Weaning Kittens At 8 Weeks

As a kitten s milk teeth develop the weaning process begins.
Weaning kittens at 8 weeks. In many cases kittens begin eating strictly solid. After a while the kittens will begin to show an interest in their mother s solid food and they can begin to transition from a milk only diet. These formulas have the higher levels. The weaning process can begin around five weeks of age.
The weaning kittens should start to nibble on the kibble slightly moistened with water. Not all kittens will take to food immediately so patience is important. By now the kitten weaning process is complete and they should be eating all solid food by week seven. Kittens can be introduced to solid food during their fifth week although they ll continue nursing for a few weeks after this.
Gradually the kittens will become more interested in what their mum is eating rather than the special baby food and by about six or seven weeks old they will be ready to move up another step in the weaning process. My cat had two kittens they are both just over 8 weeks old. I am just worried that they are tiring her out or it isn t good for her. Before weaning your kitten make sure that it s around 4 weeks old with the ability to focus and walk steadily.
If you are in charge of weaning an orphaned kitten please remember that weaning should not be attempted at too early of an age. 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. Introduce a small amount initially. If a kitten is nursing from its mother you ll have to depend on how much the kitten weighs to know whether or not it is consuming enough food.
However they will still enjoy the comfort of feeding from her from time to time probably up until the time that they are old enough to leave home and this is perfectly normal. Kittens rely on their mother s milk for proper growth and development. This is a vital stage for learning from their mother and siblings. What should i do.
The mother is the sole nutritional source for kittens until they re about 4 weeks of age although weaning often continues until the cuties are between 8 and 10 weeks according to the aspca. A kitten s physical development speeds up and the weaning process begins. At that point place cup of milk replacer and kitten chow in a shallow bowl. When you are weaning a kitten onto solid food it s important to use a food formulated specifically for kittens.
Weaning my kittens at 8 weeks. A 2 to 3 week old kitten will still need to be fed every 2 3 hours and it should consume at least 1 2 tablespoon of formula or milk during each meal. The weaning process normally begins when kittens are around four weeks old and is usually completed when they reach eight to ten weeks. If your kitten is reluctant try feeding it with an eye dropper or by letting it lick the milk.
Between days 8 through 18 its weight should increase to about 10 oz. Then dip your finger in the food and present it to your kitten to encourage it to eat from the bowl. Weaning and learning cat skills. According to tufts cummings school of veterinary medicine some vets even recommend offering mama kitty the same kitten food while she s nursing since its high protein and fat content will help her recover and stay.
They eat hard kitten food and are drinking water but they are still breast feeding of the mother. You can introduce solids either by placing a. It is very important for kittens to remain with mom until weaning is completed. And it will begin to crawl.
Other kitten weaning tips.