david n: How long does a Mother cat need to nurse her litter before I can start feeding normal cat food and bond ?
HI, I HAVE A BACKYARD MOTHER CAT I’VE BEEN FEEDING FOR A LONG TIME THAT JUST HAD A LITTER A WEEK OR SO AGO. I WOULD LIKE TO PERHAPS KEEP ONE ESPECIALLY NICE ONE AS AN INDOOR PET. THE MOTHER TRUSTS ME AND HER BABIES ARE NOW INSIDE MY HOUSE IN A BLANKETED PLASTIC TUB. I LET THE MOTHER IN TO NURSE THEM AND BE WITH THEM FOR AWHILE, AND THEN LET HER BACK OUTSIDE TO DO HER THING. HOW DO I BEST TRANSTION MYSELF AS THE NEW CAREGIVER AND WHAT STAGE ?? IF THEY ARE WITH THE MOTHER TOO LONG I KNOW IT IS DIFFICULT TO BOND WITH THEM. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! D NELSON
Answers and Views:
Answer by hollister_baby24
A litter of cats should be nursed by there mother for at least 6-8 weeks. do not give any away untill there done nursing.
When they start walking, start giving them water, and putting it in front of them with a bowl. Once you notice they are drinking it, start giving them wet food, put a little water into the dry food. They will eventually start eating it. Also, to train them, if you wanted to know, put them in the catbox everyday.Answer by The Fair Witch Of Niche
The mother knows when it’s time to wean her babies. Keep food out there for the mother and when the kittens are ready they will start to eat. I strongly recommend getting the mother spayed as well as the kittens when they are of age. The vet will help you decide when the kittens are ready to leave their mother.Answer by socccerprincess244
well when he starts moving and i would say whne he is 1 cause i have a lil bro and sometimes i compare him to a cat well hes 1 now and we just started feeding him normal food but when you start feeding him normal things do not feed him alot of itAnswer by jasminetablen
Once their eyes open, you can handle them gently. After
bout a month, they are pretty frisky and although still
need the mother, will interact with you a little. By 6
weeks they are still nursing, but will become pets.Answer by mami3jc
6 weeks minimum.
You should also try to find homes for the other kittens.
Answer by NaniI will tell you that my cat (which has 4 years now)
drank until his first year so dont worryAnswer by ananimalloverinkentucky
you can start bonding with the kittens now…handle them a bit a few times a day..gently rubbing and talking to them…if momma cat is around just put your hand in their box and watch for her reaction..if she comes looking for a rub pet her while using your other hand to gently rub the kittens..if she doesnt object to you touching the kittens pick one up and hold it for a short period then return to momma..do all of them like this..this will show momma you are not going to hurt them..if momma cat objects wait until she is outside then handle the kittens
you can start offering dry kitten food around 3 wks of age..also when you start to offer food offer them water….moisten with water or kitten formula which you can get at wal-mart or you can use canned..i prefer kitten food with the formula..also any left over formula rather than it going to waste can be given to momma cat since she is still nursing…it is loaded with nutrients and is good for nursing mommas..never give dairy products..can cause diarrhea
dont wean the kittens until 6-8 wks of age..by this time they should be eating the kitten food with no problems and at this age you can also add less liquid to get them used to dry…by 10-12 wks at most they should eat dry with no problems..also dry food is better for cats than soft…over the years a constant diet of canned only can lead to dental problems and teeth that will fall out before the cat is old…canned should be used in small amounts occasionlly as a treat
also after they open their eyes up and the eyes start to get crusty dont be alarmed..most if not all kittens go thru this..it is NOT caused by handling them to much as the old wives tale goes..you can clean their eyes…lay a warm wet-not damp- cloth over their eyes to moisten the crusties up..then gently wipe outward away from their eyes..this problem will clear up on its own in a week or 2..i have done this more times than i can count and all the kittens did just fine
you can also teach your cat to come by its name…like you would with a dog repeat the kittens name over and over when you handle it and in no time when you call his/her name they will come running..
on housetraining you will need a water bottle with a stream setting..when the kitten gets somewhere you dont want it just give a squirt in the face and say no firmly..if the kitten doesnt respond repeat while removing the kitten..it wont take long before they learn..
our 2 cats dont climb on kitchen counters or tables..they know better..lol..if they just look at a table or the counter top i will tell them no and they just go on else where…they dont know what kitty kitty means…just their names
unlike what ppl say cats can be trained and also leash trained..must start leash training at a young age..harness works best vs collar…prevents damage to throat..start by putting harness on and leaving on for a few minutes several times a day..when cat is comfortable with that leave on for longer periods until you have no problems leaving harness for hrs at a time…after that is complete start with a leash….in no time you will be able to use the harness and leash to take the cat outside if you dont want it to run off…my sister did this with a cat she had to keep him from getting out in the street..she would even tie him outside for a while so he could get fresh air…he would come running when he saw his harness..just make sure there is nothing close by the cat can get the leash tangled in if you elect to let him/her out for a while
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