly likely to occur in urban and suburban areas where cats have higher population densities, which increases the number of male respondents to the call of a female cat in heat.
In addition to the potential for superfecundation, some female cats will actually go into heat and be impregnated while already pregnant, a phenomenon known as superfetation. In this case, a mother cat may simultaneously carry two litters at different stages of development. The less developed litter may be born prematurely along with the more advanced litter, which usually results in death for the premature kittens, but if they’re lucky, they manage to hang on for the full term and are born 2-6 weeks later. This places a significant burden on the nursing mother, because she suddenly has a lot of kittens to cope with all at once, though many cats manage to deal effectively with these large, staggered litters.
Tom Cats Rarely Kill Their Own Kittens
Many people believe that tom cats wantonly kill their offspring in order to bring female cats back into heat. The reality is that while some tom cats ignore their kittens, others behave paternally if they have access to them, though they may not get the chance, as females often drive males away from the nesting area once kittens are born.
Male cats, though more inclined to ignore their kittens, may also choose to be active participants in raising them. Males have been observed bringing food for the mother and young and defending them against people and other animals. Some males even take over mothering duties if the kittens are orphaned or the mother is incompetent.
It is uncommon for a male cat to kill his own kittens. This tragic event tends to occur as a result of mistaken identity resulting from sexual or predatory drives. In rare cases, a male mistakes the crouched posture of a kitten for the heat pose of an adult female, particularly if he has recently been repelled by an adult female and his sex drive is frustrated. The male may accidentally kill the kitten when he employs the neck bite used in mating. Also, the small size, erratic movements, and high-pitched voices of kittens occasionally confuse the cat’s hunting drive, causing a kitten to temporarily be viewed as prey by either a male or a female that has never had kittens. Despite these rare exceptions, females are usually very good mothers and males are either helpful or indifferent rather than hostile to their kittens.
Tom Cat Behaviour Toward Kittens Sired by Other Males is Variable
Tom cat responses to kittens sired by other males vary from one cat to the next. In some cases, toms will kill another male’s kittens as a lion would kill cubs to bring females into heat sooner, particularly if there are other tom cats in the area and competition is intense. However, they are just as likely to tolerate or ignore those kittens, though adult feral males may drive juveniles away from the group when they reach sexual maturity. Because of the risk posed by strange males, feline fathers may run them off or groups of females will work together to defend against them.
Further Reading
- For more on cat behaviour, see Why Does My Cat Do That?
- For information on kittens, see Kitten Stages of Development and What to Feed a Kitten.
References:
- Hartwell, Sarah. (1996). “Cats That Kill Kittens.” MessyBeast.com.
- Morris, Desmond. (1987). Catlore. London: Jonathan Cape Ltd.
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