While nursing, a kitten gets essential nutrients and antibodies from the mother's milk (colostrum). The just-born cat has to drink milk in order to grow and become strong enough to venture out on its own at some point. When kittens reach a certain age, usually about four weeks old, it's time to start thinking about weaning them .

 

Weaning a kitten is the act of changing a kitten over from its mother's milk to solid foods. Sometimes it's not as easy as you would first think because the kittens grow very accustomed to the taste of milk and they enjoy the time spent bonding with their siblings and mother. In some cases a young cat will attack a plate of tuna as if it is what it has been missing all of its life. Other times, the kitten will be more reluctant to let go of the mother's teat and you will have to be creative to switch it to a solid food.

 

Why Kittens Need to be Weaned

 

The main reason why kittens need to be weaned is because the cat mother (also called the queen) will start to reject and push her kittens away. Nursing becomes painful for the mother after a while, and the queen knows when it is time for the young cats to move on and start hunting their own food. The young cats need to continue to eat several times per day in order to survive. You will know it is time to wean when the mother hisses and hits the babies to tell them to go away when they come to eat. Also, if you see that the kittens are starting to develop teeth you know it is time to start weaning them.

  

When you have a kitten in your home, you are responsible for getting its solid food since it does not live in the wild. A young cat certain can't live off of mice and the ankles of people alone! Feed it dry food that is formulated especially for kittens and delicious meat, like tuna.

 

How to Do It

 

When you are weaning a kitten, you have to be gentle and understanding. Eating solid foods is still a foreign concept to a cat that has been drinking milk for the first month of its life. The best way to start is to put a little bit of formula in a bowl or plate (you can buy simulated cat's milk at a pet store). This way the cat can start getting used to eating in this manner. After a while, replace the formula with solid food. Add a little bit of water to dry kitten food to moisten it, or chop up canned premium meat cat food into small pieces that your kitty can grab with its mouth and digest easily.

 

It's important that you read the cans and bags of food that you buy your kitten. Some foods are pure junk—just fillers that won't provide a young cat with the nutrition it needs. Find a food that has at least 30% protein, as this is a key nutrient for a one month old cat. Some cheap cat meats can cause your cat to have serious diarrhea and digestive issues. Consult a vet if you are confused about what type of food is best for your new kitty. Also, don't forget to put the cat in front of a bowl of clean, fresh water. This is an important part of the weaning process as well.

 

A kitten needs some time to get used to the idea of eating from a plate or bowl as opposed to its mother's nipple. This can be one of the biggest problems involved in weaning. It is not uncommon to see your kitten standing inside of the dish in order to get to the food. All that it understands is that the food tastes good, it is nourishing and filling, and it needs to go inside of the mouth. Over time the kitten will grow and get used to eating food from the plate normally.

 

Watch your kitten when it is eating from the bowl. If the cat gets soiled with milk or food, be sure to wipe it down with a damp rag. The kitty is still learning how to groom, so you can't expect it to do a great job of getting the food out of its fur this early.

 

A Difficult Kitty

 

If your cat is being especially difficult during the weaning process, you may have to be creative. Sit your kitten down on your lap, put a little fragrant food on your fingertip, and try to feed it this way. After a while, this kitten will sniff the food and take a few licks. Thereafter, you probably won't have too much of an issue with getting it to eat the solid food.

  

If you have a difficult kitty, alternate between feeding it formula in a bottle (assuming that the mother will not feed it anymore) and giving it a little bit of solid food. You can also mix the formula in with the solid food for the best results. Eventually, as the kitten continues to grow, it will get used to eating the solid food over the formula. If a cat still doesn't want to eat regular food after six to eight weeks, you may need to consult a physician. Keep in mind that a weaning problem will most likely be related to the food that you are introducing to the new kitten.

 

How Often Should a Kitten Eat?

 

Kittens need to eat about four or five small meals every day. A kitten's stomach is very small so there is only so much food it can consume at once. Observe how often the kitten feeds on its mother prior to weaning and then do your best to keep up with the same schedule. You may just want to fill a bowl full of dry food and allow the kitten to come back and forth throughout the day to eat.