Mother cat grooming kittens

Question
I have a cat who's kittens are almost 2 weeks old. She is a good mother and cleans them regularly. I think she may be cleaning the boy kitten a little too much though. I was looking at him and it looks like his behind is irritated. It's red and a little swollen. Can a cat clean her kittens too much?

Answer
Hi Angela,

To my knowledge, I don't believe a mother cat can groom her kittens too much other than to say that the area may be irritated.  In that case, I would try applying a tiny amount of Neosporin to the area (be sure to rub it in) twice a day until the area is no longer red.  If this doesn't work or the redness/irritation persists, seek a vet's advice.

Best regards,

Holly Martin
Texas A&M University
Animal Science B.S.
Cat Care/Behavior Counselor
holly06petlover@yahoo.com