When To Wean Kittens Off Milk

Mother cats produce milk for about 12 weeks and kittens may try to nurse the entire time.

When to wean kittens off milk. A good rule of thumb is to see if a meat is listed first on its ingredients. It is designed to replicate the nutritional value and to a degree the taste of its mother s milk. Begin by offering milk replacer in a. The process of weaning usually starts when kittens are about three to four weeks old and takes two to three weeks to complete.

You can however start weaning the kittens at three weeks if you sense they are ready. Certainly by five weeks old all of your kittens should be taking an active interest in more solid food. As the kitten slowly grows accustomed to eating gradually reduce the amount of milk replacer you use. When you first start weaning your kitten off of its mother s milk you ll want to buy milk replacer.

Kittens derive important antibodies and nutrients from their mother s milk. A kitten 0 5 weeks old should be nursing or bottle feeding. Gradually transition to a gruel created by mixing a commercial milk replacer with high quality kitten food. Begin by offering milk replacer in a dish teaching the kitten how to lap from the dish.

The first milk or colostrum contains antibodies that the kitten can only absorb during this time. Use your best judgement and follow the kitten s lead to determine the appropriate age to wean. It is time to teach the kittens to eat from a dish. Generally orphaned or hand fed kittens can begin weaning slightly earlier at about three weeks of age but otherwise the process is essentially the same.

Around 5 weeks of age the kitten s premolars will begin to emerge indicating that she is likely ready to start trying out some meaty foods. If you see any changes in the kitten s health or energy during this process. However some kittens may need a bit more time on the bottle due to health issues or differences in weight or size. When their teeth come in they may explore their mother s food imitating her by trying to eat it.

Once you start to wean your kittens it s a good idea to try and feed them about four times a day if it s practical for you breakfast lunch tea and bedtime. You ll also want to be sure to purchase high quality cat food which will be introduced to the kitten gradually. Generally orphaned or hand fed kittens can begin weaning slightly earlier at about three weeks of age but otherwise the process is essentially the same. By five to six weeks of age he should.

When the kittens are between 3 and 4 weeks of age it is time to begin the process of weaning them. As much as possible they should exclusively rely on their mother s milk up until they are four weeks of age. I often begin by offering milk replacer do not give cow s milk to kittens in a very shallow dish. This will mean that the food has a higher percentage of protein which growing cats need to be healthy.