Weaning

[BinxandBlaze]

We found a kitten who we assume is about 5 weeks old. He looooves his bottle and we’re working on trying to wean him. We can’t seem to find how much wet food is enough to be able to take the bottle away. A can seems like way too much for such a little guy

 

[tabbytom]

We found a kitten who we assume is about 5 weeks old. He looooves his bottle and we’re working on trying to wean him. We can’t seem to find how much wet food is enough to be able to take the bottle away. A can seems like way too much for such a little guy

and to TCS!

A kitten at 5 weeks old is old enough to eat wet food. Feed him as much as he can eat at one go as growing kittens need lots of proteins and nutrients from wet food to aid their growth.

Feed him with wet food meant for kittens or feed him wet food labeled ‘For All Life Stages’.
You can continue to supplement him with KMR milk in between or mix it up with the wet food.

Feed him 4-5 times a day as kittens are very active and they burn off lots of calories when they play.

 

[BinxandBlaze]

Awesome thanks so much! He didn’t like the one food we tried so it didn’t seem like nearly enough food to cut the bottle back any but I wasn’t sure. We found one he likes a lot tonight so I feel more confident that we’ll be able to do food I didn’t want to over feed him or under feed him

 

[Azazel]

Just wanted to add that it’s important to give multiple opportunities for kittens to eat wet food throughout the day because even though they need lots of food and are growing, they still have little tummies and can only eat so much in one sitting.

 

[tabbytom]

We found one he likes a lot tonight so I feel more confident that we’ll be able to do food I didn’t want to over feed him or under feed him

It’s hard to overfeed a kitten. Just don’t underfeed will do.

Wet food is good for weight control unlike dry food which is full of carbs, so don’t worry.

 

[Sarthur2]

Give him his kitten milk in a dish to lap. He still needs it.

 

[Willowy]

Let him have as much canned food as he can eat about 5 times a day. It won't be much at each meal, but I've found that at that age they usually can finish a 3-oz can in a day.

I wouldn't take the bottle away too soon. Cats who don't get to fulfill their suckling needs as babies may develop a suckling fixation that continues into adulthood, and wow, that is annoying! So usually when I raise orphans I offer the bottle at least once a day until they lose interest (usually around 7-8 weeks), or if they don't lose interest on their own, when they're about 10 weeks old and I get tired of it, lol. Just because he's eating solids doesn't mean he doesn't need the bottle too .

I also add formula to orphans' canned food for a good long time. It's not going to hurt and might have some benefits.

 

[BinxandBlaze]

Thank you guys! Well start offering more food cause we’ve been giving about 2 very tiny meals a day and doing mostly bottles. He didn’t seem to like the first wet food we got him and would barely eat we thought he didn’t want to transition but we found one he likes to eat and we’ll start giving him more. But we will also keep him on the bottle until he is ready to stop. Thank you guys so much I really appreciate it