First A Transitional Time
A mother cat will start her litter on the weaning process when they’re about a month old. The kittens will begin to show an interest in cat food around that time. Slowly, they can be given tastes of kitten food that is soaked in water until it’s quite soft. Solid food can be gradually increased as the kittens nurse less often over the next few weeks. When a kitten is about eight weeks old, the weaning process will probably be complete, and he’ll be eating 100 percent kitten food.
What To Feed Kittens 8 Weeks Old
So you have a kitten and at 8 weeks old, the cuteness factor is still off the scale! Kittens are full of life when they are awake, getting into all manner mischief. They do spend a lot of time sleeping however when they are awake for those other 4 hours, they use up huge amounts of energy.
Using so much energy means they need good nutrition to help them grow and keep healthy. So what to feed kittens 8 weeks old? At 8 weeks old you should be looking to introduce your kitten to solid cat food Your kitten has started to be weened of their mothers milk at 8 weeks and need to be introduced to more solid foods.
Can 8 Week Old Kittens Drink Water
This is a question people seem to ask a lot . Yes, once cats are able to eat on their own, they are able to drink water on their own as well.
You want to make sure they always have enough water at all times and it is in a bowl they are drink out of easily.
If you are feeling like spoiling your cat, you can get them a water fountain. They really arent they expensive, and cats love to drink out of fresh water. The biggest thing to remember when it comes to selecting a water bowl, or a water fountain is you want to make sure your kitten can drink out of it now.
If they have to jump to get the water fountain, you want to make sure you still provide a bowl of water for them to have while they grow into their new toy.
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Compile A Shopping List
Kittens dont travel light so be prepared to spend some pennies to make sure they will have everything they need to make themselves at home. Some of the essentials you will need to purchase include
- food and water bowls
- litter tray and litter cats dont like sharing. So make sure you have at least the same number of litter trays as cats, plus one extra.
- kitten food ideally the same initially as what they are used to. Then if required, you can change them over gradually to a food of your choice.
- cat bed but be prepared for them to prefer your bed!
- toys ensure they are suitable for kittens with no parts that could come off
- cat carrier ought to be well ventilated and sturdy
- cat brush groom them every day to strengthen the bond between you and to keep their skin and fur healthy
- scratching post to save your sofa!
When An Eight Week Old Kitten Wont Eat
Moving home is a really big deal when you are 8 weeks old. Some kittens are very nervous at first and may refuse to eat. If your kitten hides in his carry box when you get home with him and doesnt seem interested in the bowl of food you have prepared especially for him, try tempting him out with a little bit of juicy kitten food on the end of your finger.
Dont worry if your kitten doesnt eat much that first day, provided that he seems active and otherwise in good health. But if he is still not eating the following day, you need to take him to a vet.
Tiny kittens cant afford to lose much weight or go more than 24 hours without a meal, and the cause of the problem needs to be swiftly identified. If youre not sure whether to visit the vet, give them a call. Theyll be able to let you know whether your kitty needs to see them.
Billys
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Caring For Kittens The Series Stage : Age 0
Congratulations, youre a mother! Well, your cat is. While your cat is like any mother, you as a new owner of kittens have a few motherly duties yourself in terms of kitten care for these precious new babies.
That being said we do not recommend home breeding of cats! Spaying and neutering is also important especially if you are not financially ready or have the space for properly raising a litter of kittens. We understand though that oops moments happen however, or perhaps youve even adopted your kitten from a shelter like VOKRA or other rescue shelters for foster care, so this article should help prepare you for those sorts of situations.
And if you just got your first kitten, this post is for you too!
Kitten Development From 6 To 12 Weeks
The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong
Kittens go through a lot of changes very soon after they’re born. The first few weeks of their lives are full of new sights and sounds, and by the time they reach six weeks of age, they are almost ready to leave their mothers. But that doesn’t mean the growing, changing, and learning comes to a halt. Between the ages of six and 12 weeks of age, there are still several big milestones that a kitten needs to pass.
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When Can Kittens Be Adopted Heres How To Know When To Bring A Kitten Home
Many creatures need the care and support of their mothers in their earliest weeks, and cats are no exception. At most shelters and rescues, kittens can be adopted starting at 8 weeks. Breeders will often wait until the kitten has been with their mother for at least 12 weeks, with many breeders waiting until 14 weeks.
Thats because there are many perks to sticking around their furry family members. One of the biggest: socialization. When kittens stay with their mother and other littermates, they learn how to play appropriately and how to communicate with other cats, says Bruce Kornreich, Ph.D., DVM, DACVIM, director of Cornell Feline Health Center at Cornell Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York.
In other words, this is how cats learn to be a cat. For instance, mothers and littermates help teach their kittens the difference between a hard bite and a soft one. If a kitten bites their littermates, a lot of times their littermates squeal or meow, and then they run off, says Marci L. Koski, Ph.D., a certified feline behavior and training consultant and owner of Feline Behavior Solutions in Vancouver, Washington. Thats a lesson: OK, I cant bite that hard or when I do this with my claws, it hurts. Mother cats will also walk away when their kittens play too rough.
Kittens also pick up other valuable behaviors from their momhow to bury their waste, how to hunt for prey and how to groom themselves, Koski says.
How To Care For An Eight Week Old Kitten
Bringing home a new pet is a very exciting time be it a dog or a cat, from a rescue centre or breeder, your first pet or your twenty first. But it does pay to be prepared so you can make the most of enjoying the time with your new friend knowing that theyre happy, healthy and safe. Kittens especially are incredibly popular and its not hard to see why. Many cats can happily live into their late teens but that early life care is vital. As always, if you have any queries or are in need of any advice, your vet is the best person to speak to. However, below are ten pointers to get you started.
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Kittens: When Is It Okay To Separate Them From Their Mothers
It is hard to resist the cuteness of a brand new baby kitten, especially if you see one that appears to be a stray. You fear for his safety and want to help, but is taking him in the best option for his health and safety? Taking kittens away from their mothers can actually be quite dangerous for them, even when you have the best intentions. Kittens who have been separated from their mothers too soon are often more likely to exhibit inappropriate behaviors, struggle with interacting with other cats and humans, and are at a higher risk for health complications. In the wild, kittens usually remain with their mothers until they reach sexual maturity or until the mother gets pregnant again. When keeping kittens as pets, it is important to know the timeline of their development before separating them from their mothers prematurely.
Love On Your New Kitten
Every interaction you have with your new kitten helps socialize him, says Carlene Strandell, Director/Founder of Smitten with Kittens, a non-profit, foster-based kitten rescue that operates in Tallahassee, Fla. “Hold your kitten, play with , interact with ,” she says. Consider adopting multiple cats so your kitten has a friend. “Two kittens are better than one,” says Standell. “Kittens don’t like being alone. They love companionship,” she says. “We encourage people to adopt two.”
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Travelling To The Vet/cattery
Getting your cat used to the carrier can make trips in the car a lot less stressful for you and the cat. Choosing a carrier with a removable lid makes it easier to get the cat in and out of the carrier. Acclimatising the cat to the carrier by having it available as a sleeping place in the home means they are used to going in and out of it. Having a piece of clothing with familiar smells on it inside the carrier can also make them feel more comfortable, as can the use of Feliway pheromone spray which is sprayed on the inside walls of the carrier 15 minutes before the cat goes in.
When travelling ensure the carrier is secured in the car so it doesnt move if you have to suddenly stop and a lot of cats prefer the carrier to be covered up. Remember to also bring some spare bedding in case the cat soils the cage on the trip.
When you return home, remember that your cat will smell a bit different to normal to other cats so reintroduce to other cats in the household slowly with supervision.
Week Old Kittens Can Be Left Alone For Short Periods
There isnt a problem with leaving your 8 week old kitten alone for short periods of time, such as when you run to the grocery store. However, kittens are needy and shouldnt be left for several hours at a time.
This is because kittens at this age need constant access to fresh kitten food and plenty of human interaction to become well-socialized cats. Training your kitten also takes up time at this age.
They also have a ton of energy and dont yet know the rules of the house, so boredom can lead to them being destructive or even hurting themselves.
If you need to leave your kitten, prepare them and your home for you to be gone. Make sure your house is kitten-proof, or leave your kitten in one room while youre away.
While adult cats can generally be given free rein in your home even when youre away, a young kitten wont have trouble staying in one room if needed to keep them safe.
Give your kitten activities to do while youre away, such as toys that are safe for them to play with unattended. Provide them with several comfortable areas where they can choose to sleep as well.
As your kitten grows older, you will be able to leave them for longer. If you want a cat who will be okay left alone while you work eight hours outside your home, I do recommend adopting a grown cat instead of a kitten as theyre more suited to that level of care.
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Reasons Your New Kitten Might Not Be Eating
There are lots of considerations to make when getting a new kitten â and what to feed them should be a major thought!
A tasty meal can help your kitty feel settled, happy and give them the energy they need to grow and play all day! When you first adopt your pet, its often best to find out what food they are already used to eating, and serve that for a while to minimise changes and stress while they settle into life with you.
But what can you do if your new furry friend seems off their food? There are lots of reasons that your kitty might turn their nose up at a delicious dish, such as stress, illness or otherwise. However, as kittens are so small â and need lots of energy to stay healthy â its important to quickly identify why your kitten has lost their appetite and seek veterinary help if they dont eat for 24 hours or more.
Four Weeks Old Kitten
Its been one whole month! Its amazing how quickly these helpless kittens have grown up over a four-week period. Darling, Denby, Corduroy, Tweed, and Wembley are thriving babies, starting to explore the world around them and play frequently with friends and toys.
At four weeks old, Corduroy is ready to explore!
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How To Help Your Kitten Sleep Well
After playtime, your kitten will likely participate in one of her other favorite pastimes: sleeping! Eight- to 12-week- old kittens can sleep 20 hours a day, but it depends on their activities, says Marilyn Krieger, certified cat behavior consultant and author of Naughty No More! Highly energetic kittens may sleep longer.
To help your kitten establish sleep patterns, play with her an hour or so before bedtime. This helps use up her energy to sleep through the night but still gives her time to come down from the revved up energy of playtime.
Wet Food Vs Dry Food: Which One Is The Best
While talking about how much to feed a kitten at 8 weeks, many novice cat parents also question the suitability of wet food and dry food. On average, wet food would offer kittens much needed moisture which keeps them hydrated while dry food could last a long time in the open. The majority of feline experts recommend that you feed your kitten wet food in order to supplement its water intake. Still, it’s possible for pet owners to feed 8-week-old kittens dry food periodically.
- Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe Natural Cat Food
- Purina Fancy Feast Kitten Canned Wet Cat Food
- Blue Buffalo Healthy Gourmet Natural Kitten Pate Wet Cat Food
- Royal Canin Feline Health & Nutrition Mother and Baby Cat Dry Food
- Organix Grain-Free Organic Dry Healthy Start Kitten Formula
- Merrick Purrfect Bistro Healthy Kitten Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Note: As dry food diets tend to lead to the forming of painful crystal right in the bladder of cats, kittens should adopt wet food diets as soon as possible.
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How To Tell The Sex Of Your Kittens
This kitten sexing guide will show you how to tell if a kitten is a boy or a girl at a glance. After reading this short guide sexing kittens will never be a problem for you again.
When your new kittens are born and mum and babies are settled down it is not unusual to want to know what sex the kittens arein fact I would say sometimes that some people find it vitally important to know just what sex their new kittens are!
Your queen and the new babies could not care less though and as far as I know still do not come with little labels on so I thought it may be useful to put down my experiences on this page.
When comparing a male and female kitten together the differences are usually fairly obvious but imagine having a litter of boys or a full litter of girls!!!!
I find the best time to determine a kittens sex is either when they have just been born still wet or when they are about 2 3 weeks old. I personally prefer to check them when they are born.
For the purposes of this article I have decided to use 3 week old kittens in the photographic examples in conjunction with diagrams to try and show the clear differences that can be seen in a small kittens genitals.
So how can you tell if a kitten is male or female?
More…
Introduce Your Cat To The New Kitten
When you bring your kitten home, allow your cat to sniff it while the kitten is in a carrier or your arms. Go directly to the room previously designated and set up for your new kitten and allow the kitten to explore. The litter box, food bowls, bed, and some toys should all be easily accessible. Do not let your older cat have unsupervised access to the kitten.
At night, when you are not home, and whenever you are unable to supervise the kitten and your older cat, keep the kitten in its designated room with the door closed. As your cat gets curious, it may stick its paw under the door, sniff under the door, and listen to the kitten. Do this for about a week, depending on how your cat is acting with the changes. Dont forget to provide a lot of attention to your older cat after playing with your kitten. Itll need your attention and support and the scent of the kitten on your clothing will help it get used to the newcomer.
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