Weaning kittens is the next milestone in a kitten’s life and it’s quite a big thing. So, what is weaning? Well, weaning can be defined as the transition from their mothers milk to introducing solid food to kittens. I think weaning kittens can be quite easy, but to make the transition nice and simple there are some easy steps to take! Let’s have a look through some points that can help the process.
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Knowing when your kitten is ready to be weaned
The weaning process begins around 4 weeks of age, but it can be dependent on the kittens too. Around this age they also begin to get their first set of teeth. So this is a good indicator that they are ready to start on solids as they allow them to chew. Another indicator that kittens are ready to be weaned is when they begin showing interest in their mother’s food. They may try to nibble or lick at her food or just watch her eat. Kittens will learn by watching their mother eat and if they see her eating it may make them even more interested in food. If your kitten begins showing these signs and they are around 4 weeks old, then they are ready to start the weaning process.
Where to begin?
When preparing to wean, thinking about where you’re going to feed your kittens is something to think about. Providing a quiet area, away from noise and distractions is ideal as they don’t like loud noises and could get startled. Using a crate or play pen, covered over with a blanket can create a safe place for the kittens to feed. To make it more inviting for them, place some nice cosy bedding in there, along with some toys. We can place litter trays in there if there is plenty of room.
Place some food and water bowls in there before weaning (don’t fill them), to get them used to the bowls. These need to be shallow bowls so the kittens can use them eventually. Make sure the room that they are feeding in is nice and warm. Allowing the mother to feed in there and to be present whilst their feeding is also creating a safe environment for the kittens. Now we have created a safe environment, which means we need to then think about what to feed our kittens.
How to choose a kitten food
When looking for a kitten food you’ll notice there are so many different brands out there, so how do we know what to choose? So, what do we need to look for in kitten food.
We know that there is adult cat food and kitten available but what is the difference?
Kittens need higher calories, protein and fats in their food as it is essential for their growth and development, adult cats don’t need the same ratios.
One thing we may notice when looking at foods is that they are labelled as a complete diet or complementary
A complete diet provides all the nutrients they need but a complementary only provides some so they do require more food to provide the other nutrients. Giving a kitten a complete diet is usually best as then you know they are getting all that is needed for their growth.
Then we must decide if we want to feed wet or dry or a mixture
Weaning kittens on a wet food is a good idea for the start, the wet food is much softer and easy to mash up for them to eat. It also provides them with water as they often have jelly or gravy in them. Feeding a dry kibble is also fine but it will need soaking when introduced. Kitten food is smaller in size, the kibbles will be smaller and the wet food chunks will also be smaller, ideal for small mouths. When looking at brands, it’s a minefield but look at their contents. Kittens need at least 36% protein, ideally from an animal source, so look at the back of the package and do some research. Do some research, see what brands of kitten food your vet’s stock as this would be a high quality of food, see what food you can easily get in case you run out unexpectedly.
And if in any doubt, have a chat to the vet nurses at your practice. They’re all qualified in nutrition and will be able to advise you!
How to introduce kitten food
With introducing solid food, it is so important that this is done slowly, a gradual transition to prevent any upset stomachs. To start the introduction, use a shallow dish and start with just a tablespoon of food at a time. To begin with it is easier to use wet food, as it is nice and soft for the kitten. Some kittens may not understand how to nibble on the small chunks. So it is helpful to mash the meaty chunks up at first until they are used to it. If you wish to feed dry food, then that is fine. When first introducing dry food, it is best to soak a few biscuits in warm water to soften the. Once the kittens are used to them then over time you can gradually stop soaking them.
Over time as the kittens grow so will their appetite, so more food can be given. Kittens should be fed three to four times a day, try and keep a routine with this. When first introducing the food, give it a couple of times a day so their little stomachs aren’t too overwhelmed by the change. During this time, they will still feed from the mother, as their appetite for the solids increases, they will feed less from their mother.
We should always provide a shallow bowl of water when weaning. They can also be given a milk replacer, which can also be given in a shallow dish. The milk replacer doesn’t replace the mother but helps provide them with the essential nutrients they need. This should also be given slowly over time. It is so important everything is done slowly as feeding solids is a whole new thing for a kitten, their stomachs need time to adjust.
Problems
Whilst it is natural for the kittens to start on solid food, we can run into some problems if we rush the process. Some problems that can occur during weaning are around the removal of the mother. The mother shouldn’t be taken away until the kittens are fully weaned off her, during this time they need her milk to thrive.
Hydration is another problem that could occur
We need to make sure they are drinking water, mothers’ milk or milk replacer. Stomach upsets are not uncommon – we are, after all, feeding something totally new.
Weight gain can also be an issue, so it is important to monitor a kitten’s weight to ensure they are growing well. If they aren’t gaining then they could be having problems feeding, not getting enough food or feeling unwell, so monitoring weight can help us a lot.
A quiet environment for them to feed will also be very handy, feeding them in a chaotic, noisy environment can upset them and they may not want to feed at all. The type of food could also stop them feeding, whilst most cats do like wet food, some kittens may only like dry food, so monitor them and see how they take to it.
Conclusion
Weaning kittens is rewarding as it’s another rewarding step in bringing them up. The process doesn’t need to be rushed; it will all happen when they are ready. Enjoy seeing them enjoy their first bites of solid food.