Weaning Kittens At 8 Weeks

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.

Weaning kittens at 8 weeks. Start slowly by mixing canned or dry cat food in with some kitten formula to make baby food check the ingredients to make sure the food contains no onion as this is toxic to cats. 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. 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. 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.

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. If you are in charge of weaning an orphaned kitten please remember that weaning should not be attempted at too early of an age. I am just worried that they are tiring her out or it isn t good for her. Kittens can be introduced to solid food during their fifth week although they ll continue nursing for a few weeks after this.

Between days 8 through 18 its weight should increase to about 10 oz. 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. In many cases kittens begin eating strictly solid. The weaning process can begin around five weeks of age.

They eat hard kitten food and are drinking water but they are still breast feeding of the mother. My cat had two kittens they are both just over 8 weeks old. Introduce a small amount initially. 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.

It is very important for kittens to remain with mom until weaning is completed. If your kitten is reluctant try feeding it with an eye dropper or by letting it lick the milk. A kitten s physical development speeds up and the weaning process begins. This is a vital stage for learning from their mother and siblings.

When you are weaning a kitten onto solid food it s important to use a food formulated specifically for kittens. 9 12 weeks. The weaning process normally begins when kittens are around four weeks old and is usually completed when they reach eight to ten weeks. Not all kittens will take to food immediately so patience is important.

At that point place cup of milk replacer and kitten chow in a shallow bowl. By now the kitten weaning process is complete and they should be eating all solid food by week seven. These formulas have the higher levels. Kittens rely on their mother s milk for proper growth and development.

4 8 weeks nutrition. Weaning and learning cat skills. The weaning kittens should start to nibble on the kibble slightly moistened with water. Weaning my kittens at 8 weeks.

Other kitten weaning tips. 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. You can introduce solids either by placing a. What should i do.

Then dip your finger in the food and present it to your kitten to encourage it to eat from the bowl.