Before separating a kitten from its mother, it is necessary to consider certain details that are of paramount importance for the good physical and psychological development of the feline. Separating it prematurely can lead to behavioral problems and even serious nutritional deficiencies.
Although there is no exact date, a kitten is usually separated from its mother around 8 or 12 weeks of age, which may vary by case.
- In this Animal Expert article we explain why it is so important to respect this schedule.
- And we help you identify the right time.
- Explaining how to do it.
- Read on and find out when the kittens can be separated from their mothers.
To really understand why it’s not good to prematurely separate a kitten from its mother, it’s essential to go over some basics of a cat’s growth:
Shortly after the litter is born, for the first two or three days, the father will breastfeed the kittens with the first milk they will produce, colostrum. It is essential that every puppy receives it because, in addition to feeding it in abundance, colostrum provides immunoglobulins, immune defenses that will protect it from infections.
After this time, the cat will feed kitten babies with breast milk, a nutrient-rich source and will also offer them some immunity to minimize the risk of infections. In addition, it will also provide hormones, enzymes and other substances essential for their growth.
All kittens must feed on breast milk, except in very specific cases, such as rejection, death or illness of a mother that prevents them from taking care of them, it is only in these cases that a newborn kitten should be fed. -delivery, always in consultation with the veterinarian.
From the second week of life to about two months, the kitten is mature enough to begin exploring its surroundings and begin its first social relationships. The kitten is in the midst of a “sensitive period of socialization”.
During this stage, the cat learns to relate to the members of its species, dogs, human beings, the environment and, ultimately, any external stimulus that may be common in its adult life. A well-socialized cat will be sociable, friendly and will feel safe in its future environment, will be able to identify with the type of living beings above and will not develop in the future behavioral problems, such as aggression, excessive shyness among others.
From 4 weeks, and gradually, we must motivate our cat to start weeding. To do this, you must offer small portions of soft and soft foods, such as moist foods that are prepared in pieces of meat or fish, as well as cakes. Puppies cans can be found in supermarkets.
During this stage, they still rely heavily on their mother and it is only after 8 weeks of life that they will start eating regularly with this type of food.
When the cat is two months old, he should start offering several daily rations of food, combining dry and moist food. To make sure you can deduce it, you can demolish the ration in an unsalted fish broth, which will give you flavor, an extra nutrition and make it easier for you.
Finally, around 12 weeks, the mother can continue to breastfeed the puppies but it is the right time for them to start eating alone, being completely weaned. At this point, we are sure that our cat will not suffer nutritional deficiencies.
At this stage and to ensure a good adaptation to your future home, it would be advisable to teach kittens how to use sanitary sand, as well as teach them how to use the scraper box. Everything you can learn, including games and various activities, will be positive for your mental stimulation.
Even if they are weaned, we cannot radically separate kittens from their mother, as it can suffer mastitis, a breast infection due to the accumulation of milk. Separation should be done gradually, i.e. separate the kittens one by one.
In principle, if we have waited until 12 weeks of life, the mother will instinctively know that her cubs are independent and can survive, so it will be rare for her to experience an episode of sadness. However, if you separate the kittens from the mother in advance, the cat may suffer severe depression, which desperately searches for the kittens in the house. In these cases, it will be highly recommended to wash the “nest” of the cat, as well as the utensils, blankets and cushions that may have its smell.
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