12 Oct 2020
Researchers recorded the number of vocalisations and duration of activity of orphaned kittens and mother-reared kittens during two-minute separations from their nest.
James Westgate
Job Title
Bean is one of a litter of orphaned kittens that has been taken in by animal charity Mayhew.
Orphaned kittens experience more stress than kittens cared for by their mothers, according to a new University of California, Davis (UC Davis) study.
Researchers reported that orphaned kittens cried and moved more than mother-reared kittens when briefly removed from their nests at one and three weeks of age.
Orphaned kittens often end up in animal shelters or foster homes, and understanding the effect of being orphaned on responses to stressful events could improve their care.
Mikel Delgado, a postdoctoral fellow at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and colleagues recorded the number of vocalisations and duration of activity of orphaned kittens and mother-reared kittens during two-minute separations from their nest and litter mates (and, if mother-reared, their mothers).
All kittens and mother cats were cared for in foster homes and no kittens were deliberately orphaned for the study.
The results, published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, found orphaned kittens showed more distress vocalisations and possible search behaviour to return to the nest (measured by increased activity). These findings suggest the effects of early maternal separation persist for at least a few weeks.
Dr Delgado said: “Although we are interpreting these behaviours as signs of stress, it’s important to note that orphaned kittens receive specialised care, and there may even be some benefits to being hand-raised by humans – especially if kittens have litter mates – for appropriate social interactions.”
