Newborn Kittens stuck to Mama's tail?????

Well as some of you know my cat, Onyx, has been pregnant and due for a while now.  Well last night she had her kittens.  Her first kitten came out in 5 pushes with no problems and she thoroughly cleaned the baby up and severed the cord while the placenta was still inside.  Then the placenta was passed.  About 15 minutes late number two came out and she would not clean it.  I had to reach in there with a towel and I tried to bring it to me to clean the sac off but it only had about two inches of cord and I didn't want to sever the cord.  so I cleaned it from a distance.  Once I cleaned the kittens face off and rubbed a bit on the side to start the baby breathing and moving a bit Onyx took over and cleaned it's sac off.  but did not clean it as thoroughly as the first.  She then ate the first placenta.  A few minutes later the second placenta was passed.  About 15-25 the third kitten was delivered and she cleaned the sac off all but it's head.  I lifted the baby to her a bit and she proceeded to clean it's head and stimulate breathing.  The kitten started moving and was fine, but again she did not clean it as thoroughly as the first one.  She only cleaned the second 2 enough to get all of the sac off while the first she cleaned until it was spotless and dry.  She then ate the second placenta and went to sleep.  She stopped having hard contractions and every once in a while she would so a very slight push.  It took over 2 hours for the 3 placenta to pass.  This placenta did not look the same as the others it looked torn open but whole and was quite a bit smaller than the others.  It had gotten tangles in Onyx's tail.  Since she was so stressed out by the birthing process I didn't want to interfere as much as possible.  So I didn't bother to untangle it because I thought she would when she severed the cord and decided to eat it.  Well she went back to sleep.  All kittens were eating and moving around so I figured they were healthy.  I assumed she was done with labor because the vet said he could only feel 3 kittens but could not be 100% sure.  She did not seem to be having anymore contractions so I left them alone and went to sleep as it was after 2am.  Well this morning I decided I was going to check on the 2 kittens that she had neglected at birth to make sure they were still healthy looking.  Well when I went to pick up the second one who had been the easiest to get it pulled Mama's tail and two other kittens with it.  This revealed the very first one under them all.  She had another after I had gone to sleep.  The placenta was not there but the kittens were stuck by their hind quarters to Onyx's tail.  I felt it and it felt like maybe a very tiny piece of squishy goo was holding them together.  I decided to get a warm wet wash clothe and try to melt the goo and free the kittens.  During this process I felt the umbilical cord to kitten number three mixed up in the mess.  This is when the kitten started to cry and freak out and Onyx started biting their sides and pulling them toward her belly to eat.  She did not want me to mess with them anymore.  So I called my vet at home and I got voicemail and the message gave his cell phone number.  So I called his cell phone number which rang and rang and then said he was out of the coverage area or his phone was turned off.  I called the nearest 24 animal hospital which is 2 hours away for advice.  They told me to try what I already had and I explained this all to them and they said she would need to be brought in.  When I explained that we were two hours away they said it probably wasn't a good idea to drive them that far but to keep trying my vet and if all else fails call him tomorrow and bring them all in and have him free them.  I am too scared to mess with umbilical cords and do not want Mama dragging them by their sides and accidentally puncturing the kitten's side or something.  They also told me to try to stop her from walking around too much so I put her food, water, and milk in her nest with her and moved the litter box directly infront of the opening of her nest so she wouldn;t have to go far and the kittens wouldn't be dragged out of the nest.  I am worried about this because she still hasn't fully cleaned the last three kittens and it has been over 12 hours.  I am looking for any advice that I haven't already tried that preferably doesn't involve severing the cord.  I am at a loss and right now and just doing as the emergency clinic said and trying to get ahold of my vet and limiting her movement.  She has total privacy and a dark place to rest.  The kittens are all fine, healthy (as far as I can tell), and eating.  She is not refusing any of them so that is a good sign I guess.  Just wondering if anyone else has gone through this before and how they fixed it.

I don't have experience with this, but just wanted to throw an idea out there - why don't you go ahead and sever the cord?   If you are worried about bleeding from the cord on either end can each end be tied or even clamped off with something like a clothes pin?  

ETA:   Seems this problem happens a lot here's one answer I found through google http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101010185135AAf6G15    says to use dental floss to tie off and don't pull the cord at all.   

Here's another one http://www.wikihow.com/Help-a-Cat-Give-Birth

The cord is so tightly rapped around the tail that I don't think I could safely get scissors in there without cutting either mama or the kittens.  And I would use my nails to sever it if I could ties it off but I can't get my fingers in there and the kittens flip out when I try and then mama gets upset.  I just wish I had a professional or something to do it for me.
 

That sounds tough!   Hopefully soon some people will respond to you that actually have done this before.....I'm just an avid Googler.   Would it make any difference if you had a tiny pair of scissors to work with like cuticle scissors?

Sorry I am just seeing this now and it has been a few hours- has anything changed?

If not, the way I see it is you have two choices- get them to a vet ASAP, or find a way to cut the cord. If you decide to try and cut the cord do not use sharp scissors! You either want to try and tie it off with dental floss or just get in with your fingers and tear it. Cutting it one of these two ways seals off the end and prevents excessive bleeding. 

I know you said it's hard to get your fingers in there but I really think you need to try. Can you try tearing off portions from around the tail to free things up? My worry is that it's going to be bad if Momma tries to stand up or move and it rips the cord off the kittens belly. Also, you need to make sure each of the kittens is throughly dry (it's okay if they are a little bloody but they need to be dry and warm). Of course, the best way to do this is to get them separated from Momma. 

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this- I'm sure it's very scary! Hopefully you have been able to get ahold of your vet for help. If not I really wouldn't wait any longer- start trying to separate them yourself or start making the drive. 

If you want to try it yourself and haven't yet send me a PM- Maybe if you can explain it to me better over the phone and I can walk you through it (and be there for moral support)! I have ripped many cords in my life but I have never heard of one getting so tangled up. 

Good luck and please let us know how things are going! 

If the cord has shriveled then it won't bleed if you cut it.  Otherwise use your fingers and tear it, avoiding pulling on the kitten's tummy.  You might need to use some warm water if the kitten is really stuck to her tail, I personally would add a little salt to the water.

This needs fixing ASAP so you either get brave and have a go, or go to the vets as soon as you can.

It's also a classic example of why one needs to keep an eye on cats having kittens.

Keep her in as firstly you don't want her having an accident and leaving you with tiny kittens to handrear, and secondly she can get pregnant again very soon after having kittens - nursing doesn't stop this happening. 

If you go to the vets check how soon they will neuter her.

PS cats don't need milk to drink.  She should have fresh water available though, and prepare to need a mountain of food and a huge pile of cat litter in the next 10-12 weeks.

well i woke this morning to the clump filled with what i thought was blood and a huge mess in the nesting material. i called the vet the moment they opened and they were able to get me in. the vet was able to cut them free but had to put down the little black one (third born) because the mess that everything was tangles in was his dowels. he was born with a defect and the vet said it couldnt have been fixed even from the beginning. last night i was able to free the mom but not the kittens so she was able to get out and go potty without the babies. she then roamed around the house a bit as a break. but once a baby cried she rushed back in there. the vet said all three babies are healthy and so is mama. so that is good. too bad we had to lose one though.

Congrats for the saving of mom and three of the four babies... Good the survivors are healthy. So now we do know what they all tangled in... Urk, poor Blackie.  RIP...

Now, dont forget to weight them on a scale graded in grams, every day.  Safeguarding much problems, and following joys.

Good luck!

[edit: a typo]

OH dear, what an ordeal for this momma cat, kittens and for you. Glad that momma and three kittens have been saved. Sorry for that little black baby, RIP Good job on your part. Vibes coming that the babies will thrive and be healthy.

Ebonly2000 said:

well i woke this morning to the clump filled with what i thought was blood and a huge mess in the nesting material. i called the vet the moment they opened and they were able to get me in. the vet was able to cut them free but had to put down the little black one (third born) because the mess that everything was tangles in was his dowels. he was born with a defect and the vet said it couldnt have been fixed even from the beginning. last night i was able to free the mom but not the kittens so she was able to get out and go potty without the babies. she then roamed around the house a bit as a break. but once a baby cried she rushed back in there. the vet said all three babies are healthy and so is mama. so that is good. too bad we had to lose one though.

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I'm so sorry to hear about the little Black kitten.   Kittens being born with their insides on the outside does happen and the vet is very right there is nothing that could have been done to help him, at time of birth or later. I'm so glad you were able to at least untangle Mom from the mess last night so that things didn't get any worse. Honestly, you handled a very difficult situation very well, and you have a Mom and still three healthy kittens to show for it! 

I am so sorry girl! RIP Baby Blackie! 

Well thank you everyone for the kind words.  I am sure my sweet black angel is in a better place now and not in pain.  I will see him another time whether in another life or whatever.  But he will thrive.  I am just glad all the other babies are doing well and happy.  And honestly there is a lot less crying going on with the kittens now and they are eating and sleeping so much better.  Mama has time every few hours to come out and get loved on and cuddle for a few minutes at a time.  so she is much happier.  Mama did go through a small period where she jumped back into the box I took her to the vet in and started crying and meowing a lot and was searching all over for her lost baby.  I told her what happened to the babies belly and told her I was sorry and had to put the sweet angel to sleep.  She knows what that means because I had to put her sister to sleep when I accidentally ran her over years ago and she searched for her too and I told her she was put to sleep and she got depressed.  This time she is taking it very well.  She is tending to her remaining babies and being a love bug while they sleep.  She is acting like her normal sweet self again. 
 

So sorry about the little black kitten     I know what you mean about feeling you will see him again.    I'm glad mom cat and kittens are doing well now