From the early stages of life, the diet a kitten takes must be very balanced so that deficits do not cause problems in a future. A good diet is equivalent to a good he alth and well-being of our cat.
Whether you've bottle-fed a kitten or have a cat with kittens, you'll want to know when kittens start eating on their own. Therefore, in this article on our site we are going to talk about the age and type of food that kittens eat as puppies, so read on and discover with us at what age do cats eat on their own
What food do kittens eat at birth?
The first food a kitten takes as soon as it is born is breast milk. This food is very important for them, since it will transmit maternal immunity against the main infectious pathogens.
If we have adopted a lactating kitten or its mother rejects it, we should give it a bottle every two hours with special cat milk, since it is very digestive and cow's milk should be avoided. For more information, we recommend consulting the following article: "How to feed a newborn kitten".
The milk that kittens drink, both through natural and artificial lactation, is rich in fatty acids, colostrum (antibodies) and vitamins.
When do kittens start eating by themselves?
A kitten's lactation lasts about 9 weeks, and when they start teething, ie about four weeks, he will be able to start eating feed. We must feed him with a feed suitable for his age, it is advisable to moisten it a little with water so that it is easier for him to start the chewing process, or add a little wet food (pâté or small pieces in sauce).
The food that cats should take from the end of lactation to one year of life must be made up of highly digestible proteins, antioxidants and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. This feed must be of high quality and the amount to be given is estimated according to the weight and the guideline tables that come in the packages. However, depending on the characteristics of our kitten, the vet will be able to tell us whether to eat more or less.
Trade names for growing kitten food feature names like "kitten", "growth", etc. So look at this detail to select the best food for your little one.
If you prefer, you can make homemade food for this stage of life but, as a veterinarian, I recommend a complete feed, since it is very difficult to maintain a perfect balance between all the nutrients.
Progressive changes
Now that you know at what age kittens start eating by themselves, if you try different feeds to see which one is the most suitable, you should know that The change in diet must be carried out progressively and introducing the new food little by little, since sudden changes cause intestinal dysbiosis that result in diarrhea or vomiting.
If she continues to live with her mother, she will gradually stop breastfeeding them, so it is not necessary to separate them. Likewise, it is also not advisable to remove the puppies from the mother before a certain age, since it is with her mother and siblings that the kitten begins to learn the typical behavior of the species. For more information, see our article on "When can kittens be separated from their mother".
Once the weaning process begins, the kitten will instinctively go to the food bowl, if not we can teach him by giving him a little food with our hand so that he gets into the routine. If he lives with his mother, it is advisable to let her eat from the same plate so that he can observe and imitate her
He will ration himself, although it is always advisable to keep an eye on him to prevent him from getting stuffed. On the other hand, it should be noted that the ideal container will be a large, flat plate.
Other care to consider
When eating more solid food the kitten may become constipated, and one way to help is by gently stimulating the tummy, givingsoft massages . We will leave a small litter tray at your disposal and you will begin to make your bowel movements there.
Coinciding with the beginning of the ingestion of solid food and by itself, the first internal deworming will take place, very important to maintain the he alth of our kitten. On the other hand, we must offer free access to fresh and clean water. The water bowl should not be too close to the food bowl and, of course, far from the litter box, if possible in another room.
