Have you welcomed a newcomer under your roof or your female cat has just had a litter? Congratulations, you are now the happy owner of one or more kittens!
But you probably have a lot of questions about your well-being, and that's perfectly normal when you love your pet. Among these is your kitten's menu, and from when you can give him solid food.
Milk feeding up to 6 weeks
Whether the kitten is lucky enough to be with his mother or not, a milky diet is necessary for his proper development from his first days of life. This can be given by its mother of course, by a surrogate mother, or failing that by the man, in the event that the kitten has lost its mother for example.
In the latter case, it will be essential to bottle the kitten until about 6 weeks, with a specially adapted water-soluble powdered milk, on sale at your veterinarian and in some pharmacies or parapharmacies.
If you feed the kitten with a bottle, and if you feel that it has enough strength to start feeding on its own, you can in this exceptional situation consider the introduction of a solid wet diet from its 4 weeks. In all other cases, it is better to let Mother Nature do it and not to influence a change in diet before her 6 weeks, a month and a half.
Introduction of wet solid food from 6 weeks
From 6 weeks, the kitten is partially weaned. This means that when it comes to feeding, it begins to detach itself from its mother and the milky diet. He spends more and more time out of the nest, playing with his siblings and discovering his place of life.
Also appear between 4 and 6 weeks his first milk teeth, namely his fangs (canines), then his incisors and premolars. He begins to be able to feed himself, which is good, because mom gradually abandons him, judging him sufficiently autonomous.
So you can, from its 6 weeks, introduce a solid diet, provided that it is in wet form and easy to chew. This is the time to discover the first crumbles of tuna or chicken, or the fresh bags and other commercial pâtées, if possible special kittens, so that his food is adapted to his needs and his development.
Only after this period of adaptation, when the kitten will oscillate between its mother's udders and its bowl, can a dry diet be introduced. But no need to go too fast, the kitten's digestive capacities are still limited and his baby teeth are still fragile.
Introduction of dry solid food from 12 weeks
From 12 weeks, or about 3 months, the kitten's baby teeth begin to be gradually replaced by its permanent teeth. In addition, his weaning is fully completed and he is ready to be adopted to join his new home.
Indeed, it takes between 2 and a half and 3 months for the definitive weaning of the cat to intervene. At this stage, he is normally fully autonomous, clean, and above all well socialized for having developed little by little with his feline family. This is why kittens should only be adopted from that age, to ensure their physical and mental balance.
So you can start introducing dry food with its first kibble. These will preferably be chosen of premium quality, and it is necessary to read the instructions indicated on the package before purchase. Some are suitable for the kitten, others not, the age is indicated therein, trust the manufacturer's indications.
To begin with, his first kibbles should be small in size, and slightly wet in a hint of water to make them more digestible, easier to chew, and ensure a good hydration of your kitten. As soon as you find that it is doing very well, you can switch to dry feeding without adding water. A few days are usually enough to ensure this smooth transition.
And that's it, your kitten now eats like a grown-up with solid food It will be considered "adult" between 6 and 12 months depending on the breed. But one thing remains certain, he will always remain "your kitten" and will spend long and beautiful years purring by your side!
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