Is it possible for a momma cat to recognize her own baby who she lost 5 months ago, when the baby was only about 4 weeks old?
So, we found Vanta on our back deck about 5 months ago, in a corner where her mom had put her. We took her in. The mom lived across the street somewhere. I somehow don’t think she actually belonged to anyone, though.
There are a couple of cats in the neighborhood who hang around and interact with Vanta (she’s spayed, BTW.) Recently there has been a black cat hanging around. This one, though, makes those deep, back of the throat meowing noises that momma cats make when they’re looking for their babies. Vanta seems a little freaked out by it, and always wants to come inside when that cat is around.
Is it possible they recognize each other? I mean, I’d like to think they do, because I know Momma was worried when she came back and her baby was gone. I like to think she’s glad that her baby is OK.
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7 Answers
But why would it freak Vanta out? She should have more of an instinctual attachment to her single mother.
(Black cat meyowling and 666 feedback – not looking good.)
It could be the mother cat could recognize her baby but not the other way around. Maybe the mother instinct is stronger than the daughter instinct. (I don’t actually believe there is a daughter instinct)
Yes, I agree with @keobooks being only 4 weeks old was a pretty premature parting for Vanta.
If she had been with mom for 12 weeks or longer, 6 months, a year, I think the odds of her recognizing mom might be better. Maybe you can catch momma cat and get her spayed too.
Street life is hard for kitties. :-(
Maybe it freaks her out brcausa Vantage carries socks around and does the momma calling herself.
Of course they recognize each other. Cats aren’t dumb, they have acute sense of smell specialized for recognizing specific other cats. There is a mother/kitten relationship. Older kittens and their moms don’t always get along, though. (e.g. I had a cat who had kittens, we kept one, and after a while the mom drove the kitten we kept out of the house.)
And cats are psychic and bond with others. Proven scientific fact. Just sayin’, but the other info is enough.
I think it’s possible.
I saw this show where two elephants who had been separated for years were brought back together and they communicated all night and touched each other through cage bars. They weren’t even mama and child. They seemed like they had missed each other all those years. I’ve seen many examples of animals recognizing other animals or their owners after long separations.
I don’t know. If a human mother sees her baby for the last time when the baby is a year old, Mom will remember, but I don’t think the baby will, at least not consciously.
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