Why is momma cat chewing kitten's fingers until it bleeds?

Question

Mom cat has 3 kittens which LOOK healthy. Two big ones and one a little smaller in size. They are 1 week old. The mom is licking the smallest kitten's fingers and toes and it seems she's biting them. I even heard a crack when she bit the fingers or nails. The mom bit the kitten's hand, and when she did not feel satisfied she flipped the kitten in the air.

But it's like she's not trying to hurt the kitten, it's in the licking process. The kitten is also rising in the air when mom licks her tail. It wasn't like this before. It's as if the mom is licking strongly this time. However, the kitten didn't cry when this was happening, nor when the mom bit her hand. I can see blood on the kitten's fingertips and toes but not leaking. Still I'm worried for the kitten. And the other larger kittens' hands are fine. This is only happening to Avalanche. What can be the cause of this? I don't think the mom is trying to hurt the kitten because if she wanted to she would've bit her tummy or any other part in her. It's the cat's first litter. Help me out.

Answer 1

Cats can have mental illnesses as well as occasionally just being poor mothers. The licking you describe seems too rough but does not seem to be too serious. I am concerned about the mother biting the kittens paws and drawing blood.

If you inspect the kitten’s paws and they appear healthy, clean, with no abnormal growths or tumors, then there is reason to be concerned about the mother.

Continue to observe them and see if the mother continues to bite the kitten or neglects it. also ensure the mother is feeding the kitten enough. Kittens should show steady weight gain and should be a little chubby including having a little fat belly.

You have to assess the mother’s fitness to raise kittens. This is a difficult judgment call. Watch the mother closely. If you think the mother is injuring the kitten and is a real threat to the kitten the kitten should be removed from the mothers care.

This is a difficult decision because cats take care of their kittens much better than people can easily do. If the kittens are very young then you would really have to do a lot of research on how to raise the kittens yourself. It is not easy nor simple. Unless the mother is a very clear threat, the kittens are better off with their mother.

Currently i would recommend continuing to observe the mother and letting us know here if you see anything else that concerns you.