Queen

A queen is a cat that is expecting or has recently given birth to a litter of kits. Though known to be overly-protective of kits, queens usually are compassionate and kind, and in many cases they have been known to convince their mates or Clan leaders to take in cats in need of help.

Description
When a cat is expecting kits or has recently given birth to a litter of kits, they become known as a queen and move to the nursery. When cats become queens, they give up their title and duties as a warrior. However, they become a warrior again once their kits have been apprenticed. Some cats, though, prefer to stay in the nursery even after their kits have become apprentices, such as Daisy and Ferncloud. Queens have a vital role in continuing the Clans' survival as they give birth to the next generation of warriors. When a warrior dies, a queen might prepare the body with herbs for the vigil. Some cats can't have kits, however much they want them. If a queen does not wish to tell who the father of the kits is to the Clan, that is their choice. Queens usually adore their kits and want to make sure that they can be the best that they can be.

Nursing
Queens move to the nursery about a moon before giving birth, surrendering their warrior duties. They have their food delivered to them by their Clanmates as they become less mobile. A cat's pregnancy is just over two moons, after which they give birth to the possible litter of one to five kits. The kits usually open their eyes soon, some almost from the moment born, and others in a day or two. Queens that have not yet kitted have no milk-scent; in contrast, those who have kitted have the milk-scent on them.

While kits are weaned at two moons, the queens remain in the nursery until they are named apprentices (typically around six moons) to ensure proper care and education. Sometimes - although it is very rare - a queen leaves the nursery before their kit(s) become apprentices (such as how Moonflower did). Also, sometimes they leave before all of their kits become apprentices, such as Rainflower.

When a queen is unable to produce enough milk to feed their kits, another queen who has plenty of milk to spare will help them nurse until the kits are ready for fresh-kill, such as Daisy and Ferncloud did when Squirrelflight didn't have any milk. Queens will also feed kits from outside of the Clan; for example, when Cloudkit was brought to ThunderClan, Frostfur convinced Brindleface to feed him.

A cat may request to stay in the nursery after their kit(s) are apprenticed, instead of resuming warrior duties. Goldenflower, Ferncloud and Daisy often helped out when needed in the nursery.

Borage leaves are sometimes given to queens that cannot produce milk for their kits, and parsley for those who still have milk even though they don't have kits.

Restrictions
A medicine cat, of any gender, is not allowed to take a mate and have kits, in order to not be distracted from their mission and work. Leafpool and Yellowfang were two examples of breaking this rule.

An AFAB (assigned female at birth) leader or deputy generally does not have kits either (although it is not explicitly forbidden, as Leafstar and Squirrelflight had kits), because looking after kits would keep them away from their leader or deputy duties for six moons or more. AMAB (assigned male at birth) leaders, on the other hand, frequently sire a AFAB cat's kits, such as Hailstar, Pinestar, Crookedstar, Bramblestar, and Firestar.

Trivia

 * In the first books of the The Prophecies Begin Arc, "queen" seems to mean any she-cat (even female elders are named queens such as One-eye and Dappletail) not just a nursing cat.

References and citations
KöniginnenКоролеваValdovėKuningatarMoederkatReine