Summary
Weaning is an important milestone when kittens transition from the queen’s milk or kitten milk replacement formula to solid kitten food (wet and dry). It may not come easily to some kittens and cause them, and their caregivers, stress. It’s important to let the kitten set the pace of weaning and not rush the process.
Weaning—a Critical Time for Orphaned Kittens
The weaning process of transitioning kittens from mother’s milk or kitten milk replacement formula to solid kitten food (wet and dry) usually starts when the kittens are about four weeks old and their carnassial (chewing) teeth begin to emerge. It may be only a week or two before the kittens are entirely on solid food, or they may continue nursing from their mother or taking a bottle for a month or more while transitioning to solid food.
If kittens are with their mother, the queen will influence when the kittens wean. Some queens continue nursing their kittens for eight or more weeks, while others will start removing themselves from attempts to nurse when the kittens are four or five weeks old.
With or without their mother, it is essential to continue weighing kittens daily, and if the queen is present, to weigh her at least twice weekly. Be sure to check the queen for any signs of mastitis each time you weigh her or if she shows any early signs of illness such as lethargy or inappetence. See Problems to Watch for in Queens Post-Delivery for information about mastitis.
Kittens who are not with a queen and are bottle-fed may start to wean as early as three and a half to four weeks of age OR they may want to continue receiving feedings from the bottle for several more weeks. When the carnassial teeth start to erupt, kittens may start to chew on the nipple of the bottle. This is a clue to start the weaning process if you have not already done so. If kittens chew on the nipple, there is a risk of the nipple breaking off completely and being swallowed. So, be very careful not to allow kittens to chew excessively on the bottle nipple.
Regardless of whether kittens are with a mother cat or not, it is important not to rush the weaning process, and let kittens determine the pace. Do not withhold the bottle to force them to wean. Kittens may not be developmentally ready to wean, and rushing the process can cause undue physical and emotional stress.
