VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

WEANING

• Kittens are weaned at between six and seven weeks, generally mother cat introduce solid food such as killed prey (mice) to the kittens.
• Similarly nutritional weaning of house cat also involves the introduction of solid food in the form of prepared cat food.
• In both cases, nutritional weaning involves a very gradual change in the diet from queen’s milk to solid cat food or prey.
• During first introductory week soupy gruel by mixing dry food with warm water can be provided.
• The mother cat should be separated form the litter for an hour prior to each feeding to ensure the kittens are hungry and not recently suckled.
•  This will shift the kitten from suckling to lapping and then to chewing.
• Gradually the added water to the dry food can be decreased when age advances.
• The length of time that the mother is separated from the litter should also be gradually increased.
• Most queens will initiate these separations voluntarily and begin to make their milk less available to their kittens by walking away or using body postures to block access to their nipples.
• By 6 to 7 weeks of age most cat nurse little but it is advisable to continue to allow interactions between the mother and hen kitten until 7 to 9 weeks because these interaction are important for normal social development.