Weaning kittens is the process of completely stopping kittens from breastfeeding and switching to other foods. So when to wean kittens? How to wean a kitten? The following article will help you answer this problem.
Importance of milk for kittens
Before you begin the weaning phase, you need to know how important the mother's milk is to the kittens to know when it is appropriate to wean. Mother cat's milk is an essential and irreplaceable source of nutrition for kittens. In all cases, kittens should be breastfed within 12-24 hours of birth to be provided with the necessary antibodies.
If the mother cat has too many kittens and her body is not able to produce enough milk, each kitten should still be fed even a little bit of mother's milk. And you can pair the kittens with another mother cat. If you can't match the kittens, you can give them a replacement kitten formula with a bottle or a syringe without the tip.
Kittens need to be bottle-fed for three to four weeks. And you need to warm the bottle in a cup of hot water and check the temperature of the milk yourself and check if it is sour before giving the kitten the bottle. This is extremely important to avoid cat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If you're using formula, keep the bottle of unmixed powder in the freezer, not pre-mixed.
Breastfeed the kitten sparingly but often, every two to three hours during the day. At night it is also necessary to feed, and do not worry because at night they are hungry they will call you. And in case they sleep well without fuss, just let them sleep.
Before weaning kittens
The timing of weaning and how it is weaned has a great influence on the development and personality of the kittens later in life. Usually, the mother cat can always handle the weaning kitten on her own. However, if the mother cat loses milk, has little milk, or does not have a mother cat, you need to wean the kittens.
When to wean a kitten?
Usually, you need to wean kittens when they are four weeks old. If the kittens are still being breastfed, if they see them rushing, rushing in and hitting the mother's udder, even though the mother is annoyed and pushes away with her paws, it is time to wean.
If you're weaning an orphaned kitten, you can wean a little earlier, three to four weeks. When the kittens begin to bite and chew on their companions' feet and bottles, they are ready to be weaned.
How to wean a kitten
To wean your kittens, mix their food with formula, so that they can recognize the flavors they've seen with familiar meals before. Then use your fingers to smear the mixture around the mouth and let them lick themselves.
A few days after they get used to the new tastes and sensations, keep some of your usual pre-mixed food nearby for them to find on their own.
After introducing the cat, start perfecting the routine by setting aside a shallow dish for them to lick themselves.
However, you also need to watch the cat eat in the early days, to avoid the cat getting hungry, they can put their face in the food bowl, inhale the food into the lungs and get sick a few days later.
Between the fourth and sixth weeks, you can switch to more dry food, adding formula if needed. Or you can also use canned food like pate, canned meat or kitten food mixed with water. Add more water at first to about 40%, and gradually reduce the amount of water as the cat gets older.
General weaning schedule for kittens:
- Weeks 4-5: For wet food, preferably pate, mix with formula to form a paste. Add formula if the kitten refuses to accept the new food, to help it get enough calories.
- Weeks 5-6: Feed the kitten seeds mixed with a little water to soften.
- Weeks 6-7: Weaning is almost complete and by week 7, kittens can eat dry food or rice that doesn't need to be mixed with water.
Things you need to keep in mind when taking care of a weaning kitten
- Seeds can be given to kittens, but the best food for kittens under 3 months of age is still wet food like pate or canned meat.
- Breastfed kittens do not need formula feeding during the weaning period.
- When choosing food specifically for kittens, it is necessary to choose foods with higher calories, protein, and calcium are the most necessary nutrients. It is not necessary to buy food for the mother cat separately, because the mother cat and the kittens can eat the same type of kitten food.
- Kittens while weaning still need to be kept warm. Make a nest for them by lining a high-walled carton or lined with cotton/wool towels. An extra layer of diapers or drapes can be added over the towel.
Here is some information about Weaning kittens that we want to share with you. Wish you have healthy and lovely cats. If you need to know more about other ways to take care of cats, contact http://vanchuyenchomeo.com/ for advice.
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