Smelly Kittens That Don't Clean Themselves

Kittens can smell unpleasant for a variety of reasons. Observe when your kitten tends to smell the most or determine if it is an ongoing problem. Foul odor can be caused by an otherwise undetected health problem or even a simple hygiene issue. Keep your floor clean and small objects, such as change, out of your kitten's reach. If your kitten swallows small objects, this could create a digestive problem.

  1. Orphan

    • Sometimes kittens are orphaned long before they are meant to be weaned from their mother. When this occurs, it's likely that the litter of kittens hasn't learned all of the usual things that they learn from the mother, such as cleaning habits. In this case, it's important that you do your best to feed and keep the kitten clean. Use warm water and a wet wash cloth to wipe down your kitten periodically, especially after it uses the litter box.

    Illness

    • If your kitten has an ongoing odor, you should get it to the vet to be checked immediately. Kittens have sensitive systems and your kitten could be having digestive problems based on the food you are feeding it. If you plan on switching foods, do it gradually so that your kitten's system has time to adjust. It's also possible that your kitten could have an illness or ailment, such as intestinal worms or a skin infection, which can cause ongoing health problems if you let it go.

    Age

    • Kittens are like any other species of animal in that they don't all develop at the exact same rate. Just because your kitten has been weaned from the mother, doesn't mean that it was ready. Very young kittens may have problems making it to the litter box or keeping themselves clean. Be patient and clean up after them. Show your kitten where the litter box is frequently. Clean up your kitten after it uses the litter box until it gets the idea that it should do these things on its own.

    Dirty

    • It's possible that your kitten is just dirty. Even though you may have just welcomed the kitten into your home, you can't be 100 percent sure of its living conditions before you came along. Purchase kitten shampoo from your vet or pet supply retail outlet. It's likely that this task won't be easy as cats are notorious for hating baths. Keep the water at a low level and have a towel ready. You may discover that something as simple as a bath can cure your kitten's odor issues.