Rather than take a bite, chew, and swallow…Soupy nurses her food!
If you’re fostering kittens who are weaning, you might encounter a behavior I refer to as “meat nursing”—when a kitten suckles on her food rather than biting, chewing, and swallowing it. Don’t worry: with a bit of support, you can get your kittens on the right track!
Watch my Instructional Video here:
Meat Nursing Can Be Life-Threatening
Meat nursing may not directly present dangers to the kitten (aside from a messy face!), but because it is associated with a failure to consume enough food, it can be seriously life-threatening. To the untrained eye, meat nursing can look so similar to eating that it’s simple for the foster parent to assume that the kitten is weaned and eating successfully, but they may actually be seriously struggling to eat. Sadly, kittens’ health can quickly deteriorate if the caregiver doesn’t realize that additional help is needed.
When a kitten is a meat nurser, they may experience:
Emaciation
Dehydration
Cascading effects of malnourishment such as organ failure
Bacterial infection and skin irritation
If you think your kitten might be meat nursing, you’re going to want to take steps to help them as soon as possible!
What Does Meat Nursing Look Like?
If your kitten is meat nursing, you might observe:
The kitten’s tongue may be pressed against the roof of their mouth or latched around a piece of meat
Paws may be seen in the dish, possibly kneading on the food
Kitten may chew or suckle on the edge of the dish
You may hear rhythmic lip smacking sounds
The food might appear flattened, smushed, or pushed around/out of the dish
The kitten may have food stains surrounding their mouth
The kitten may appear frantic or distressed at the bowl, or may spend an unusually long amount of time at the dish
Why Does Meat Nursing Happen?
In many cases, kittens meat nurse because they are either too young to be weaned or because they have not yet developed the motor skills needed for eating solid food. Remember, every kitten develops on his or her own timeline, so it’s important to practice kitten-led weaning and not force the kitten to wean prematurely.
Key developmental milestones for weaning emerge around 5 weeks of age, including:
Presence of premolars
Changes in gastrointestinal enzymes needed to digest meat
Improved vision, mobility, proprioception and coordination for locating and eating from a dish
If a kitten is being weaned too early—before these changes occur—they might default to suckling behavior because they don’t have the skills to eat solid food yet. Until they learn…suckling is both a comforting habit and the only way they know to get a full belly!
Learn about kitten development and weaning:
Keep Your Kitten Stable While Weaning
Ensure Proper Nutrition
First things first: let’s make sure your kitten is actually getting enough to eat. If the kitten is under 5 weeks of age and has no premolars, step her back to bottle feeding or nursing with mom if you are able.
Even if the kitten is over 5 weeks, nursing is still an important supplemental form of nutrition as they are slowly figuring out how to eat solids! However they will accept food—whether via bottle, mother, or syringe—continue to provide that after each meal to ensure they’re getting enough calories.
Ensure Proper Hydration
When a kitten isn’t eating enough, dehydration is one of the first problems that can occur…and it can have deadly implications. For severely challenging kittens, consider supplementing with subcutaneous fluids twice daily to support their hydration and keep them stable during the weaning process.
Monitor the Kitten’s Weight
Even if they are weaning age, you should still weigh kittens at every meal to ensure they’re gaining appropriately. Weight loss is a sign that they’re not getting enough nutrition and need additional support!
Teach Your Kitten to Eat Properly
Kittens who are meat nursers need more hands-on assistance while eating. At each meal, sit with them and try a variety of options, both in terms of food and method of feeding, always keeping the goal in mind of teaching them skills like biting and chewing.
Try Different Food Textures
Experimenting with different food types can help kittens transition to eating solid food. Here are a few options to try:
Smooth or chunky wet food is your first go-to. Some kittens prefer smoother textures like pâté, while others respond better to chunkier options in gravy.
Pâté may be easier to figure out for some kittens, but for others may result in meat nursing.
Chunkier foods may encourage biting for some kittens, or in other cases may become a frustration they cannot overcome.
Dry kibble shouldn’t be your only offering, but it’s great to offer as a second option, especially for meat nursing kittens. Kittens tend not to try to nurse on kibble, and many actually learn to take their first big bite by being introduced to a fragrant, palatable dry food. Offer it in several ways:
Plain, as is
Moistened with water to soften it
Soaked in formula for added appeal
Sprinkled on top of wet food to encourage them to bite into both
Shredded chicken is a nice option to try temporarily, as it can be a high-value food that encourages opening the mouth wide and chomping. Use this for training, but be sure to switch back to an appropriate diet formulated for kittens as soon as you can.
Formula in a dish can be offered to help kittens who are more comfortable lapping than chewing.
Slurry, a combination of wet food and formula, can be offered, but may be quite messy compared to the other options.
Try Different Feeding Methods
Sometimes kittens need hands-on support to learn how to eat. Here are some methods to try:
Feeding on a flat plate: Sometimes a bowl can be much harder for kittens than a flat plate.
Hand or spoon feeding: Lift food to their face with your hand or a spoon to encourage them to take a bite.
Place food in their mouth: Gently place a small piece of food on their tongue or scrape it on the roof of their mouth. This can help them practice chewing and teach them how to eat solid food. Be cautious and make sure the kitten is responsive and alert.
Manually feeding kittens always carries some risk, so go slow and observe carefully.
In extreme cases, tube feeding is a last resort option—but should be done only by an experienced tube feeder and, if the kitten has premolars, with a bite guard.
Keep them Clean
Use baby wipes or wet washcloths to clean the face and paws after each meal in order to avoid moist dermatitis and fur loss.
Be Patient—You’ve Got This!
Meat nursing can be a frustrating challenge, but with persistence and the right approach, kittens will eventually learn how to eat properly. By experimenting with food, trying supportive feeding methods, and monitoring their progress, you’re giving them the tools they need to grow and thrive.
Thank you for everything you do to support kittens in need—you’re truly making a difference!
Watch my webinar on caring for weaning-age kittens:
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