# weaning food advice please



## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

hi all
just a quick question,my cat kittens are 5 days old,when i wean them what the best food to give them,their mother is on kiticat food with small chunks can i start them on that?also when the best time to wean them ?
thank you


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

to be honest kitekat is rubbish

can you not try buying mum some natures menu kitten or applaws kitten? you can get it from pets @ home. it's high meat content and great for a mum who is feeding her kittens and you can wean the kittens on to it.


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

Biawhiska said:


> to be honest kitekat is rubbish
> 
> can you not try buying mum some natures menu kitten or applaws kitten? you can get it from pets @ home. it's high meat content and great for a mum who is feeding her kittens and you can wean the kittens on to it.


have to agree, mum needs something better to eat as she's been feeding those kittens - high meat content will help this x

natures menu or hi-life etc (from pets at home etc) would be better option for her and kittens xx


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

i have started giving mun hi-life to try today for her last feed tonight,she seems to like it,can i put the kittens on it to wean them


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## Sungold-Bengals (Mar 10, 2008)

You should wean them using kitten food mixed with kitten milk (the dried type that you make up Cimicat is a really good one)

Hi life do a kitten version but this may be a little rich & upset their tummies.

I don't know the contents of Hi life kitten so you will have to check, or someone will soon post I'm sure.

weaning shouldn't be from at least 3 weeks so you have time to look into all the things you can & can't feed. There have been several posts on here.
I know some people feed baby rice & kitten milk. I've not tried this.

I weaned my last kittens using Whiskas kitten pouches mixed with cimicat.
I know people slate it but it served them well. They also had Royal canin babycat biscuits & mums milk for as long as they wanted.

To be honest everyone & each cat/kitten is different what suits one may not suit another.
To me it's more important that my cats actually eat what I give them than leave in it the dish. so when I find something they like thats what they have.


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## LousKoonz (Feb 9, 2008)

nortons said:


> i have started giving mun hi-life to try today for her last feed tonight,she seems to like it,can i put the kittens on it to wean them


i weaned my kittens onto it - plus as Sungold has said the cimicat or lactol (that one is available at pets at home)
the kitten hi-life is 60% meat and considering my lot had problems with tummys on the RC babycat (some do, some don't) they had no problems on the hi-life xx

what you do weaning wise is start off with more milk to food ratio, then by 3-4 days later start to raise the food content and less milk on a gradual basis until they're on full solid x some i found were more interested in the meat, some more interested in the milk - but they'll all get there xx you should be able to judge by if theyre just lapping milk or if theyre chewing the food to whether they're ready to go to the next level xx


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## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi Nortons, 5 days old is for me a little too young to start weaning them,especially if mum is still feeding them,just make sure she has what she wants as and when,raw beef is great to give a nursing queen and also a little egg yolk mixed with a slither of honey(may make her poo though),i would start weaning the kitts at around 3/4 wks unless they show interest in mums food sooner,plz do keep us updated on their progressHi and welcome btw


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## Biawhiska (Mar 28, 2008)

nortons said:


> i have started giving mun hi-life to try today for her last feed tonight,she seems to like it,can i put the kittens on it to wean them


I am sure you can do and as SK said when they are older. Also do try to get some kitten wet food if you can like natures menu or something from [email protected] or the website zooplus.co.uk does some nice wet foods.


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## emmar (Aug 1, 2008)

i start weaning mine at 4 weeks 
try audreys website for kitten weaning tips Audrey Magical -Magical cats.


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

thank you all for your advice i wanted to know now before their time for weaning so i can be sure which is the best food for them from the start,i intend to wean them at 3 1/2 -4 weeks of age.
as for mum she is now on hi life and she loves it.i will keep you all posted.


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

hi all
the kittens are now 3 weeks old i am having a problem the mother keep putting them back in the basket they will not even look al the food and milk.they are not even leaving the basket as mum puts them back in when we get them out.
please help advice is needed


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

Hi dont panic ive had kittens who havent started on solids til they were 4 1/2 weeks oldyou could try smearing a little food on their mouths ,so they can get the taste.Best to keep mum away whilst your trying this or she will pinch all the food!


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

I would leave them in their basket for now.I tend to use a large indoor rabbit cage with a plastic base and mesh top.mum comes and goes as she wants through the top door and i can shut babies in to feed.I also put a small dish of water in for babies,as well as a litter box and blanket.


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

im feeding them on kitten whiskers meat in cat milk mum just wants them with her


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

can they get in and out of the basket on their own?


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

yes they can climb in but when they come out mum puts them back in again straight away


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## shortbackandsides (Aug 28, 2008)

They are still quite young,have you got a shallow litter tray near the basket?you could shut mum in another room whilst you feed babiesi have to seperate them or mum would eat all their food!


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## nortons (Nov 18, 2008)

i try that tip mum wont like it but i give it a go,i will transfer them to a box without a side,as the basket has a raised sides all around.and thank you


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## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Honestly, at 3 1/2 weeks old they are FAR too young to worry about weaning! I realise that was a week or more ago but some don't want to eat solids until they are 6 or 7 weeks old.

Liz


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## joann (Mar 4, 2009)

unfortunatly my kitten got caught and is now a mummy herself even though she only 10 1/2 months old . i got my kitten when she was about 4 months old and she had been fed whiskas kitten pouches and whiskas kitten dried food . iv tried different foods to no avail she will not eat anything else except whiskas and as many treats as u will give her and she is thriving and active .
her kittens are now redy to be weaned being almost four weeks old and they too will be fed the same as mum on whiskas .


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

My kits are 4 weeks today and only 2 of them are showing intrest in some meat Im not worried as I thought it could take quite a while? I wouldnt force it, just let mum do her job! :ihih:


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