we are looking to start weaning the kittens and was wondering if anyone had any tips or tricks to help us..
this will be the first time we have had to wean as the last litter we had basically weaned themselves...

mum is starting to struggle a bit and the kittens are not gaining as much weight as we thought

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THINKING..COSTS MONEY.
CATZCADA RAGDOLLS.

Hunger is the best motivator for them to start eating on their own. Are you putting food in the box with them? I find that it's helpful to mash wet food into a mush, then warm it to body temperature in the microwave, put it on a very shallow saucer and smear it all round the edges so that it's easy for them to get at. Warming it makes it smell more appetizing, and it's also less unpleasant in the mouth when they do try it. Remember that they're used to having body temperature milk, so asking them to eat something cold is just another new thing they have to deal with.

Bozita pate and Nature's Menu are a great consistency for weaning, but the NM gave mine runny bums, so be careful of this.

we have got natures menu.. and royal canin babycat,, as well as powdered milk substitute..

the hard part is keeping mum away so she cannot feed them.. she sits at the livingroom door crying..

the downside to putting food in with them.. is they walk in it.

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THINKING..COSTS MONEY.
CATZCADA RAGDOLLS.

i know that i'm not a breeder but the breeder who i got my kittens from used to let her queen feed the kittens virtually right up to the time that they left for their new homes. in fact my two still had their creamy white front paws because they were still drinking from her, as well as having normal kitten food.
i assume that if the queen still wants to feed her kittens then she should?

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she still wants to.. but with their being 7 of them she seems to be struggling.. we have tried to feed kittens with her there,. but she comes and eats the food...

i think we are just going to have to have mum downstairs for a couple of hours to see if kittens will take food then.

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THINKING..COSTS MONEY.
CATZCADA RAGDOLLS.

I don't stop kittens from suckling on their mum once they're on solid food if she wishes to allow them to continue and it's quite normal for kittens to have both for a while. Just because the mum lets them it doesn't mean she can satisfy their nutritional needs, it's more of a comfort suckle.

I was about to say the same until a cat jumped on my lap
RC - if you make sure mum has been fed before you put any food down for the kittens she may not try to eat theirs.
I don't usually wean mine in their sleeping area but take them into the kitchen where the others eat. don't worry about them walking in the food - washing it off their paws will give them a taste.

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we do.. but she still pinches theirs..

we have to feed them upstairs as we have 4 dogs.. i dont want to scare the little things..

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THINKING..COSTS MONEY.
CATZCADA RAGDOLLS.

The kittens should be allowed to suckle until mom weans them herself (at around 12 weeks). Don't take them away from her, it's ok to put her in another room while feeding them, but don't separate them for hours.
Mix the soft food with water, make sure it is at room temperature and you can also ad some of the milk formula.
Put some on your finger and put it in their mouth so they can get the taste. once they start eating there is no stopping them :-)
As they begin to eat more she will start to gain weight again...

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as others said never ever ever remove kittens from feeding from mum SHE will do this when SHE decides its best. and No that will stress mum 7 kittens dont remove her for a couple of hours!! just leave them to it!

I dont feed kitten food, I found that when they started to feed it was rich and gave them upset tums, so I feed kitten biscuits (good quality) and a adult good quality meat, classic I find is good aswell and ok for kittens to eat I called them! lots of taurine to! then cooked chicken/fish/beef/turkey.

I find that putting a little in their mouth, they spit it out, but they start moving their mouths and get a taste, Always started at 4weeks to 6weeks for some of them, I find the bengals are eager to eat the meat, the raggies like the biscuits and the british are the slowest to catch on!!

Mum will it it to, remember she needs 4-5times as much food per day anyway Thats what kittens do...they walk it in in the water the biscuits the meat, just the way it is!

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