Like most mammals, kittens start their life by consuming their mother's milk. The transition from drinking mother cat's milk to eating their own food is called weaning. If your cat has kittens and/or you are caring for a kitten that does not have a mother, you will need to know what to prepare and what to do so that the kitten can go through this important stage.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Preparing to Wean the Kitten
Step 1. Determine when to wean the kitten
The weaning process begins when the kitten is about four weeks old. For most kittens, this process usually ends when the kitten is 8-10 weeks old. Once the kitten's eyes are open and starting to focus, and the kitten is able to walk smoothly, you can begin the weaning process.
At about 10-14 days old, the kitten's eyes and ears will begin to open. Between 2-3 weeks of age, kittens begin to be able to stand and walk unsteadily. His muscles will wake up and he will start learning to walk. At this time, the kitten still gets its nutrition from its mother's milk. Once the mother cat sees that her kittens can walk, she will naturally start weaning her own kittens
Step 2. Buy the food you need
When you start trying to wean a kitten off its mother's milk, you'll need to buy a milk replacement formula. This formula was created to mimic the nutritional values to the taste of mother cat's milk. It's also a good idea to buy high-quality cat food that your kitten can introduce gradually. The basic rule is to see if meat is listed in the cat's food ingredients. That means the food has a higher percentage of protein and that is what kittens need in order to grow healthy.
Do not give cow's milk. Cow's milk is not a suitable substitute because a kitten's stomach can't process it. Kittens will even get diarrhea
Step 3. Buy a shallow place to eat and drink
You can use ceramic or plastic bowls. Make sure that the kitten can easily reach the inside of the bowl. Kittens will drink replacement formula and eat other foods more easily.
Step 4. Don't suddenly separate the kitten from its mother if you can
Kittens, like human children, learn by paying attention to their surroundings. Kittens will pay attention to their mother while eating, using the litter box, and playing. He will also imitate this behavior. If you're keeping a mother and kittens together, try to keep them together for as long as possible-or at least until the kitten is 10 weeks old. Over time, the mother and kitten will naturally separate.
- It's okay if you want to keep the two separate for a few hours a day for four weeks. Make sure you provide a litter box as well as a separate food and drink bowl. Gradually, the kitten will become more independent and will choose to separate from its mother.
- Don't worry if your kitten doesn't have parents. Kittens have a strong instinct for survival. It will find a way to feed itself, even though its mother is not around. Most people who keep kittens without parents prefer to wean them at an early age, around four weeks. At that age, the kitten's stomach is already developed so it can digest solid food. Kittens just need to be taught to eat solid food.
Part 2 of 2: Weaning Kittens
Step 1. Serve replacement formula for the kitten
Initially, kittens will need four to five feeding times each day. Give about 1/3 cup of milk substitute and mushy cat food for each meal. Kittens can go the whole night without food, but if you hear them meowing, you can give them some extra food before going to bed.
If you have a newborn kitten that has separated from its mother, you should imitate the natural way of feeding kittens using a pipette. Fill the dropper with the milk substitute you purchased. Hold the kitten securely, then drop a few drops of milk into the kitten's mouth little by little. Otherwise, some people choose to dip their finger in the milk and let the kitten lick it
Step 2. Get used to the kitten to eat from the bowl
This can be a difficult process for the kitten to do. If your kitten is used to sucking milk from its mother, it will find the food bowl a strange substitute. All you have to do is show the kitten where the milk is. Dip your finger in the bowl and pass it to the kitten. Gradually, he will recognize the smell of the milk and will find out more.
Do not press the kitten's head into the bowl. If you do, the kitten may choke on the milk and cause lung problems. If the kitten refuses to eat from the bowl, return to using the dropper or mother's milk to feed the kitten. However, start each meal by offering the bowl first to encourage the kitten to drink from the bowl
Step 3. Introduce solid foods
When the kitten is used to licking the milk in the bowl, offer the cat food in the form of porridge. To make it, mix high-quality, wet kitten food with replacement formula. It should be the same thickness as oatmeal. Many people use a blender to mix cat food with milk substitute.
You can introduce this porridge and other wet food to your kitten at 5-6 weeks of age
Step 4. Change your kitten's diet to solid food at about 8-10 weeks of age
Gradually, stop providing porridge and offer softened kitten food. When you switch to solids, make sure you have a separate bowl for the water.
- To complete the transition process, reduce the softness of the cat food until it can accept the structure of the original cat food. A bowl of water should always be available next to the food bowl.
- Make sure the kitten can eat about four times a day until it is 6 months old. Once you reach that age, you can reduce your eating time to just two meals a day.
- Consult your veterinarian regarding feeding methods. Some veterinarians will suggest an “ad lib” or liberal feeding method rather than a scheduled feeding. Ad lib feeding proponents say that this method can accommodate picky cats-or cats who don't want to eat at scheduled times. In general, if this method makes your cat happy, go for it. If your kitten is overweight, you may want to consider switching this method to a scheduled feeding to limit the kitten's daily intake of food.
