My Cat Won't Clean Her Kittens

[cridle24]

Hi, I'm new to this so.. Please help me.
Anyhow, my Tabby cat had kittens about a week and a half ago and are covered in thick yellow stuff that is very foul smelling. I just cleaned her bed and changed her bedding and found more yellow liquid on the sheets a few minutes afterwards. The mother cat will not clean them and will continuously meow at me and look at the kittens. I moved her babies to a quieter place and she proceeded to feed them but won't lick them at all. I'm really not sure what might be wrong with her or her kittens. The mother is also fed regularly but this is also her first pregnancy but she was a good mother for the first few days after she gave birth. Someone please give me advice in how to help them get clean and what the yellow thick liquid is.

 

[cat-tech]

Is she continuing to nurse them and is she attentive to them?  Are the kittens ok, nursing and thriving?  How many kittens are there? 

Not sure what the yellow liquid is, it could be anything from urine to her vomiting, or hopefully, not an infection.  I would gather mom and babies into a secure carrier and getting them all to your vet for exams, ASAP.  It's too difficult to determine what's going on from an internet post, so play it safe and get them seen immediately.

 

[StefanZ]

Hi, I'm new to this so.. Please help me.
Anyhow, my Tabby cat had kittens about a week and a half ago and are covered in thick yellow stuff that is very foul smelling. I just cleaned her bed and changed her bedding and found more yellow liquid on the sheets a few minutes afterwards. The mother cat will not clean them and will continuously meow at me and look at the kittens. I moved her babies to a quieter place and she proceeded to feed them but won't lick them at all. I'm really not sure what might be wrong with her or her kittens. The mother is also fed regularly but this is also her first pregnancy but she was a good mother for the first few days after she gave birth. Someone please give me advice in how to help them get clean and what the yellow thick liquid is.

that liquid is most probably their poo.  We seldom see this, because normally mooma is eating this up.  So its almost only caretakers of orphans whom see them...

Question is possibly, if its a little too rare, and its perhaps this which makes momma wont take it.

Perhaps you can stimulate them manually now and then, so its not as much coming out...   Some sort of cleaning is necessary too.  

And or changing of their bedding.  Its easy done not to change too long. Breeders change at least twice a week.

 

[cridle24]

that liquid is most probably their poo.  We seldom see this, because normally mooma is eating this up.  So its almost only caretakers of orphans whom see them...

Question is possibly, if its a little too rare, and its perhaps this which makes momma wont take it.

Perhaps you can stimulate them manually now and then, so its not as much coming out...   Some sort of cleaning is necessary too.  

And or changing of their bedding.  Its easy done not to change too long. Breeders change at least twice a week.

Yeah, I believe you're right about it being poo. The mother cat not long finished feeding them (5 kittens) and they started producing quite a lot of poo. I was very confused as to how to handle it because I'm only young and I don't have much experience yet with caring for cats, not only that but I have no adults to rely on. Thank you for your help, its much appre

 

[cat-tech]

My concern if she's not grooming them, she may also not be properly nursing them, have enough milk to support them, or one could be ill, so therefore, vet visit for exams for everyone.

 

[cat-tech]

Take a clean, damp warm cloth and gently wipe each kitten clean (but be gentle, not be vigorous, about this, they are fragile and shouldn't be stressed) - take another clean towel and make sure they are dried - change the bedding, place kittens and mom with the clean bedding and make sure it's changed EVERY single day.  IF this is urine or feces, it's a haven for bacteria and sick kittens and momma!

Again, you did not say if the kittens were nursing well and thriving, so again, I strongly recommend you get them and momma to your vet to ensure they are thriving and that momma has enough milk to support them, and for your vet to check her over.  If she's not grooming them properly, there might be something wrong.  You just want peace of mind all is going to be ok.

 

[StefanZ]

Yeah, I believe you're right about it being poo. The mother cat not long finished feeding them (5 kittens) and they started producing quite a lot of poo. I was very confused as to how to handle it because I'm only young and I don't have much experience yet with caring for cats, not only that but I have no adults to rely on. Thank you for your help, its much appre

Aha, so they are pooing when they are done with eating.    So stimulate them either immediately after they have eaten, or immediately before they shall eat.

Good if you weigh them every day, so you can notice if they do gain as they shall.  they shall gain about 10grammes every day, or more.  Some day may be less, but as a rule they shall gain every day.   This is the easiest way to notice it they are thriving oK, or if something alarming is going on.

 

[StefanZ]

What food is momma getting?

Can you get goats milk?  goats milk is always useful as supplement for momma, and if necessary, for kittens too.  Goats milk is also cheaper than kitten mothermilk replacement.

It costs more than cow milk, but is much safer - and better.     

Plain, full fat youghrt is too OK to use for mamma as supplement.   Some mild cheese...

There are more ideas if you need.

 

[StefanZ]

The poo is more or less yellowish, and more or less rare - but usually described as toothpaste consistency.   So it doenst sound as the most usual no.   Exactly what it is, I dont know.

If your vet is knowleable with small kittens, it is wise to contact him, even pay for a visit.  But as said, many vets dont know much about problems with small kittens.

@catwoman707   knows perhaps?

@Cridle24  

 

[catwoman707]

Yeah I do agree, sounds like poop. 

My suspicion is that mom has something going on inside, worms, or a parasite that her system has kept fairly controlled with her mature system, and passed it along as she will whatever she has, which will actually cause a momma cat not to clean off the 'contaminated' poop.

I want to suggest but do not want my suggestion taken lightly, because as you said, you are young, and 10 day olds are fairly fragile, not too awfully much as their insides are, but still very sensitive to hot and cold, and can cause problems.

But they need to be bathed once to clean that off, and pottied regularly to prevent it in the future now until you know why the runny poop.

Although it may simply be baby poop, which is actually wet and smooshy and yellowish, but I suspect contaminated.

As @StefanZ  mentions, the best thing you can do for them and give the best chance of all surviving and thriving is to weigh them daily at the same time to monitor their weight gains.

You have not mentioned how many there are.

If you don't think you can clean them up thoroughly enough with a washcloth and need to bathe them, let us know, I am happy to give you a detailed lesson

For pottying, immediately after nursing, turn the faucet on hot water first so it heats completely, then turn that down and add cold, until you get a temp on your wrist that feels neither cold or hot, very close to our temp, go swoop up one baby at a time, hold by it's scruff in your left hand turning it over so it is laying in your palm but held by scruff still so there is no chance of dropping, tummy is up and genitals are near your wrist, then put the baby's butt area only under the gentle stream of warm water and tap with your finger right on the butt/genitals, instantly relaxing and out it all comes, down the drain, nice and clean, done deal. Wipe well with a dry cloth.

On to the next.

You will get the hang of this so fast and it won't be a big deal at all and part of the routine. 

This way prevents rawness that rubbing to potty causes.

 

[StefanZ]

 

So you have bathed them.   I hope you were sure they didnt get chilled out.  Ie warm in the room, no draught.  Warm but not hot water.  Dry off thoroughly and have them on a nice slightly warming heat pad afterwards.  

Also, Catwoman707 will give you more advices re bathing if you so wish.    

(You saw Catwoman´s answer?)