Is your cat a mommy’s boy? If so, you may be having trouble getting your kitten to stop nursing on his mother. Nursing is an important part of a kitten’s development, but it’s also important to wean him off his mother’s milk as soon as possible. In this post, we’ll discuss how to stop kittens from nursing on mom and give you some tips for making the transition easier. Keep reading to learn more!
There are a few reasons why it’s important to stop kittens from nursing on mom. First, nursing can delay the kitten’s development and slow down his growth. Nursing can also cause the kitten to become overweight or even obese. Additionally, nursing can lead to problems with the kitten’s teeth and gums. If you’re having trouble getting your kitten to stop nursing on his mother, read on for some tips!
Contents
A Stepwise Guide on How to Stop Kittens from Nursing on Mom
Step 1: Understand Why Kittens Breastfeed
Newborn kittens can’t see or hear very well. They locate their mother by her warmth and the sound of her breathing as she breathes out. So they must be in constant contact with her to survive. Their survival depends on how well they bond to their mom (and how well Mom bonds to them).
Nursing keeps kittens close to their mother. The nurse so often because they need their mother’s milk to get energy, hydration, warmth, protection, and antibodies.
Step 2: Stop Kittens From Nursing on Mom
If you are reading this, it is because your veterinarian has asked you to separate the kittens from their mother. Here are some tips for how to do that successfully.
Take the mother cat and her kittens into a room where everyone can get some rest. Ensure all cats have adjoining but separate litter boxes, food, and water.
Make the kittens comfortable in a small carrier or box with their mother nearby who can see them. If this is not possible, you may have to take turns carrying them around for optimal bonding time, so be sure everyone knows how to do this ahead of time.
Try nursing the kittens yourself. This will help the kittens to stop nursing on their mother. Feed them warm canned cat food or kitten formula with a syringe or dropper.
Make sure the milk replacer is warmed to normal body temperature for newborns (100-102 degrees F).
The kittens should be offered canned food at 3 -4 weeks of age and weaned from the bottle or syringe by 5-6 weeks of age (if not sooner).
If you plan to foster kittens to another home, please do so at 8 -10 weeks. This will minimize how long they nurse on their mother and how often they need to be separated. A kitten’s umbilical cord stump should drop off by 8-10 days. The kittens will need to be checked for signs of infection at this time.
Step 3: Watch for Signs of Infection
Kittens can become sick from how they nurse on their mother. This is called “nursing-associated dermatitis” and often becomes apparent as a scab or sore around the base of the cord stump or at the corners of the mouth.
The mother’s milk may be causing an overgrowth of yeast on the skin due to how often the kitten’s nurse.
If the skin appears red and swollen around the cord or mouth, is crusty or puffy, or is bleeding/oozing pus, please contact your veterinarian immediately.
A kitten’s umbilical cord stump should dry up and fall off by 10-14 days. The scab or sores should heal over 21-28 days.
Step 4: Contact Your Veterinarian
If you have tried the steps above and your kittens are still nursing, please immediately contact your veterinarian. This is how to stop kittens from nursing on mom to bond better with their mother and nurse more on their own.
Your veterinarian may need to examine how the kittens are nursing, how often they nurse, how much milk they are taking in, how much weight they have gained since birth, how well their hips and limbs are developing, or whether you can see any signs of a urinary tract infection (symptoms include: crying when kittens try to urinate, blood in the urine, and straining with bowel movements).
Step 5: Understand how Nursing is Beneficial for Kittens
Newborn kittens are unable to eliminate bodily wastes without help from their mother. This is because their kidneys haven’t developed yet, so they can only get rid of small amounts of waste in their intestinal tract.
The mother cat licks her kittens when they try to urinate or have a bowel movement, stimulating them to eliminate. This helps prevent a urinary tract infection from developing.
If the mother cat is not cleaning her kittens, you may see a sticky yellow paste on their fur around their anus and genital area. Kittens should have several bowel movements during each nursing session, so there should be no straining or crying when they try to eliminate.
If you see a buildup of fecal material on the skin, or if they cry when trying to eliminate it, contact your veterinarian. A urinary tract infection may be developing.
Inadequate nursing by the mother cat can lead to dehydration in kittens and low weight gain if not caught early enough. Kittens with UTIs may also cry when trying to eliminate.
Why Does a Mother Cat Nurse Her Kittens when They Are Older and Start to Eat Solid Food?
A mother cat nurses her kittens when they are younger and have not started to eat solid food yet. This is because the mother cat’s milk is very nutritious and helps the kittens grow and develop. Once the kittens start to eat solid food, they no longer need to nurse from their mother and will usually stop doing so on their own.
However, sometimes a mother cat will continue to nurse her kittens even after they have started to eat solid food, which can be annoying for the mother cat and can also lead to the kittens becoming overweight. If you want to stop your kitten from nursing on mom, there are a few things you can do:
- Talk to your veterinarian about whether or not you should wean your kitten from mom.
- Try to make a habit of taking your kitten away from the mother cat when they start to nurse and giving them a toy or another form of enrichment.
- Encourage the mother cat to play with her kittens more frequently.
- Limit how often you let your daughter nurse on mom as if she’s being constantly nursed; it will have a negative effect on how quickly she’ll wean.
- Consider spaying your daughter if you want to stop her from nursing on mom, as she may continue to do so out of a desire to raise a family.
Keep reading for more information about how to stop kittens from nursing on mom.
Frequently Asked Question
How Can I Prevent My Cat from Nursing on Me?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent your cat from nursing on you:
- Make sure your cat has plenty of toys and other objects to play with, so they don’t need to nurse as often.
- Try to distract your cat when they start to nurse by playing with them or offering them a toy.
- If your cat persists in nursing on you, gently push them away or use a squirt bottle to discourage them.
Why Do Cats Nurse Their Kittens so Much?
There are a few reasons why cats nurse their kittens so much:
- Kittens need milk to grow and thrive, and nursing is the best way for them to get the nutrients they need.
- Nursing helps kittens learn how to eat and drink on their own, which is an important skill for them to learn.
- Nursing also helps kittens feel secure and safe, which is important for their development.
What Is the Best Way to Stop Kittens from Nursing on Mom?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent your cat from nursing on you:
- Make sure your cat has plenty of toys and other objects to play with, so they don’t need to nurse as often.
- Try to distract your cat when they start to nurse by playing with them or offering them a toy.
- If your cat persists in nursing on you, gently push them away or use a squirt bottle to discourage them.
Is It Better to Be the One that Nurses or The One that Gets Nursed by A Kitten?
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to whether it is better to be the one that nurses or the one that gets nursed by a kitten. In some cases, it may be more beneficial for the kitten to nurse from their mother, as this will help them grow and develop.
However, it may be more beneficial for the kitten to stop nursing from their mother and start eating solid food instead of in other cases. Ultimately, it is up to you and your veterinarian to decide what is best for your kitten.
Conclusion :
If you have trouble getting your kitten to stop nursing on his mother, have patience and keep trying. It may take a little time, but eventually, he will realize that he doesn’t need to nurse anymore.
In the meantime, make sure that both mom and kitten get enough food and water. Offer plenty of toys for the kitten to play with, so he can get his energy out and keep an eye on them both to make sure everyone is healthy and happy. Thanks for reading our post about how to stop kittens from nursing on mom.
