These two delightful creatures appeared two and a half weeks ago. Mum (a tortoiseshell) is now happy to wander around the house and go back betimes for suckling purposes.
At what stage should we introduce solid food ?
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6KITTIES!!!!!!!!– CausingUnderflowsEverywhereCommented Apr 12, 2022 at 22:03
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1@CausingUnderflowsEverywhere it's the kitties season, isn't it?– fraxinusCommented Apr 13, 2022 at 12:18
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1I've always wondered about cat and dog colors. How come no poodle is tri-color? And how come there are no brown cats? In any case, :)– LambieCommented Apr 13, 2022 at 19:06
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1@lambie - Bernadoodles come close to being a tri-colored poodle.– Bob Jarvis - Слава УкраїніCommented Apr 13, 2022 at 20:47
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1@Lambie brown tabby is a very common coloring for cats.– Allison CCommented Apr 14, 2022 at 14:01
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1 Answer
According to The Kitten Lady, weaning should not be attempted before 5 weeks of age; prior to that age, the kitten doesn't have the teeth required to properly consume anything but milk. Due to developmental differences in kittens, you should always follow their lead on weaning, rather than attempting to force it on a specific timeline; a kitten who isn't ready to be weaned may suffer malnutrition as a result.
As you have the mother cat with the kittens, you can also follow her lead on when to wean. Mama is not "wandering around" because the kittens are done nursing and ready to be weaned; she's simply confident that the kittens are safe and don't need her constant protection right now. That's a good sign that she's comfortable in your home and trusts you.
As the kittens grow older, they'll start to wander about the house with their mother; take this time prior to them doing that to start "kitten-proofing" your house. Make sure spaces are safe for them, and keep doors closed to limit their exploration areas. Keep anything they could potentially ingest or harm themselves on well out of their reach (and remember that cats can jump). During this time, they may begin to explore their mother's food; you should already be feeding her "kitten formula" food due to the added nutritional needs she has while nursing--if you are still feeding regular food, transition her as soon as possible. You'll want to keep the kittens on this food until they're nearing their adult weight, as growing kittens need the added nutrition as well.
The Kitten Lady's website and videos at the link above have further details you can explore, however, keep in mind her site is geared primarily toward handling orphan kittens; yours have a significant advantage in having their mother present to handle much of the work of raising, and weaning, them.
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@NigelJ if this answered your question, please feel free to click the checkmark next to the answer to accept it. Thanks! Commented Apr 19, 2022 at 13:38
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Done as requested. My apologies, I am not usually so tardy.– Nigel JCommented Apr 19, 2022 at 14:30
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1@NigelJ no worries, it's easy to forget after a couple of days :) Commented Apr 19, 2022 at 15:48