does a 10 week old kitten need milk
Kitten Kittens develop very quickly from about two weeks of age until their seventh week. Their coordination and strength improve. They play-fight with their litter-mates and begin to explore the world outside the nest or den. They learn to wash themselves and others as well as play hunting and stalking games, showing their inborn ability as predators. These innate skills are developed by the kittens' mother or other adult cats, who bring live prey to the nest. Later, the adult cats demonstrate hunting techniques for the kittens to emulate.[11] As they reach three to four weeks old, the kittens are gradually weaned and begin to eat solid food, with weaning usually complete by six to eight weeks.[12] Kittens generally begin to lose their baby teeth around three months of age, and have a complete set of adult teeth by nine months.[13] Kittens live primarily on solid food after weaning, but usually continue to suckle from time to time until separated from their mothers. Some mother cats will scatter their kittens as early as three months of age, while others continue to look after them until they approach sexual maturity.[14]
Breastfeeding Changes early in pregnancy prepare the breast for lactation. Pre-birth hormone levels become altered after the birth and stimulate the production of milk. From around halfway through pregnancy, the breasts begin to produce colostrum.[17] Colostrum, a thick yellowish fluid rich in protein, continues to be produced for the first few days after delivery. Around 30 to 40 hours after delivery, the composition of milk changes to mature milk and milk volume becomes copious, an event known as the milk "coming in".[18] Sucking causes the pituitary to release oxytocin that causes to the contraction of the uterus.[19][20] Progesterone is the hormone that influences the growth of breast tissue before the birth. The postpartum changes that occur in the endocrine system after the birth shift from hormones that prevent lactation to hormones that trigger milk production.[citation needed] This can be felt by the mother in the breasts. The crying of the infant can induce the release of oxytocin from the pituitary gland.[21]