Kitten weaning: at what age? how to proceed?

 Whether your kitten has his mother or not, it will be necessary to wean him so that he becomes autonomous and grows harmoniously. If nature usually does things right, the apartment cat is going to need a human boost for smooth weaning.

What is weaning in kittens? How can the master help at this primordial stage of development? What are the precautions to take not to commit odds and enjoy a kitten in great shape?

At what age is the kitten weaned?

From the third or fourth week after birth, kittens are more difficult for their mother to accept suckling; she begins to avoid her offspring by taking refuge in places that are difficult for them to reach. It is at this time that the baby teeth start to appear. This is a good time to teach kittens to discover their mother's food. The mother can still suckle the kittens until they are 8 weeks old, but she will eventually push them away after 2 months. Alternating with solid food during this transitional period will ease the mother's burden and gradually get the kittens used to weaning.

Weaning itself marks the beginning of the cat's independence. During the first four weeks of its life, the kitten drinks only milk and sleeps most of the day. It is only from the beginning of its second month of life that it starts to wake up and explore its environment. He then switches from breast milk or formula, a liquid food, to a solid form of food such as kitten food. This transitional period allows the kitten to prepare for independence and to gradually relieve the mother, as suckling requires a lot of energy, especially if the litter is large.

Weaning is an essential stage that must be respected. It should not be started before four weeks and it is important to take the time necessary for it to be carried out properly, i.e. about a month.

How do you wean your kitten?

Weaning is an essential stage in a cat's life. If it is not carried out properly, it can have major consequences on his adult life, and even compromise his survival. It is therefore imperative to follow the process carefully and to accompany it with patience.

The stages of weaning in the kitten's life

For successful weaning, it is important to know the different stages that make up the kitten's evolution in the early stages of his life.

At the end of the third week, the kitten's milk teeth begin to form. She is therefore ready for the discovery of dry food.

Between the fourth and fifth week, the kitten's growth is slowed down due to the transition that is taking place. The kitten is consuming less of its mother's energising milk and is not yet eating enough solid food to compensate for the lack of it. This is the beginning of the vicariance period.

From the fifth week onwards, the mother abandons her litter more and gives it little time. She is no longer able to provide for the nutritional needs of her kittens. This stage allows her offspring to prepare for independence. Sometimes, in the case of small litters, the mother may nurse her kittens for an extra week or two.

Around the 7th week, the kitten's growth resumes as it ingests enough solid food to meet its energy needs. The period of vicariance ends.

From the 8th week onwards, the kitten begins its autonomy phase. She learns to feed herself and regulate her appetite according to her needs until she grows enough to reach her adult size.

What should I feed my kitten to wean her?

The food you give your kitten should be rich in energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It must be palatable to naturally stimulate her desire and spontaneous consumption. It is important to remember that it is during this decisive stage that a cat's taste is formed.

The same food can be given to the mother. Indeed, during gestation and when nursing, the cat needs a diet rich in energy and of high nutritional quality to pass on to her litter. Furthermore, kittens tend to imitate their mother and will therefore more easily adopt the same feeding behaviour.

There is no need to vary the types of food, tastes, or brands. Choose a complete, high-quality, balanced food that is adapted to a kitten's nutritional needs. A cat's body is being built up during weaning; it is being strengthened like a child's. It is therefore essential to provide her with suitable food to avoid the risk of deficiency.

How often should a kitten be fed during weaning?

During weaning, the kitten must have water readily available at all times and eat several meals a day. Ideally, give 3-5 meals a day, as needed, spread throughout the day. To establish good eating habits, leave the bowl out for a limited time and then remove it, and do not feed the kitten until the next meal.

The cat must also learn to drink enough, as it is very susceptible to urinary stones and kidney problems. Always leave fresh, clear water available so that the cat learns the right habits early on.

The right gestures and advice for successful weaning

Here are a few tips and good gestures to adopt for the successful weaning of your kitten.

The pre-weaning period

During the pre-weaning period, i.e. during the first four weeks of a kitten's life, it is not necessary to intervene in his feeding as his mother is entirely responsible for it. However, make sure she is suckling well and that her birth weight doubles after the first two weeks. If he is growing well and putting on weight normally, all is well. If not, intervene by helping him to suckle or give him the formula to support his needs. Don't hesitate to seek veterinary advice.

Feeding the kitten during weaning and controlling her weight

During the weaning period, you can lightly moisten the kitten food with a little warm water to make it softer and easier to swallow.

Feel free to weigh your kitten once or twice a week, always at the same time. If your kitten's weight is stagnant or decreasing, make sure she's eating her fill. Change your kitten's food if it is of poor quality.

During weaning, a kitten's digestive abilities change. Her body is less able to digest lactose, which is the sugar in milk, and she is better at digesting starch in cereals. On the other hand, learning to digest starch is very slow; be careful not to overdo it at the risk of causing diarrhoea.

The particularity of the kitten fed with artificial milk

If you have taken in an abandoned kitten or have been forced to feed one with artificial milk, it must still be weaned like a kitten raised on maternal milk. You'll notice from the fourth or fifth week that she chews the nipple of the bottle when she sucks; this is a good time to offer her a plate of kibble slightly moistened with milk.

As with a kitten raised on breast milk, gradually reduce the amount of milk and increase the amount of kibble each day.

Is it necessary to vaccinate a kitten during weaning?

No. The kitten is naturally protected by the antibodies passed on to him by his mother until he is 8 weeks old. It is therefore necessary to vaccinate him around the 8th to 10th week against typhus (panleukopenia) and coryza.

Training the kitten during weaning

It is mainly between the 2nd and 8th week of life that the kitten learns to socialise and be educated. This period is essential for her to grow up in a family with good habits.

The mother is the first to teach her kitten socialisation. This develops later when the animal interacts with other animals and with humans. The kitten learns to discover its environment, groom itself, relieve itself, and behave well thanks to its mother. Teach her the right gestures too, but do so gently so as not to frighten her. Be patient, benevolent, and a good teacher.

The consequences of weaning the kitten too early

The law of January 1999 prohibits the adoption of a kitten before 8 weeks. To establish this period, the authorities relied on the end of the vicariance period, considering that a kitten can leave its mother only after the rejection phase for not experiencing emotional shock and for having been properly educated by it.

A kitten separated prematurely from his mother saw him as a child torn from his family. Overnight, he is cut off from his mother's warmth, her smell, and her environment. He is immersed in an environment he does not know, with people he does not know, surrounded by unknown sounds and smells. The trauma is great and unfortunately, unfinished weaning followed by a separation too early leads to disorders in the kitten, and can sometimes lead to it being withered away. So imperatively respect the deadline of 8 weeks to adopt your kitten.