What are common weaning mistakes to avoid?
Written by
John Williams
Reviewed by
Prof. David Walsh, Ph.D.Preventing weaning blunders is crucial to avoid complications that could threaten their lives. Common mistakes include starting them too young, giving them the wrong milk substitutes, or too much milk at a time, which can cause dehydration and malnutrition. I saw an instance of this in 2019, where a kitten had severe kidney damage due to early weaning. Your approach to their weaning process saves their lives.
Timing Mistakes
- Starting solids before 3 weeks: Causes enzyme deficiency and malnutrition
- Rushing texture transitions: Triggers food rejection and weight loss
- Early separation before 8 weeks: Creates lifelong anxiety and poor socialization
Nutritional Errors
- Using cow's milk: Leads to severe diarrhea and dehydration
- Incorrect formula mixing ratios: Causes nutritional imbalances
- Low-quality foods: Results in stunted growth and bone deformities
Avoid digestive disasters by timing your meals and activities right. Don't start a moment sooner than three weeks old without teeth! And certainly don't forget to check for that all-important 440g weight! My 2021 litter all thrived from the beginning, because I waited for all these markers. Get the timing wrong, and your puppy will be forever scrambling his enzymes and wreaking havoc on his digestion for the rest of his life.
Abide by strict monitoring. Weigh kittens every morning before feeding. Expect gains of at least 10g daily. Check stool consistency twice daily. Diarrhoea necessitates immediate adjustment of the formula. I'm obsessive about record-keeping, and my husband says I have a paranoid mind that watches out for the tiniest changes before they snowball into something huge.
Respect the eight-week bonding period absolutely. Even sick kittens respond to proximity with their mother. Gentle separation builds their independence without trauma. The kittens I've fostered, bonding for eight weeks and then slowly placed, became lovely, confident cats with none of the baggage seen in those farm-born cats that had little human contact.
Read the full article: Kitten Weaning Age: 3 to 8 Weeks Guide
