If a mother cat hasn’t removed the birth membrane from her kitten within a couple of minutes after delivery, you need to step in and do it yourself. The thin, translucent sac covering the kitten must come off quickly so the kitten can breathe. This is one of the most time-sensitive moments in a home birth, and the process is straightforward once you know what to do.
Remove the Membrane First
Each kitten is born enclosed in a fluid-filled sac called the amniotic membrane. Normally, the mother cat tears this open with her teeth and licks the kitten clean, which stimulates breathing. If she doesn’t do this within about two minutes of delivery, you need to act.
Gently tear the membrane open near the kitten’s face using your fingers. Peel it away from the nose and mouth first, then off the rest of the body. Use a clean, soft cloth or towel to wipe fluid away from the kitten’s nostrils and mouth. Rub the kitten gently but briskly with the towel, mimicking the licking motion the mother would normally provide. This friction stimulates the kitten to take its first breaths. You should hear a small squeak or see the chest start to rise and fall. If the kitten seems limp, keep rubbing firmly along its back and sides.
Dealing With the Umbilical Cord
The placenta is connected to the kitten by the umbilical cord. In a normal delivery, the mother chews through the cord, which creates a blunt crushing action that naturally prevents bleeding. If she hasn’t done this after a few minutes, you’ll need to separate the cord yourself.
You have two options. The preferred method, recommended by International Cat Care, is to tear the cord rather than cut it. Hold the cord about one inch from the kitten’s belly with one hand while supporting the kitten with the other. Pinch and tear the cord between your first two fingers and thumb. This mimics the crushing action of the mother’s teeth and helps prevent excessive bleeding. Always hold the cord at the kitten’s end so you’re not pulling on the kitten’s abdomen.
If tearing feels too difficult, you can use sterilized scissors to cut the cord about one inch from the kitten’s belly. Sterilize the scissors beforehand by wiping them with rubbing alcohol or boiling them. Complicated tying of the cord isn’t necessary in most cases, but if you notice any bleeding that doesn’t stop within a minute or two, tie a short piece of clean thread or unwaxed dental floss around the cord close to the kitten’s body.
What to Do With the Placenta Itself
Each kitten has its own placenta, which usually follows the kitten out within a few minutes. It’s a dark, reddish-brown mass about the size of a small plum. The mother cat will typically eat it, and that’s completely normal. Eating the placenta serves several biological purposes: it provides nutrition after the energy demands of labor, helps stimulate hormones that promote milk production and maternal bonding, and removes material that could attract predators in a wild setting. Hormones in the placenta and amniotic fluid also appear to activate natural pain relief for the mother.
You don’t need to prevent the mother from eating placentas, but keep count. There should be one placenta per kitten. If a mother eats more than three or four in quick succession, she may vomit or have digestive upset, so removing extras is reasonable. The important thing is accounting for every placenta, because a retained placenta inside the mother can lead to infection.
Signs of a Retained Placenta in the Mother
If you count fewer placentas than kittens, one may still be inside the mother. Retained placentas are often expelled on their own without causing problems. But watch the mother closely over the next 24 to 48 hours for warning signs: continued straining as if still in labor, dark or foul-smelling vaginal discharge, fever, lethargy, or loss of interest in her kittens. These symptoms suggest the retained tissue is causing infection, and she needs veterinary care promptly.
Caring for the Cord Stump
After the cord is separated, the short stump left on each kitten’s belly will dry up and fall off on its own, typically around day three or four. During that time, keep the nesting area clean and dry. You can dab a small amount of iodine solution on the stump to help seal it and reduce infection risk. Avoid pulling or tugging on the stump as it dries.
Watch the stump area daily for signs of infection. Redness or discoloration around the base, skin that feels hard or swollen, yellowish or foul-smelling discharge, or a kitten that cries when you touch the area are all warning signs. An infected umbilical stump (called omphalitis) can progress rapidly in newborns and needs veterinary treatment with antibiotics. A kitten that becomes unusually lethargic, refuses to nurse, or develops a fever alongside any stump changes should be seen urgently.
Supplies to Have Ready Before the Birth
If you know your cat is expecting, having a few items on hand makes intervention much easier:
- Clean towels or soft cloths for wiping kittens and stimulating breathing
- Sterilized scissors in case you need to cut a cord
- Unwaxed dental floss or clean thread for tying a cord that won’t stop bleeding
- Iodine solution for dabbing on cord stumps
- A notepad to track the number of kittens and placentas delivered
- A warm, clean box lined with towels for the nesting area
Most mother cats handle the entire birth process without any help. Your role is to stay calm, observe, and step in only when she doesn’t remove a membrane, chew a cord, or seems to be struggling. Keeping the environment quiet and warm gives her the best chance of managing things instinctively.