day old kittens

Question
hello
My cat just gave birth to her first litter of kittens. I had set up a birthing box for her but decided to use my dresser drawer. Should i move mother and kittens to the birthing box right away or leave them where she feels comfortable? Will mother cat leave her kittens and come down for food and water? There is still blood and a little damp where she gave birth and is nursing on it, do I move her and clean up? She just gave birth this morning.
Thank you.

Answer
Hi Anna.  Yes, you should at least clean up and replace dirty items with clean towels, t-shirts or soft rags.  If it's all the same to you, I would leave the kittens where mama chose to have them.  However, if this is inconvenient for you, she shouldn't be terribly disturbed if you move the kittens to the birthing box, as long as you keep it in the immediate area.

First-time mamas tend to be a little over-protective and may go longer than they should without eating or drinking for fear of leaving the babies alone.  Ideally, move her dishes and litter box within viewing distance of the kittens so she'll feel comfortable.  If it's simply not possible, mama should venture out at least a couple times a day to eat and use the litter box, but definitely keep a good eye on how much she eats and how often she visits the box to make sure her habits don't change.