Weening and Litter training newborn kittens

[willowdragon]

Hi,

I have a litter of newborn kittens. In a few weeks they will start weening and litter training. I have been declined time off work to be around to monitor them.

What advice do you good people have about how to handle the weening and litter training while I'm at work? We were thinking of putting the kittens in a play pen with litter trays, and hoping Mum cat will take care of the rest; do you think this would work?

Obviously while we're at home we'll be all in hands on.

[booktigger]

If they are with mum, you will need to do very little, they do the work, you just need to provide kitten food, kitten litter trays and suitable litter - they generally nibble on litter before food. Is mum a pedigree?

[willowdragon]

Yes. Mum and dad are both full bengal, mum has pedigree papers but haven't got papers for dad. I wanted to register them with TICA, cos mum is registered, but as we can't get hold of dad's owner to ask about papers we can't really do anything,

I got the non clumping clay litter, it seemed to be the safest option.

I'm not sure whether to bother with a play pen in the kitchen, or just kitten proof the kitchen and forgo the play pen. I feel like with all best intentions, mum might decide she doesn't like them being in the pen and take them out of it anyway, and we'll still have messes on the floor ^^

[booktigger]

Yes. Mum and dad are both full bengal, mum has pedigree papers but haven't got papers for dad. I wanted to register them with TICA, cos mum is registered, but as we can't get hold of dad's owner to ask about papers we can't really do anything,

I got the non clumping clay litter, it seemed to be the safest option.

I'm not sure whether to bother with a play pen in the kitchen, or just kitten proof the kitchen and forgo the play pen. I feel like with all best intentions, mum might decide she doesn't like them being in the pen and take them out of it anyway, and we'll still have messes on the floor ^^

I've always just kept them in one room, as you say, mum may move them anyway