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Like all mammals, kittens begin their lives consuming their mother’s milk. But at some point, they need to be gradually weaned so they can start eating solid food. Normally, the mother cat will deal with the majority of the weaning, but something may happen and she isn’t able to, which means you’ll need to step in. But when is it time to do this? How should you go about weaning kittens off their mother?
Weaning kittens off their mother isn’t usually too difficult; it just involves a few steps and a bit of time. Here’s a closer look at what the process involves and a step-by-step guide on how exactly to wean kittens. Keep reading!
Before You Start: Know When to Wean a Kitten
In most situations, kittens should be ready to begin the weaning process at around 4 weeks old.1 A good way to tell if a kitten can be weaned is how mobile they are (for example, exploring their area to play) and whether they’re able to stand while also holding their tail up. Looking at your kitten’s teeth can also tell you whether they are ready to be weaned—they should have incisors and canines by this time. The kittens might also start trying to eat their mother’s food.
If you have a kitten but no nursing cat, you’ll need to take her place and feed the kitten with milk replacement formula until they are 4 weeks old and ready to wean. At that time, as long as they’ve become more active and can stand with their tail up, they should be ready to be weaned off the formula slowly, just like a kitten that nursed from their mother cat. Usually, the weaning process takes about 3 weeks, with most kittens completely weaned by 6–8 weeks of age.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Wean a Kitten
There are actually only three steps to weaning a kitten, but these steps will take a few weeks. You’ll be weaning the kitten off milk slowly, rather than quickly, to avoid stomach upset. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Introduce Kitten Food Slowly
The first step in weaning a kitten off their mother or milk replacement formula starts when they are around 4 weeks old. This is when you’ll slowly introduce them to their new food. Soften wet kitten food by mixing it with water or kitten milk replacement formula at first. Since you’re going slowly and carefully, you might want to smear some of this mix on your finger so the kitten can lick it off.
Every kitten is unique in their nutritional needs, so we recommend reaching out to your vet for nutritional advice.
2. Increase the Amount Gradually
Once the kitten seems comfortable with this new way of eating, you can attempt to put the softened kitten food in a flat dish to see if they’ll eat it that way. Just keep a close eye on the kitty during this time to ensure they don’t inhale their food and choke or eat so fast that they get sick. Little and often is best, as they have a small stomach, so follow the feeding guidelines on the kitten food.
3. Move to Dry Food
Getting a kitten used to the formula/water and food mixture and having them start eating from a bowl will hopefully only take a week or two. By the time a kitten has reached 5–6 weeks, you should be able to start transitioning them (again, slowly) to dry food, if that’s what you want to feed them. To make it easier for the kitty to digest dry food, you can soften it with water at first. Then gradually reduce the amount of water that the dry food is mixed with as the kitten becomes more comfortable eating it. Make sure they always have a shallow dish of fresh water available to drink.
4. Monitor the Kittens Carefully
By 6–7 weeks, a kitten should be comfortably consuming dry food, meaning the weaning process is finished. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still keep an eye on them! Watch for any issues that may arise, and ensure the kitten is actually swallowing; sometimes, kittens think this new food is a toy at first, so it could take them a little time to understand that it’s for eating. Regularly weighing kittens to make sure they are gaining weight is a good idea. Also, it is important to be patient at this step!
Frequent Asked Questions About Weaning Kittens
Now you know how to wean a kitten off their mother and when. But you might still be wondering about the process. Here are a couple of the most commonly asked questions about this topic.
What If a Kitten Is Weaned Earlier Than They Should Be?
There’s a reason kittens should be weaned at a certain time, which is that weaning kittens earlier than they should results in them being more likely to develop anxiety and aggression. Weaning kittens too early can have an adverse effect on their behavior later, and that isn’t something you want!
Do I Really Need to Use Kitten-Specific Food?
Yes! Kittens have different nutritional requirements than adult cats, as they are rapidly growing and developing. Kitten-specific formulas are designed to have more calories and higher levels of certain nutrients, which are vital to the healthy growth of a kitten.
Final Thoughts
Weaning a kitten off their mother should be started around the age of 4 weeks. The process will take a bit of time, but when a kitten has reached about 8 weeks of age, they should be successfully weaned and enjoying dry food. A slow, steady weaning process will lead to healthier kittens. Just remember to give the kittens a high-quality food specifically designed for them, as these formulas have all the nutrients and calories they need!
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Featured Image Credit: Levent Konuk, Shutterstock
