# when to start weaning kittens and what to give them?



## donna81 (Jul 12, 2009)

_hi, eenys babies are 3 weeks old this wednesday and i was just wondering if anyone could please tell me when i should start weaning the kittens, what i should be giving them and how often? 
also what age do you recomend letting the kittens leave their mum? ive read different things and people usually say between 8 and 12 weeks, what is best? thanks x_


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## wiccan (May 1, 2008)

my babies are 3 weeks today and eatting already(they are all very big and forward) they started showin an interest in mums food but as this is hard kitten biscuits and meat i tend to soften the biscuits in warm water and then let them have it with some kitten meat in it. 
I've started this lot off with just a taster in the evenings and by 4 weeks they will be on breakfast lunch and dinner till they can handle the dry biscuit and then that will be down all the time. hope this helps its just what i do everyone does things different.
And with the kittens leaving i assume they are moggies i let mine leave at 8 weeks. As long as they are eatting and using the litter tray fine by themselves, and are confident enough to leave mum.


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## Cat_Crazy (Jul 15, 2009)

When I foster mums and kittens I generally begin weaning around 4 weeks old.

Whiskars babycat is amazing for this as it is so soft and mushy and they seem to love it! Just make sure you change to a higher quality food once you have them eating.

I also wean them onto kitten dry food at around this age also.

I don't know if there is any tips or tricks but I generally place bowls of the food down and bowls of water and they begin showing an interest by walking / rolling in it etc. and then soon start having little tastes.

In terms of leaving mum 8 weeks old is the absolute minimum!!
The longer the better really as kittens learn so much from mum and not just feed from her.

In terms of moggy kittens I would proberly say around 10 weeks if you are not planning to vaccinate or 13 weeks if you are vaccinating.

Hope this helps.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

At about 4-5weeks normally, kitten biccis and wet meat & raw I do.
Normally put a bit round the mouths 7 paws so they lick it off, they get the hang of it sooner or later 

for moglets its normally 8 weeks


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## ellie8024 (May 4, 2009)

yeah i would say it is usually around 4 weeks but it depends on the kitty i had 1 that didnt want to stop feeding of mummy till she was 6 weeks and on the other hand have a 3 week old one that chews my fingers if they taste of chicken.. or anything else edible for that matter ha ha.. so i give her some pureed cooked chicken or rabbit but only a tiny amount at this age


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

I've always let the kittens start by themselves where possible... of course if you have a girl that has 7... as my first one did, it's tempting to get them started earlier!

I would provide soft food, canned kitten food or softened dry, but make sure the mum can't get to it as she will, and gobble it up! Put it on a flat plate or a saucer, or something else flat (the lid of an ice-cream tub is ideal). Please do not try and force them... if you do it may scare them & set them back a week. You can get a small plastic spoon (like the picnic ones you get from a cafe) and raise that up to a kitten's mouth, some will get the idea but it's very important not to make them back off. Sometimes the lightest smudge of a light finger smeared with food will get them licking but really I wouldn't force at all.

I would not worry if they aren't all eating by 4 weeks or even 5. Different breeds are slower and even with Siamese I noticed some were not feeding themselves by 5 weeks.

Some cooked chicken breast, a little bit scrunched up in your fingers to a mush and a drop of water added, can also tempt them to try. If you have a roast chicken try tempting them with a little chicken fat as well.

Let them take their own time. If Mum is getting ragged then think about boosting Mum not getting them weaned off too fast. Roast chicken will help here as it gives her more calories, she can have all the fat & dripping too... cholesterol and fat is NOT an issue with cats and if she's been feeding kits she needs building up! 

I have had kits in the past that didn;t have their first solid meal til 6 weeks old, that's why it gives me goosebumps when I see people homing them that young. They need several weeks on solids at least before rehoming or their digestive systems will never cope, on top of the stress.

Hope this helps


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## mypets (May 23, 2009)

I start around 5 weeks....maybe 4, see how they go...selectas being a right pain, think they are sucking too hard, she keeps walking off lol...they are all cute tho...


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## kitties (Aug 1, 2009)

This is something ive been worried about because we go away right in the middle of our kittens 3-4 weeks, they are going next door with mum, to my lovely neighbour who my cat knows and who is going to have one of the kittens herself, and id rather do the weening myself. So is it ok to wait till about 5 weeks?

When you say about high quality food, how do we know which food is better then others?


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