Advice on weaning kitten

melissa

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My little Missy, whom some of you may remember me posting about, is now 5 weeks old. I'm in the process of beginning to wean her and would like some advice on how to get her to drink from a bowl. For the past three or four days I have been putting all-meat baby food (Gerber 1st foods chicken and also beef) in her bottle with her KMR, and she loves it! In fact, she won't drink her milk plain anymore
This morning when she was very hungry I tried putting the warmed milk/baby food mixture in a saucer and though it took a while, she ate it all. Of course her judgement was a bit off and she'd get it up her nose, sneezing and stuff,but she did eat it. As for the next feeding, she would have no part of the dish and kept walking away though I knew she was very hungry. One curious thing I might add, is that after she walked away from her dish she ran to the cat dishes on the other side of the kitchen. She stuck her head in and it was empty at the time so she walked away. I even tried putting the milk mixture in that dish, to no avail. So I gave in and gave her the bottle back. How can I make the transition from bottle to dish easier for both of us???
 

hissy

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Make sure that whatever you are offering her in the dish has been warmed up (nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds) bring her over to the dish and sit down with her, place her by the bowl, stick you finger in the food, and offer your finger to her, but DON'T get bit! before she can bite you, rub the offered finger food around her mouth and sit back to wait. She should lick the offering. Then bring your finger down into the bowl, scoop up more food, offer it to her a short distance away from the bowl, and see if she goes forward. Eventually, your finger will be in the bowl and so will her head. Am I explaining this right? I hope so. Whatever you give her make sure that you mix the formula with it so she knows. Also, the best food dish for a little one is a jar lid at first. Good luck!
 
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melissa

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Thanks so much for the advice...I'll try it tomorrow. i figure I've got a pretty good start as she is familiar with the meat taste already and has shown slight interest in eating from the bowl. I like the jar lid idea...the size would be suited to her
How long before I should introduce wet kitten food? She is used to the baby food now, although not without her formula in it. Should I supplement her dish eating with bottles of just formula as well, or would this be a backward step? It seems so harsh to take her bottle away completely, she loves it so! I get all teary thinking about not feeding her with a bottle anymore...its been such a big part of my life for the last 3 weeks.Its almost like having your child grow up
I'm so happy that she has come along so well....shes a beautiful chubby little girl, but its almost sad to think of her becoming independant. Silly I know...
 

hissy

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Set out a small lid of kitten chow and drop some formula into the chow to moisten it put it alongside her wet kitten food. She needs to have solid food now as she is starting to grow and she will soon need to have the crunchy food to help strengthen her teeth and gums..
 

sandie

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It sounds like you are doing just fine. I would(since you have the option) let her have a bottle until she is about 6 or 7 weeks old. She is less likley to have a suckeling fixation when she gets older.
 
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