Fostering A 6 Week Old Kitten Litter
At the age of 6 weeks, kittens are extremely playful and start to become more independent. It is important to keep providing them with all of the essentials as well as a big enough space to satisfy their energy.
A 6 week old kitten litter doesn’t need as much of your time as when they were first born. However, it is important that you dedicate the time to socializing them correctly so that they are used to being aground people.
This article walks you through everything you need to know about raising 6 week old kittens. We discuss how to provide the best possible care while socializing them for their eventual forever home.
5 To 6 Week Progression
Behavioral Changes
This is the age when kittens begin acting very playful. They are learning to do things on their own such as: going potty in the litter box, walking up to the food plate if they are hungry, and testing out the water bowl.
Don’t worry if they are not drinking water yet because they are still getting most of their fluids from their wet food and formula. This is also the age when I notice the kittens begin recognizing me by sound and sight. They will begin purring consistently every time that I pet them.
Physical Changes
There aren’t really any drastic changes between the 5 week to 6 week mark. Their motor skills and coordination continue to improve. For example, they are able to follow objects with their eyes better (such as a string toy or your moving finger.)
This is the age where they begin the “kitten run” which is a cute and unmistakable sideways run. You should notice them beginning to run, jump and climb like it’s in their DNA (because it is).
6 Week Old Kitten Care
Provide A Proper Sleeping/Play Area
The kittens will need enough room to roam around and play now that they are able to walk and explore confidently. We moved our litter from a small office into a larger room where they can explore while still remaining in a controlled environment.
It is smart to provide blankets for them so they can keep their paws warm and because they will be running and rolling around everywhere. Depending on how many kittens you have, you may want to provide multiple bed areas for them.
You should offer at least one super soft area such as a cat bed or warm blanket for them to cuddle into. With our litter of 7 kittens, we have 3 bedding areas for them to sleep and hang out in. They seem to enjoy the variety as they are continually alternating among the three spots.
Feeding 6 Week Old Kittens
Now that the kittens are 6 weeks old, we have started feeding them about 3-4 times a day. This is the age to start introducing some dry kibble food to them.
To introduce the new food, we started by just leaving a bowl of kibble for them to check it out and explore it on their own. Now, we mix the wet food, formula, and kibble all together.
The reason that we mix all of the food together is to slowly transition them to avoid upsetting their stomach. This gets them used to the idea of crunching their food, while still giving them formula to stay hydrated and receive the proper nutrients.
The wet food is a good transition between the formula and kibble. Wet food helps keep the kittens hydrated and provides an easy solid food for them to consume.
Socializing The Kittens
Kittens at this age are still young enough to be properly socialized. They are just beginning to eat solid food so you can teach them to see humans as the provider of that food. Food is the special key to socializing kittens.
It is important for kittens to become familiar with all of the normal noises in a household. The easiest way to do this is by wrapping them up in a blanket or towel like a burrito. Once you have made your kitten burrito, you can carry them around the house so they can grow accustomed to other people and sounds.
During this process, constantly talking/singing to them and petting them goes along way in socializing them correctly. Exposing them to human voices and touch will have that wild kitten tamed in no time.
Kittens need to learn that human companionship equals constant food and love. We have a special tactic that works like magic when it comes to taming an unsocialized kitten.
The secret is to only feed them wet food when you are in the room with them. Wet food is every kitten’s favorite and they will start to realize that being with humans equals eating yummy food.
Just remember that they will be extremely scared for the first day or two so start off by sitting far away from them. You might even have to avoid making eye contact with the kitten. Just show them that your presence isn’t scary and that food is provided when you are there.
Litter Box Training
At this point most kittens are going potty in the litter box. Going in the litter box is a natural instinct for cats and kittens. They want to bury their poop and pee so digging in a litter box feels very natural for them.
6 week old kittens are still very young so they may not be 100% at using the litter box yet. Don’t stress out if they have not figured it out yet. If you see them beginning to squat somewhere just pick them up and place them in the litter box.
Continuously doing this will show them there is a certain correct spot to go potty. If they poop out of the box, it may be a good idea to put their poop in the litter box so they can start to correlate the litter smell with their poop. Also, make sure to be consistent about cleaning the litter box for them. I am sure that you wouldn’t like using a gross toilet.
Can 6 Week Old Kittens Survive Without Their Mother?
Yes, kittens at this age can survive without their mother, however it is not ideal. Kittens are able to eat solid foods and go to the bathroom on their own at this point. However, they are still very small so they do not have much going for them in the defense department.
6 week old kittens may still nurse on their mother occasionally. They do not need milk at this point, but it offers extra nutrients and hydration for them. They need proper nutrients during this time because they are constantly growing.
Is It OK To Give Kittens Away At 6 Weeks Old?
It is not ideal for kittens do be given away this early. The typical age to give kittens away is once they reach 8 weeks. This ensures that they are fully weaned off of their mother or the bottle and that they are totally fine eating solid food on their own.
How Often Do 6 Week Old Kittens Need To Eat?
These kittens need to be fed 3-4 times a day with a big plate of formula mixed with wet food and some dry kibble. I begin adding the dry kibble at this age to start transitioning them to solid food.
I have a dry kibble bowl and a water bowl constantly filled in the nursery in case they are extra thirsty or hungry. They will touch those bowls here and there, but they are mainly on wet food at this age. I do not currently feed them in the middle of the night at this point.
How Long Can 6 Week Old Kittens Be Alone?
These kittens can be alone throughout the nighttime in their nursery room. During the day I make sure to feed them every 4-5 hours with the plate of formula, wet food, and dry kibble mix. Make sure they are confined to a specific room so that they do not get lost or cause trouble around the house.
