weaning kittens!

kezzygirl

Hello!!!
Some of you may remember I posted in June/July about my girl Tabby who had five kittens!!They are now Five weeks old and doing really well!

Three of them have started to wean and have taken to it really well, lapping up the kitten meat but avoiding the lactol.

However, two of them just are not interested.We have bottles, they will not drink from the,They will not eat kitten food or try the lactol. Their mother, Tabby, is detatching herself from them more and more, only allowing them to feed a couple of times a day for a few minutes before she gets up and leaves them crying.

Any suggestions please?!!!

secondhandsusie6cats

5 weeks is usually the earliest that kittens start to wean onto solids. It can be a messy and slow process. There is no need to try and rush this, kittens develop at slightly different rates just as children do. Kittens tend to start to tread and play in their wet food at first until they realise it is for eating. Kibble shouldn't be given to them at this age. Try some Hills A/D food - very palatable and can be warmed slightly in a microwave. It becomes quite liquidy when stirred and is easily digested. It is however, a very 'rich' food so can upset their tummies. You could try smearing a bit of the wet food on the front of the kittens' paws and a little tiny bit on their mouth as they will soon lick that off. If their Mother has been feeding them they won't need the lactol. I don't know your circumstances so will try not to be too judgmental but I hope that your cat getting pregnant in the first place was purely an 'accident' and that you are not allowing her outside at all until you've had her spayed (once the kittens are 7 weeks + and her milk has gone down). Also, kittens should not leave their mother until they are at least 8-9 weeks old as they teach them vital socialisation skills. Kittens should be wormed with veterinary approved products made specifically for cats from 5 weeks of age. They should also be treated for fleas but again, using veterinary products suitable for the species and age/weight. They can be microchipped once big enough and vaccinated from 8/9 weeks. I wish these kittens well and hope they will find homes with responsible people who will ensure they are neutered when 4-6 months old. I apologise if I've got the wrong end of the stick and of course you have asked for advice so shouldn't be shot down in flames, however, too bad if my post offends anyone if I have judged the situation right as I spend my life trying to promote animal welfare and to encourage people to have their pets neutered so as not to add to the crisis we face of too many unwanted pets - many of whom end up being euthanised even if there is nothing wrong with them!!!!! Please be a part of the solution and not the problem people; don't use your animals as cash cows - it's blood money. Remember, Don't breed or buy whilst homeless pets die!!!!

chez22

I think you will get a range of opinions on this as everyone's experience is different. I have had kittens that were eating dry food at 3 weeks and some that still weren't interested at 6 weeks, so it really can vary a lot. I don't usually bother with lactol or kitten milk as it can give kittens diarrhoea if they have too much.

Keep an eye on the kittens weight as this is the best gauge of how they are doing, as a general rule they should weigh 100g for every week old they are. You can also worm them with Panacur from 3 weeks and Milbemax or Drontal from 6 weeks if they are big enough but please check dosage with your vet.

If their weight is good and the kittens are lively and responsive I wouldn't worry too much, some kittens just develop more slowly than others and they will get the hang of it eventually

spartacusthe1st

Kezzy!! Can't believe they are 5 weeks! Our are going to the same new home on the 19th when they are 9weeks old.
Don't have any advice as both of mine are almost fully weaned and totally litter trained (yippee)
Let us know how they get on

secondhandsusie6cats

I hope you too sportacusthe1st will be getting your cat spayed so you aren't adding the problem of the number of unwanted cats in this country!!!

skintandscared_2

We have just had our pup's injections done and the vet has advised that their "policy" on neutering is to only do it if there are severe behavioural problems with the animal. Maybe it's different with cats (as outdoor cats are obviously less monitored than dogs!)

kezzygirl

secondhandsusie6cats wrote: »

5 weeks is usually the earliest that kittens start to wean onto solids. It can be a messy and slow process. There is no need to try and rush this, kittens develop at slightly different rates just as children do. Kittens tend to start to tread and play in their wet food at first until they realise it is for eating. Kibble shouldn't be given to them at this age. Try some Hills A/D food - very palatable and can be warmed slightly in a microwave. It becomes quite liquidy when stirred and is easily digested. It is however, a very 'rich' food so can upset their tummies. You could try smearing a bit of the wet food on the front of the kittens' paws and a little tiny bit on their mouth as they will soon lick that off. If their Mother has been feeding them they won't need the lactol. I don't know your circumstances so will try not to be too judgmental but I hope that your cat getting pregnant in the first place was purely an 'accident' and that you are not allowing her outside at all until you've had her spayed (once the kittens are 7 weeks + and her milk has gone down). Also, kittens should not leave their mother until they are at least 8-9 weeks old as they teach them vital socialisation skills. Kittens should be wormed with veterinary approved products made specifically for cats from 5 weeks of age. They should also be treated for fleas but again, using veterinary products suitable for the species and age/weight. They can be microchipped once big enough and vaccinated from 8/9 weeks. I wish these kittens well and hope they will find homes with responsible people who will ensure they are neutered when 4-6 months old. I apologise if I've got the wrong end of the stick and of course you have asked for advice so shouldn't be shot down in flames, however, too bad if my post offends anyone if I have judged the situation right as I spend my life trying to promote animal welfare and to encourage people to have their pets neutered so as not to add to the crisis we face of too many unwanted pets - many of whom end up being euthanised even if there is nothing wrong with them!!!!! Please be a part of the solution and not the problem people; don't use your animals as cash cows - it's blood money. Remember, Don't breed or buy whilst homeless pets die!!!!

Can't understand where you manage to deduce that I am using my cat as a cash cow? who says I am even charging for the kittens?! They all have homes with my friends and friends of my daughter...thanks for the advice re.weaning. One of them has started eating so it is just the one who is still not really interested.

kezzygirl

secondhandsusie6cats wrote: »

I hope you too sportacusthe1st will be getting your cat spayed so you aren't adding the problem of the number of unwanted cats in this country!!!

rofl!!! wow, cat patrol!perhaps you should all don whiskers and prowl the streets with placards.What the hell I choose to do with my(VERY well looked after cat) and kittens is nothing to do with ANY of you,in fact, it amuses me that you think you have a god given right to pass judgement?!!

Not that it has ANYTHING to do with you, but my girl will be spayed once the babies are weaned...:rotfl:

kezzygirl

Hi spartacus, time flies!glad your babies have homes, it was great having support whilst waiting for Tabby to give birth!she is doing great, has been a really good mum,I am so proud of her.we are keeping only one of the babies, I think two will be a bit much!

G-WWBB

We've had this problem with a few of our foster families, the best thing we've tried, and several other foster parents have tried at our branch, is sandwich ham.
We've also used it to gain the trust of very nervous kittens when they've come to us after being abandoned. Once they get the taste for it, food is suddenly more appealing.

Like Chez, we've had kittens as young as 3 weeks chewing away on both wet and dry food, and one in our first foster families was nearly 8 weeks before she was interested in anything other than mum's milk (and pieces of cat litter!). So I don't think there's any specific age where kittens should start weaning on to wet/dry, just when they're ready to, they'll dive in.
Just as Chez stated, monitor their weight, so long as they're gaining, it's all good

minimad1970

All this advice given and still no photos