Weaning Kittens Off Mom

Place the kittens in a separate area away from their.

Weaning kittens off mom. If a kitten has an upper respiratory infection a cold they may lose their sense of smell. Watch her for signs that she s preparing the kittens for weaning. Once they get used to the taste they ll seek it out elsewhere. Weaning can begin earlier in the case of orphaned or hand fed kittens.

If you are in charge of weaning an orphaned kitten please remember that weaning should not be attempted at too early of an age. Weaning is the fun messy adventure of helping a kitten transition from nursing or bottle feeding to eating solid food on her own. It is designed to replicate the nutritional value and to a degree the taste of its mother s milk. Mother cats are in charge of determining when exactly to wean their litters off of exclusive milk although the procedure generally starts when kittens are somewhere around the one month landmark in their wee lives.

When you first start weaning your kitten off of its mother s milk you ll want to buy milk replacer. It helps for nutritional balance in your kitten. Packaged food formulated for weaning kittens is the best choice. But be careful using this equipment and never leave the kittens alone.

The process generally begins when a kitten is around four weeks old and should be complete by eight to ten weeks. Kittens often need extra support during this time to help ensure they re receiving the proper nutrients in proper quantity and to keep them on track for success and independence. You can either use hot water bottles or heating pads to make them warmer. Avoid giving kittens cow.

Kittens generally nibble solid foods at three to four weeks. As the litter grows up mom has less to do with them. It manages the calorie intake and the nutritional needs of kittens. Weaning refers to the process by which a kitten goes from mother s milk to solid food.

The weaning process normally begins when kittens are around four weeks old and is usually completed when they reach eight to ten weeks. Purchase canned and dry food specifically manufactured with kitten nutrition in mind. As the kittens eat more solid food they may be separated from their mom for longer periods of time. She won t let them nurse as easily and may start hissing at them.

You ll also want to be sure to purchase high quality cat food which will be introduced to the kitten gradually. At this stage when they re around a month old you can start supplementing them with kitten food. When a queen is nowhere near and you re in charge of bottle feeding you can also start weaning kittens who are roughly 4 weeks old too. This is not only good for the kittens but also for mom who needs to have the weaning process decreased slowly so that she doesn t develop mastitis.

To begin weaning a kitten mix the kitten food with formula so they recognize the taste. Pet owners should make the transition as easy as possible for kittens. Monitor them so they don t lap too fast and never push their face into the bowl which could cause them to. Then you can introduce them to lapping from a bowl.

Make sure this area has a litter box and water bowls. Smear the mixture around their mouth with your finger and let them lick it off. To help weaning kittens become less dependent on mom and her milk place them in an area separate from mom for a few hours at a time. Generally when a kitten s eyes are open and able to focus and he is steady on his feet the introduction of solid food can.

Commercial kitten milk replacer is the way.