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My new kitten has its umbilical cord still attached. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My grandmother found a kitten in her backyard. But there is a sack and a cord still left on it. What should I do?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Jeffrey Milner

Answered By Jeffrey Milner

Veterinarian

Published on May 15th, 2017

The sac and cord need to be removed. In theory you could do this at home, but I would recommend having your veterinarian do this. Cord needs to clamped close to the body, then tied to prevent possible hemorrhage from occurring. The use of thread or dental floss could be utilized if you choose not to have a vet do it. The kitten needs to be kept warm and fed every 2-3 hours for the next 7-14 days. A kitten milk replace will be required.
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on April 17th, 2017

    The cord typically will fall off within the first week of life. A longer cord will take longer because it must dry out sufficiently first. A pair of sharp, sterilized scissors can be used to cut the dried cord if necessary. If you've never done this before, have your veterinarian do it for you. The possible umbilical hernia can be assessed during the exam. These types of hernias are common in kittens. Usually, they don't cause any problems. It can be surgically repaired at the time of the spay or neuter if necessary.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jenny, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 18th, 2018

    Leave it alone. The Mom cleans them and removes the sac and chews down the umbixak cord to a safe distance ... usually an inch or a little less. The remainder of the cord will dry up and go away over the next few days.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My newborn kitten's cord is on. How do I care for it properly?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Tiger is adorable! Can you post a picture of the chord? If it is long I would use a piece of thread to tie it off 1/2 cm from his belly and trim the excess off. The small stump will dry up and fall off. He should be kept warm with a heating pad on low and have the ability to roll off the heating pad if he wants until 3 weeks of age. He should be fed every 2-3 hours until 3 weeks of age. After every feeding he needs to be stimulated to urinate and defecate by gently rubbing his anus and genitals with a soft wet with warm water towel. Kitten formula can cause constipation. If that develops try mixing 2 different brands of formula together and adding extra water. I do recommend early weaning in bottle fed kittens due to the GI issues with formula. So around 3-4 weeks start canned kitten food mixed with the formula. Good luck!
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Vet Q & A
My healthy kitten's umbilical cord hasn't fallen off. Should I cut it?
Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would suggest just leaving the cord alone. As long as it doesn't have any discharge, and the kitten is eating, drinking, playing and doing well, the cord will die and fall off on it's own. Do not pull on it and you don't have to cut it. Best of luck with Tinkie!
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My kitten's umbilical cord is black/hard. Is it infected? What to do?
Normally when kittens are born the umbilical cord is tied off at the base where it meets the belly and the remainder is snipped off. The remaining piece will usually dry up and fall off on its own (like you are describing). If you suspect an infection and see signs such as oozing debris from the area, pain around the area, redness, pus forming, etc, then it should be looked at by a vet. Otherwise, keeping the area clean, and dipping it in some iodine may help it to heal and ward off infection. If you're having trouble affording veterinary care this site may help you figure out some ways to make it more affordable: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html
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Newborn kittens' umbilical cords tangled around leg. What to do?
I can certainly understand being scared about this! I would have the kittens (along with their mother) seen by a vet now for this, as the cord will likely have to be cut away. It the cord is too tight around the legs and tummy, it can cut off the blood supply, which is why it's important to have it removed right away. You can try to cut the cord carefully yourself to remove the kitten, but if you are frightened to do so, it's certainly fine to take them into a vet now to have this done :-)
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My cat had a stillborn kitten, it's attached. How do I detach it?
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would use a piece of thread to tie off the chord a little above the belly buttons (where is attaches to the kitten) then use scissors to cut the chord off (away from attachment). It will be fine. The stillborn kitten will be fine if you just cut it. For the alive kittens you should tie off a few millimeters above where it attaches to the body. I hope this helps!
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What to do if my cat doesn't cut her kitten's umbilical cord?
Half n Half will do it, generally isn't not something humans do for kittens. Cats are pretty self sufficient, and will birth alone and do the aftercare themselves. I would leave her be to take care of it :-)
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Cat just had kittens. Mom didn't eat placenta or cut umbilical cords. What do I do?
Ensure the mother has cleaned their noses and nothing is obstructing their breathing. If the mother has not broken the cords you can tie off the cord with some cotton or dental floss sterilized with boiling water. Tie two very tight knots at least one inch from the kittens belly and half inch apart and cut between the two knots with sterilized scissors. She may eat the placentas when she is completely done with the [queening](https://www.petcoach.co/article/queening-giving-birth-in-cats) (delivery). If she doesn't, you can dispose of them after a few hours.
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