# Cat won't clean her kittens



## beforeiforget (Feb 7, 2017)

Our cat gave birth a couple a days ago... All the kittens are nursing and gaining weight... she is licking them, which causes them to pee and poop, but she won't clean them... I've tried turning the kittens butt to her, but she refuses to clean them... She is not a clean cat herself, one can very rearly see her cleaning her eyes or butt... so for now, we are trying as much as we can to clean kittens fur, but it is still yellowish from the poop... the color of the poop is brown and normal consistency, not too runny, not too hard, best comparison is like a toothpaste. Anyone had the same situation? How can we convince her to clean them?


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## SpringDance (Mar 18, 2016)

Have you had her teeth checked?


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## beforeiforget (Feb 7, 2017)

Teeth are normal... she is licking them, but only when they are clean...


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## beforeiforget (Feb 7, 2017)

She is also acting normal, eating, drinking water, going to litter, she has no fever, diarrhea, etc...


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## SpringDance (Mar 18, 2016)

Look, I'm no expert and there are others on here who know far more, but I'd be concerned that she doesn't keep herself clean or her kittens. I'd be looking for a physical reason first (even a sore in the mouth could mean that certain things hurt). As usual, I'd advise a chat with the vet in case there's something going on that's preventing her.


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## beforeiforget (Feb 7, 2017)

Vet did checked her a couple months ago, before breeding, and gave us a green light, so we mate her... We've also done genetic tests before breeding, all is normal... I am so puzzled...


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## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

If I've read this right you've bred a cat who doesn't clean herself, now she isn't cleaning her kittens. I would try a dab of butter of something else yummy on them.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Most cats are fastidious about grooming themselves but there are some who are just not very good at it. They seem to do the essentials and leave the 'fiddly bits'. 

Poor grooming can be a sign of a cat being stressed by something, or depressed. But if your cat has always been like this since she was a kitten then it is perhaps more likely to be a genetic trait in her particular line. (If she is a BSH it is certainly not common amongst that breed to be poor groomers).

OrientalSlave has given good advice on how to get mum to clean her kittens. 

Hopefully you are not planning to breed this queen again now this problem has emerged.


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## beforeiforget (Feb 7, 2017)

Update, we moved her and babies to more darker and quieter place, it has been several days now, and she loves it, she is cleaning her babies, everything is ok!


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