When Does A Kitten Stop Nursing
This is completely normal behavior and just means that the little kittens are growing up.
When does a kitten stop nursing. Kittens should be bottle fed kitten milk for at least the first four weeks of their lives. You can also complete this process in your kitten when it becomes 8 to 10 weeks old. The weaning process involves slowly incorporating solid foods into the kitten s diet and it is generally over by the time the kittens are between 8 and 10 weeks old. She may take the lead by curtailing nursing time but you can make the transition easier by showing the kittens how to eat without their mother.
The best time to start weaning your kitten is when it is 4 weeks i e. According to the american society for the prevention of cruelty to animals aspca a mother cat typically stops nursing their kittens when they are around 4 weeks old. The weaning process also varies from kitten to kitten. Mother cats who completely focus on their kittens for the first three to four weeks know that as the babies begin to grow their need to nurse begins to fade.
Weaning kittens is a natural process. There are slight differences of opinion regarding the exact best weaning age but all groups agree that ideally weaning should take place between 6 12 weeks of age. You may begin to introduce kitten food around three weeks of age and once the kitten is eating on its own gradually start reducing the amount of milk you offer. The entire process generally lasts for about a month.
Kittens usually begin the weaning process around 4 weeks of age according to the general consensus. Kittens can safely stop nursing at around 4 weeks old. This is now the cue for the weaning process to begin. However anywhere between the 4 to 6 week mark is acceptable.
They shouldn t be relying on their mother to this time. Kittens sucking on their mother at 9 months old isn t normal in the wild. Ideally kittens should not be weaned from mom earlier than six weeks. But the weaning period of your kitten usually lasts for about 6 to1 0 weeks.
During this time she will refuse to nurse them as often if at all because they are growing teeth making it very uncomfortable for her. They should be stopped even if it comforts them. But according to aspca information online cat or kitten suckling can also be a sign of stress compulsive behavior or even. Once kittens reach between 3 weeks and 4 weeks old mom will naturally begin to wean them for up to four more weeks.
This makes them dependent and cats are independent creatures. When do kittens stop nursing.