If your lovable family cat has babies, then you will want to know how to care for these little ones as they start to grow. Admittedly, veterinarians prefer that all pet owners spay and neuter their animals unless they registered and bred at a kennel. This helps to keep breed regulation and avoid the potential of breed defects. Yet if you do choose to allow your animal to get pregnant, you will want to make sure that you can care for them properly.

According to the ASPCA, it is important to introduce kittens to solid food at about the time that they are on their feet and their eyes are open. This means that at about four weeks old, an owner should start introducing the kittens to solid food. Normally, the weaning process is completed by the time that a kitten is eight to ten weeks old. The entire process for a kitten will normally take between four to six weeks. Most of the time, a mother cat will be able to help with the weaning process. You will only need to provide solid food for the kittens and the mother will gradually discourage her litter from nursing.

It is important to remember that abrupt removal of the mother cat from the kittens can have a negative effect on a cat's socialization skills and overall health. It is important for kittens to learn by observing their mother. Specifically, the kittens will learn how to use the litter box, play, and eat by watching their mother. The kittens should be near their mother cat for the entire weaning process, as the mother cat will instinctively know how to train her litter properly.

When the kittens are about four weeks old, feel free to place them in a separate location from their mother for a few hours at t time. This will reduce their dependency on the mother's milk and her overall presence. You can put the kittens in their own special area with a litter box that is easy for them to access and low food and water bowls that they can easily eat from.

You will want to introduce your kitten to solid food by mixing high quality dry or canned kitten food with a kitten milk replacer until it the consistency of oatmeal.. When the kitten gets accustomed to eating, you will be able to reduce the amount of milk replacer that you are pouring in the meal and increasing the amount of kitten food. As the kittens get stronger, you can increase the amount of dray food. By five to six weeks of age, the kittens should be relying on slightly moistened food for nutrients. By eight to ten weeks, the kittens should be accustomed to unmoistened kitten food.

Make sure to leave small amounts of dry food and water out at all times by the time the kittens are approximately seven weeks old so that they can experiment with the food and grow comfortable eating it dry. The ASPCA says that cats are instinctive and much of the weaning process will be natural and simple as long as you provide the proper food. Some kittens may take longer to catch on, and may play with their food rather than eat it for the first few days. You should be patient, as eventually the kittens will catch on. If you want more information contact a local vet to assist you. Also, you should consult with a vet about vaccinations for the kittens and other check-ups and health concerns. Use this directory to locate a helpful veterinarian near you!