Do Kittens Need Milk At 5 Weeks

When it s at all possible kittens should be exposed to some mother s milk especially within the first 12 to 24 hours of life.

Do kittens need milk at 5 weeks. The first milk or colostrum contains antibodies that the kitten can only absorb during this time. When young cats are old enough around 8 weeks old they start to eat food on their own whilst simultaneously decreasing the amount of milk they suckle from their mother. Kittens suckling well from their queen will sleep between feeds and do not need additional nutrition until three to four weeks of age. Kittens not receiving adequate nutrition from the queen may cry and constantly seek the teats.

Newborn kittens are able to get all of the nutrition that they need from their mother s milk. A 5 week old kitten shouldn t require bottle feeding. Newborn kittens need to feed every two to three hours. The queen can get pregnant again as early as one or two weeks after giving birth so it is sensible to get her neutered promptly.

Kittens are essentially baby carnivores with specialised needs. If any kittens do not receive the first milk contact your vet. The calcium to phosphorous ratio should be ideal at around 1 2 to 1. Kittens naturally wean off their mother s milk at around 8 12 weeks of age.

Because the weaning process can take up to six weeks purchase a small amount of kitten milk replacement formula and mix it into your kitten s food during his first two weeks with you. You do not need to wait until her milk has dried up though it is usually best to wait until the kittens are no longer dependent on her and neuter her when the kittens are around eight weeks old. Most 5 week olds can eat canned kitten food and usually they start on dry kitten food at 6 weeks. Once kittens reach 4 weeks of age their mother usually begins to wean them off milk and onto solid foods.

The quantity of food your kitten should eat will change over time and in the event that you change foods. For an active 5 week old kitten we recommend a kitten formula that closely replicates constituents of a cat s milk which should be about 45 percent protein 25 percent fat 25 percent carbs and 5 percent ash. Four week old kittens will still need to be bottle fed although some may start eating canned kitten food mixed with a little kitten milk replacer see instructions for bottle feeding. By the time it is 4 to 5 weeks of age if it is eating enough food.

If mama cat isn t around then a kitten milk replacer shall do too. How much to feed a kitten 8 weeks old or so young cats need more frequent feeding but as they get older they go twice a day feeding. By the end of week 5 a kitten should only be nursing three times a day but at each meal it should be consuming about 3 tablespoons of milk or formula.