Weaning cats is the process of converting the cat from mother’s milk to regular food, whether dry food or home food. The process of weaning kittens is an important part of a cat’s development, and it must be done at the right time and in the right way.
It is normal for the mother cat to handle the weaning of kittens on her own. But when the mother cat has trouble producing milk, or when the mother dies, we must intervene.
In this article, we will present to you the period of weaning kittens and their dates in detail:
Important tips before starting the weaning period of cats
Before you start weaning kittens, you should let them drink as much breast milk as possible. Especially during the first 12 to 24 hours of life.
Because milk contains antibodies that the kitten can only absorb during this time.
If the mother cat has a lot of kittens and cannot produce enough milk, each cat should get some of her own milk.
Feed the kitten slowly every two to three hours during the day. And at night, don’t worry about it; He’ll wake you up when he’s hungry. And if he’s asleep, let him sleep, and you sleep too.
When is the weaning of kittens… and how do you know when the kittens are weaned?
Usually, the weaning period of kittens begins when they are four weeks old.
At first the kittens will try to breastfeed from the mother, and she will push them away from her. Gradually you are weaning
Therefore, the mother instinctively performs the weaning process by herself without the help of anyone.
But if you are the one trying to wean an orphaned kitten, you can start a little earlier, between three to four weeks.
Until you know the time of weaning the kittens, you will notice that the kittens will begin to bite the feeding method that they use from about 3 weeks of age.
How to wean kittens
To start weaning, mix the kitten’s food with a milk substitute until the kitten knows how to taste. Put the mixture around his mouth with your finger and allow him to lick the food.
Once he gets used to the taste, he will then look for food everywhere.
You can then teach him to lick food from the bowl. Watch him not to bend too quickly or push his face into the bowl, which can cause you to inhale the mixture and get pneumonia.
At the time of weaning kittens between the fourth and sixth weeks, introduce dry food “dry food for kittens” to the kitten, while continuing to breastfeed in parallel if necessary.
Add plenty of water to help him eat because he won’t have strong teeth to gnaw, then reduce the amount of water as the cat matures.
The appropriate schedule for weaning kittens can be as follows:
- Age 4 weeks to 5 weeks: Give the kitten wet dry food or mixed with milk substitute to make it soft. Supplement with regular food if the cat does not want to eat new food, to make sure it is getting enough calories.
- Age 5 weeks to 6 weeks: Kittens should start nibbling on food slightly moistened with water.
- Age 7 to 8 weeks: Now the little weaning process is complete, and they should eat all solid foods in the seventh week.
Other tips for weaning kittens
- When weaning a kitten, it is important to use food specially formulated for kittens.
- These foods contain higher levels of calories, protein and calcium than kittens need.
- If you are caring for a mother cat and her young, it is okay for the mother cat to eat the same food as the kitten while feeding.
- Kittens that have been weaned should be kept warm. A layer of diapers can be added in their sleeping place so that they can enjoy complete warmth and safety.
- Weaning kittens is a natural and easy process. Of course, kittens may need a little help from you. But with a little patience and love for these little kittens, it will pass smoothly.
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