Maternal feelings in a fixed cat?

[margypops]

I dont know much about cats, but anyway I inherited one,she was a stray, and I am fond of her..I have had her about 18 months and I had her fixed , all shots and check ups, recently we have had some cats move in not too far from us and they have been swinging by to poop in the front garden,Tweety seemed to want to get out a lot to either fight or make friends, now recently a little black and white kitty has been coming by, yes I ,a sucker for feeding the homeless, with any amount of legs, have put some food out,Tweety has twice been seen racing , chasing it, then she has been sitting not to far from where i put some food, gazing at the kitty,she has also been more moody, hanging around the house more.  My question is, do cats although fixed, want a kitten to nurtur would you think, you wise cat lovers, that she is feeling maternal ?  

[catbrain]

My cat was spayed at 7 weeks (the vet at the local shelter I adopted her from was a moron and said she was 4 months with only a few baby teeth and weighing 1 lb).

She mommies every infant kitten we foster, and raised several of them herself, with the obvious loophole of me bottle feeding them.

Spayed cats are still female cats, and can still feel maternal instincts toward a kitten they perceive as needing help.

[margypops]

Hi spirit wow I love that name if I get another I may call him/her that, I have never had a cat till she turned up, and her predatory ways made worse by her having to survive on the road' made me sick, but you know I have rescued more birds /lizards, bunnies than she has killed or injured, only this morning she raced in with a bird in her mouth I said NO firmly she put it down, alive, I picked it up took it out,  and it flew away.so I am coming to terms with it. She is very affectionate and I did'nt realise cats were so intelligent ....

[spirit3]

I actually had a male, Timmy (neutered), who was very involved when we got Spirit as a tiny kitten. He'd come wake us when he'd find that she was awake in her carrier-go back and check under the cover and come back and pester us till we got up. He played with her and acted just like a big brother-it was really something! One time she bit one of our cacti and as we were pulling the stickers out of her mouth he first tried to help with that, then literally walked over to the cactus as if to say "what did you do to my baby sister??" He was something else and much missed. But I agree w/margypops-that was just his personality-individual like us all!

[margypops]

I just dont understand what she's up to sometimes I think she likes that baby sometimes I think sh'es jealous of me feeding it some grub. she has gone off me last few nights not sleeping on my bed, has taken to sleeping on the desk by the window so she can see out when it appears ....

[margypops]

You Know opus she chased the little thing off last night,when it came by for a bite to eat, then when she comes in before coyote time, she leaps around the house like a mad thing, thank you for the input ....

[opus88]

oh yes a buddy, perhaps also being a bit territorial and keeping an eye on her property....they are just too cute to watch!

[margypops]

thank you very much aligator  maybe it is a buddy she needs

[aligator79]

I don't know if it is maternal feelings or just wanting a buddy to play with.