help weaning problems

kellie_pb

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the kittens are four weeks old and im having trouble weaning them i cant leave the food down for them to come back to or just be curious with as the mum will woof it up before the even get a look in i have shut mum in the kitchen but she gets very distressed and opens the door herself i dont know what to do they have ahd a nibble but i am a mother of two also so as soon as my back is turned she knockes them out the way and munches everything in site ive tryed feeding her the same time but she will eat theres first and then eat her own how can i get around this its not fair on the kittens as i dont want it to disrupt the development any advice is good advice please help!!

thank you kellie_pb xx
 

kittenkiya

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They may prefer nursing on mom for another week or so before they get interested in food.

Meantime, mom needs all the food she can get.
 
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kellie_pb

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thank you for the advice they are 5 weeks tomorrow so should i wait untill they are 6 weeks! its just one has a home to go to and i want to make sure everything is done right ie litter trainging and so on they are really happy and healthy its just i dont want to mess there systems up, and mum has dry food on tap and has wet and dry food mixed two to three times a day this is why i just think she is being greedy there are only two kittens i could uder stand if she had more lol! i'll just have to be paitent thanks again
 

kittenkiya

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Why don't you try wetting some of the dry food and seeing if the babies will work on that.

I personally feel that 6 weeks is a little too soon to let little ones go. I like them about 8 weeks or better, but I also understand your situation.
 

juliekit

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Just be patient with them. Kittens are all very different. Besides, they should stay together for longer then 6 weeks (preferably 10-12 weeks) so the kitten that does have a home should be together with mom and littermates for about another month.
 

jen

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You have plenty of time to wean them because they should be with mom until 10-12 weeks at least and they can still nurse as a snack until then. You are feeding the mother kitten food I hope, right? I would just leave a big bowl of food out and the mother knows to show the kittens to eat when they (and she) are ready to. She also shows them how to use the litterbox so I hope you have a big box with non clumping litter right in the same area that the kittens are in so moom can do her job and show the babies.
 

tnr1

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Originally Posted by kellie_pb

thank you for the advice they are 5 weeks tomorrow so should i wait untill they are 6 weeks! its just one has a home to go to and i want to make sure everything is done right ie litter trainging and so on they are really happy and healthy its just i dont want to mess there systems up, and mum has dry food on tap and has wet and dry food mixed two to three times a day this is why i just think she is being greedy there are only two kittens i could uder stand if she had more lol! i'll just have to be paitent thanks again
Kellie....6 weeks is too young to place the kittens...they need additional time with their mom and their siblings to not only learn how to eat solid food but also how to use the litterbox. You should provide mom with food more often if she is scarfing down what you put out...that way, when the time is right the kittens will explore eating the food that mom eats.

Also, don't forget to schedule mom's spay for around the time the kittens reach 10-12 weeks of age and keep her strictly indoors until she has been spayed to avoid her becoming pregnant again.

Katie
 

goldenkitty45

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I don't even attempt any weaning till 5-6 weeks old - 4 weeks is too soon unless mom can't feed them. So easy up and wait another week or two to try. Even then its 3-4 weeks later before they really chow down.

When we weaned kittens, the mom was kept out of the room for about an hour in order for the kits to learn to eat. That way she didn't eat all of their food. After the time out, mom was allowed back in to clean up kits and any leftover food.

Works a lot better that way


As far as new homes, PLEASE keep the kits till 10-12 weeks old. Between 6-10 weeks is a crutial time for social/mental development for kits - they need to learn to be a cat, learn how to interact with siblings/adult cats, etc. When you let them go too soon, many have social problems in the new homes.
 

abymummy

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I have to agree with the others...12 weeks is the minimum for me!

However, my little ones are 5 weeks old now and 2 are in the weaning stage already (they are eating Royal Canin Baby Cat - smallest kibbles in the world!) and the 3rd baby is just now finding out the joys of kibbles! But I must say that I breed Abyssinians...my first litter were 7+ weeks to start being weaned.

It's the same with litter training as well...my first litter began litter training at 6 weeks and the current litter at 5 weeks are already litter trained...more or less!

It will take time and the best place for your littles to be is with their mom...she will teach them what to do!
 

katkisses

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As for her eating all of the food-put down a bowl full of kitten food for her-so much that she cannot eat it all, and leave it out all day, filling it up when it starts getting low. Some litters of kittens are slower at discovering hard food. It easiest to start them on wet mixed with KMR, again, setting out enough so that momma cat cannot eat it all by herself, and so that all of the kittens have enough to get full on.

A few extra tips:

- no clumping litter while they are this small-it will make a gooey, stinky kitten for you to have to clean.

-keep everything that can be dangerous (think cords, cleaners, small objects that kittens can eat and or get choked on, ect) far away from the kittens-they will start exploring more and more each day.

-KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement) for momma and kittens, mixed in wet to help momma get the extra nutrients she needs for her and the babies. And to give the kittens some extra vitamins.

-Change the blanket that the kittens are on at the very least, one a week.

-I agree with the others, please wait until they are 12 weeks old, they are far too young right now to be on their own.




I know right now it seems that they are behind on growing up, but trust me, kittens go through the most changes from 4-8 weeks old, they discover their surroundings, food, toys, litter, and all kinds of stuff in that little span of time! Good luck!
 
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