Weaning Kittens From Bottle

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.

Weaning kittens from bottle. 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. Repeat this until the kitten gets used to the taste. Weaning a young kitten from the bottle requires patience and persistence. Please do not push his nose into the bowl.

Some kittens may grasp the process quickly. Here s what you need to know about weaning. Kitten weaning is something that does not have a set time frame. Typically weaning a bottle fed kitten takes about two weeks.

You can switch a kitten from kitten milk replacer to solid food over the course of about a week. Smear the mixture around their mouth with your finger and let them lick it off. Once a kitten has opened its eyes is able to focus and can walk steadily you can begin the process. The entire process could take as little as a week or may even take a few weeks.

Kittens often need extra support during this time to help ensure they re receiving the proper nutrients in proper quantity and to keep them on track for success and independence. You should wean a kitten off of the bottle only when they are ready or show interest to be weaned off the bottle. Then you can introduce them to lapping from a bowl. Dip your fingertip or the syringe or bottle the kitten is used to nursing from into the liquid let the kitten lick it then guide him by moving your finger down into the bowl.

Weaning is the fun messy adventure of helping a kitten transition from nursing or bottle feeding to eating solid food on her own. Again no two kittens are the same so trying to get them to conform to a timetable is futile if they are not yet ready to be weaned. Once they get used to the taste they ll seek it out elsewhere. The weaning process begins when kittens are around four weeks old.

This should be done no earlier than four weeks old and no later than 12 weeks and needs to be done slowly. Do not shove the kitten s nose into the food. For most kittens this process is usually completed when they reach eight to ten weeks old. Do not use cow s milk as this will cause stomach upset and diarrhea in some kittens.

How do i wean a kitten off of mother s milk or bottle feeding. Determine when to wean your kitten. To begin weaning a kitten mix the kitten food with formula so they recognize the taste. Others may take longer without their mother to show them how to drink and eat from a bowl.

After the kitten has gotten used to licking your finger direct him to the shallow bowl. Here are few don ts when weaning a kitten. Remember that you should never wean an unhealthy kitten. If your kitten is bottle fed the weaning process starts at 4 5 5 5 weeks of age and happens much more quickly than under a mother s care.

Do not be tempted to push his head into the bowl. Always remember that each kitten is different and there is not an exact timetable for weaning. The weaning process should be done gradually at a pace that is comfortable for the kitten.