How to wean a kitten

How to wean a kitten? How adorable are newborn kittens? However, falling in love with them is not enough: you have to follow them in the best possible way in weaning! Let's find out how and when to do it.

The weaning of kittens

The kittens very small are adorable and just look to fall in love. However, we must pay close attention to their weaning : in fact too often it happens that, to facilitate their adoption, the kittens are separated from their mother too early. If you have to adopt a kitten, therefore, make sure that it has already been weaned in the right way and at the right time, because an early separation from the mother can cause both physical and emotional problems in the little one.

Having said that, the weaning of kittens is a crucial moment for their growth, and we must be able to accompany them at best in this phase, whether they have their mother at their side or have been orphaned. We have already talked about what to feed puppy cats, let's now try to answer the fundamental questions: here's when to wean a kitten and how to do it!

When to wean kittens

The weaning is the time when a kitty , just like a little kid, goes from liquid food to solid food. If you have a litter at home it is also your job to make sure that this transition happens in the best and most natural way possible.

If you are wondering when to wean kittens , know that it will not be a matter of one day: weaning begins when the cat is one month old , but the transition to solid food must be gradual and therefore lasts until it reaches 3 months of age. age. Before that, it is absolutely wrong to separate the young from the mother. Furthermore, in these first months of life, kittens learn to be real cats by imitating their mother: they then begin to discover the bowl, to lick each other and to use the box (and often the first attempts are extremely funny and tender).

In short, a cat can be considered weaned, and therefore also adoptable, when it is at least 3 months old.

How to wean a kitten

As we mentioned, when the cat is 4 weeks old, it's time to get busy: weaning begins ! You can then start buying solid foods that are made especially for very small cats and offer them to the little one in the bowl. 

At this stage, it is important to avoid forcing: some puppies eat them immediately with enthusiasm, others take longer to get used to. If you try to impose the new food on the kitten you could create a trauma, so it is better to leave it at his disposal and wait for him to taste it spontaneously. Especially since, seeing the mother eat from the bowl, the kitten will try to imitate her.

After the first mouthfuls of solid food, the baby may regurgitate it: don't worry, this is completely normal in this phase of weaning.. Gradually it will get used to it and will have no more problems: you can give it specific food for kittens until it is about 7 months old, at which point it can be fed like an adult cat .

Kitten weaning program

Let's try to summarize this information in a phased kitten weaning program :

• 4-5 weeks of age: feed wet or moistened dry food, perhaps mixed with water, to form a pappetta;
• 5-6 weeks of age: the kitten in weaning must begin to gnaw the kibble, slightly moistened with water;
• 7-8 weeks of age: At this point, the kitten 's weaning process is almost complete and she should be able to eat more or less all solid food. Habit that will be perfectly consolidated by 12 weeks.

How to wean an orphaned kitten

As we have seen, weaning a kitten is as important as it is simple. However, things change radically when it comes to weaning an orphaned kitten .
If you happen to adopt or rescue a cat from the street that, unfortunately, was snatched early by its mother, you will need to be very careful. 

First of all, remember that during the first 2 weeks of life, kittens are unable to regulate their body temperature on their own: in fact, it is usually the mother who warms them by keeping them close to her. You will then need to keep them close to a heat source, such as a non-boiling hot water bottle wrapped in a damp cloth. However, it is forbidden to place them next to a radiator or stove: these objects dry the air too much and risk killing the kittens!

How to wean an orphaned kitten

As for the food, until the cat is ready to ingest solid baby food, you will need to give him some powdered milk for kittens with a bottle with a large teat or with a small syringe. During the first 2 weeks of life, the cat will need to eat a little at a time every 3 hours, then it will adapt to more comfortable rhythms and quantities.

The milk will have to be lukewarm, at about 38 degrees, and you will have to give it to him keeping his belly facing down. Once you have finished eating, it is best to clean the cat's mouth and nose to make sure the airways are not blocked.

It is not easy to wean an orphaned kitten and forces you to wake up even at night, but we assure you that the tenderness of the little one will repay you for every effort and you will know that you have saved his life!

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