When do kittens who have a mother start to eat real food?
BecauseISaidSo asked:
My cat had 2 kittens two weeks ago. I was just wondering at what week they should start to be given canned food. Or, will the mother cat give them some when they are ready?? I have no idea, as I have never had a cat with kittens before.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Cats.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
My cat had 2 kittens two weeks ago. I was just wondering at what week they should start to be given canned food. Or, will the mother cat give them some when they are ready?? I have no idea, as I have never had a cat with kittens before.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Weaning is an important part of kitten care. Whether the kittens are being cared for by their feline mother or are being orphan raised, the method and timing of weaning can have lifelong effects on the babies. Learning how to wean can help the kitten develop emotionally and socially.
Timing is Everything
About 4 weeks after birth, the mother cat normally begins to evade the kittens and discourages nursing. At this time, the kittens also naturally begin to show a decline in the length of time they nurse. More of their time is spent exploring their new world.
At this point, it is time to start offering food for the kittens to sample. Even if the kittens are being orphan raised, begin offering food around 3 to 6 weeks of age, when the kittens weigh over 500 grams.dave
September 24th, 2009 at 3:07 am
Usually around 5 or 6 weeks old they show interest. Sometimes at 4 weeks but usually not.
Mix some canned kitten food with KMR and warm water and make it a thick soup. You will need to feed each separate - start by getting them to lick the food off your fingers or gently push a little in their mouths.
In a few weeks they will be eating on their own. Keep the kittens for at least 10-12 weeks so they are mentally and physically ready to leave.
Mom should be spayed by the time the kits are 8 weeks old.Ocimom
September 24th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I got worried about my kittens when they were 4 weeks old because they wernt interested in suckling. I got powdered milk and everything and they wouldnt take it. I decided to put some wet food out and low and behold all they wanted was some food obviously they still had milk of the mother. The vet said this was normal. Put some out bout 4 weeks and if they want it they will eat it.Roxy