Weaning Kittens From Formula
You may begin by just introducing a small teaspoon of wet food mixed with the formula which allows the kitten to acclimate to the new proteins and flavors.
Weaning kittens from formula. Then you can introduce them to lapping from a bowl. At that point place cup of milk replacer and kitten chow in a shallow bowl. What are some steps to help the weaning process. Certainly this can be done with a fork or spoon but i love to use my blender.
Kittens may play with the gruel batting it around and stepping into the bowl before they understand that it s food. Before weaning your kitten make sure that it s around 4 weeks old with the ability to focus and walk steadily. When you are weaning kittens you can add into the kitten formula a bit of canned or dry kitten food. Cows milk is not appropriate for kittens it will make him sick.
Weigh the kitten throughout the weaning process. If you are weaning a bottle fed kitten dip the nipple of the bottle or syringe eye dropper in the formula instead of using your finger. Blend these ingredients together until the consistency is like that of a jar of human baby food or infant cereal. Smear the mixture around their mouth with your finger and let them lick it off.
To teach your kittens how to lap from a bowl place some kitten replacement formula in a shallow feeding bowl. As the kitten becomes more comfortable eating meat you ll begin increasing the ratio so that there is more wet food present at each feeding. I can t get kitten formula so i ve been feeding him with cow milk mixed in water. If the kitten seems interested and licks it off then you can start weaning her.
Smear the mixture around their mouth with your finger and let them lick it off. Have patience and don t rush. To begin weaning a kitten mix the kitten food with formula so they recognize the taste. If your kitten is reluctant try feeding it with an eye dropper or by letting it lick the milk off your finger.
Monitor them so they don t lap too fast and never push their face into the bowl which could cause them to inhale the mixture and develop pneumonia. This process usually begins when a kitten is around 4 weeks of age and it ends when he or she reaches the age of 8 to 10 weeks. However begin each feeding by offering the bowl first to eventually acclimate your. If the kitten is orphaned weaning can be done before the cat gets to 1 month of age.
My kitten is 4 weeks old and is not defecating only urinating what should i do. Once they get used to the taste they ll seek it out elsewhere. Repeat this until the kitten gets used to the taste. Also does weaning begin with the milk the kitten drinks i tried to feed him wet cat food but he did nt eat.
The food you mix with the milk. To begin weaning a kitten mix the kitten food with formula so they recognize the taste. Try putting a drop or two of the kitten formula on your finger. However you must be very careful about crushing the dry food really well.
One thing to keep in mind before beginning is that weaning is a process that is going to require a bit of patience on your part. Once they get used to the taste they ll seek it out elsewhere. Place a high quality dry kitten food in the blender with kitten milk replacer and hot water. If her weight drops or steadies you ll need to supplement with a bottle try a different method of eating or scale back to kitten formula.
Dip your finger into the formula and offer it to the kitten to lick it off.