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12 Week Old Kitten Not Weaned

  • 13-09-2012 1:05am
    #1
    Morf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭


    Should I be worried that the kitten from a young female (now spayed) on her first litter hasn't been weaned yet? She doesn't seem to be discouraging him at all. He is eating solid food without a problem.


Comments

  • #2
    SillyMangoX
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,003 ✭✭✭SillyMangoX


    I wouldnt be overly concerned, usually mammy would kick them off as they are tiring her out but as she only has the one baby and is probably producing enough milk for 6 shes probably okay with having a source for draining it. Is there any way you can keep them seperated for a few days? Could give mammy the chance to remember its nice to not have a kitten hanging from her!


  • #3
    Themadhouse
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 952 ✭✭✭Themadhouse


    It's just a comfort thing. She will tell him to feck off when she's sick of it. One of my cats when he was a kitten would suckle on one of my neuter boys! He is now 3 and still attempts it every now and again !


  • #4
    Morf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭Morf


    Yeah I imagined it was comfort rather than hunger. I don't really have the facility to keep them apart for a few days. I'll just have to see if he grows out of it.


  • #5
    Ayla
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,508 ✭✭✭Ayla


    This is nature at Her best...animals don't always have this "gotta stop this leech" social belief to stop feeding their young. In fact, there are many examples of mothers feeding their children loooong after the child has moved onto solids. Humans are really one of (or maybe the only?) animals who generally wean their young at such young stages. It's natural, let it be; when they both are done then they'll stop.


  • #6
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,736 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    Ayla wrote: »
    This is nature at Her best...animals don't always have this "gotta stop this leech" social belief to stop feeding their young. In fact, there are many examples of mothers feeding their children loooong after the child has moved onto solids. Humans are really one of (or maybe the only?) animals who generally wean their young at such young stages. It's natural, let it be; when they both are done then they'll stop.

    True. Some culture breastfeed for up to three years.


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  • #7
    planetX
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,441 ✭✭✭planetX


    my stray momma cat let her kittens feed until around 20 weeks, and she's still a devoted mother to them as adults.


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