The kitten is in the middle of a growth phase.

To develop well and prepare his body for his future adult life, he needs solid foundations to build himself. Food is a pillar that contributes to the edification of one's whole being, from one's first moments of life.

Until the age of 6 weeks, the kitten is fed by its mother's milk. It even represents its only source of nutrition during its first 4 weeks of life, sometimes more. Breast milk is an excellent food for the little newborn, because while it has everything it needs to build its skeleton and its entire body, it contains antibodies that naturally protect it against a multitude of diseases.

Gradually, the kitten progresses towards weaning and it is then time to offer him a solid diet adapted to his needs. Because the choice of this diet determines the rest of its existence, we invite you to discover our dedicated files rich in advice and targeted information on the needs of the kitten.

Feeding your kitten: when to switch to solid food? What can be given to him?

From the age of 6 weeks, it is important to offer the kitten a suitable solid diet. Even if he already has his first baby teeth, it is better to offer him kitten pies or small crumbles of chicken or tuna.

From the age of 12 weeks, or sometimes before, it is possible to offer him a dry diet in the form of kibble. It was during this period that his milk teeth, still fragile, began to be replaced by his permanent teeth.

Be sure to offer your young little one a premium, high-quality diet to cover all the nutritional needs that his growing body needs. Kitten kibble is very rich and contains more good fat than those designed for adult cats to meet the needs of the baby cat.

Why take care of the diet of an unweaned kitten?

Normally, a cat takes care of her litter until the two or three months of kittens. It takes care of their food weaning, their birth at their two months, and their psychosocial withdrawal, which lasts until their three or four months. The kitten learns to feed, defecate, wash and be clean during this time by observing its mother; it is a learning by mimicry. He repeats his mother's movements to learn the right behavior and integrate them into his habits.

When a kitten is separated from its mother before the age of two months, it is unlikely to be weaned. This separation can have significant impacts on their behavior and future development.

A kitten can be separated from its mother for a whole range of reasons:

The mother may unfortunately die as a result of giving birth or lose her life in multiple circumstances before weaning from her litter. The mother may also be physically unable to care for her litter if her health does not allow it.
Kittens can be given very early to adoption, even though they have not been weaned. This act can be voluntary, in order to avoid dealing with the scope, or involuntary, by ignorance of the weaning period.
A cat may not take care of the weaning of her young if she herself has not been weaned properly. She therefore does not have the natural instinct that encourages her to educate her kittens.
A cat can interrupt weaning from her litter very early if the human presence takes up too much space in this period. Indeed, she struggles to find her place and ends up fully delegating the weaning of her young.

If any of these cases arise, you will be forced to take care of this unweaned kitten(s). It takes time and won't be easy every day, but it's a beautiful action. Turn to a veterinarian without delay so that he examines the kitten(s) and diagnoses any health problems that need to be resolved quickly.

How to feed an unweaned kitten?

Feeding an unweaned kitten cannot be improvised. Several steps are important and must be respected to allow it to develop and grow normally.

Formula milk

Milk is the first food of the newborn kitten, and this until his two months. The kitten has few reserves at birth and needs to eat in sufficient quantity and quality to hold without the risk of dehydration and / or weakening.

Be aware, however, that using milk does not mean that you can give him any milk. The pussy's milk is rich in lactose, fat and protein to allow the kitten to grow well. He can digest lactose thanks to lactase, an enzyme that disappears from his body as he grows. The kitten therefore supports very well breast milk or formula adapted for kitten.

On the other hand, it does not support cow's milk, which is too rich in lactose for its body while being much less rich in protein and energy; giving him the risk of causing diarrhea and dehydration, eventually leading to his death.

To feed an unweaned kitten, you will need to use a kitten formula, specially designed to meet its natural needs.

Emergency 'provisional' milk

Of course, if you find an unweaned kitten when the veterinary surgeries are closed or the supermarkets and specialized stores are not open, you will need to find an emergency solution.

Then you can make a milk mixture yourself. To do this, mix:

600ml cow's milk, preferably whole
200 g fresh cream with an average of 12% fat
1 egg yolk
This emergency milk will allow you to feed your kitten for 24 hours with milk that comes as close as possible to its needs. Do not wait to feed him, because a kitten becomes dehydrated quickly.

The quantity of milk and the number of meals to be distributed

A kitten needs regular meals until she is completely weaned, varying in number and quantity of milk over the weeks to meet the needs of her developing body.

during the first week, he needs 8 meals a day, in the amount of 13 ml for a 100 g kitten.
in the second week, he needs 6 meals a day in the amount of 17 ml for a 100 g kitten.
in the third week, he needs 5 meals a day in the amount of 20 ml for a 100 g kitten.
in the fourth week, he needs 4 meals a day in the amount of 22 ml for a 100 g kitten.
until the end of its weaning (about the seventh week), it needs 3 to 4 meals a day of an amount of 22 to 24 ml for a kitten of 100 g.

Of course, meals must be given to him throughout the day, with a regular distribution over 24 hours. However, they can be a little more spaced out at night.

If the kitten does not see all of its meal, do not force it, because if its stomach is too full, it will have difficulty digesting well. On the other hand, make sure that he consumes a correct and sufficient quantity of milk during the day, so as not to cause lack or dehydration.

A kitten is born with a weight varying between 90 and 110 grams, and then gains 100 grams per week on average. He sleeps a lot, but if he fidgets or meows, he is hungry or cold. Listen to him.

How to feed the kitten?

During the very first weeks of its life, the kitten does not yet know how to lap up the milk, it needs to suckle it. So he has to be bottle fed.

It is preferable to opt for a bottle suitable for kittens, generally sold with formula milk. In any case, choose a bottle with a small hole, so that the flow of milk is not too high and avoid any risk of swallowing or lung problems.

Be patient and let the kitten suckle on her own. Do not force the teat to speed up feeding.

The milk should not be too hot; give it to him warm so as not to burn it and clean the bottle well between each meal.

Kitten weaning preparation

As soon as the kitten reaches the age of three weeks, it is possible to give it a little mash. The transition to a solid diet must be done gently, first mixing milk and mash meals before giving him more than this. Do not hesitate to mix the mash and the milk if necessary.

If the kitten is reluctant, there is no need to stick his nose in the mash. Put some on your fingers and let it lick quietly.

Be patient and gradually increase the amount of solid foods while reducing the amount of milk. The transition should not be brutal, otherwise the kitten risks being the victim of diarrhoea.