How to Wean Orphan Kittens

Ideally, a kitten should stay with its mother to nurse until it reaches about 4 weeks old, at which point the mother will begin to wean the kitten off of her milk. If you have orphaned kittens without a mother, you will need to slowly wean them off of milk replacement formula and onto solid foods over a period of four to six weeks after they reach 4 weeks old. Make the transition as pleasant as possible for the kittens to reduce stress and get them eating healthy, solid kitten food.

Things You'll Need

  • Kitten milk replacement formula
  • Canned kitten food
  • Blender
  • Shallow dish
  • Towel
  • Washcloth
  • Meat-based human baby food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place three parts kitten milk replacement formula in a blender with one part canned kitten food and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, spreading it toward the edges of the dish so that all of the kittens can get to the food. Warm the mixture for a few seconds in the microwave until it is just above room temperature. Test the temperature with your finger to ensure it is not too hot.

    • 2

      Put the dish on a towel or in a bathtub, because the kittens will make a mess during their initial feedings. Place the kittens next to the dish.

    • 3

      Open the mouth of one of the more outgoing kittens very gently, using your index finger, and rub some of the food mixture on the roof of its mouth to get it interested in the taste of the food. Allow the kitten to eat the food off of your finger to start with. Usually the other kittens will copy their sibling and begin to eat the food off of your finger, too. If any of the kittens do not begin to eat, rub a bit of the food mixture into their mouths as well.

    • 4

      Direct the kittens to the dish to show them where the rest of the food is located. Allow them to walk in the food and dish during the weaning period so that they learn how to eat. Kittens need to explore and play with the food to understand how to eat it, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Let the kittens to eat and explore for about 30 minutes during each feeding.

    • 5

      Wipe the kittens with a damp washcloth to clean any food from their coats, and dry them off with another washcloth. Place them into a litter box to begin training them to properly eliminate, especially after meals. Once they are finished in the litter box, place them in a box lined with soft blankets or towels where they can snuggle and keep warm.

    • 6

      Continue to bottle feed the kittens during the four- to six-week weaning process. Feed the kittens four to six times per day. Begin by giving them half of their meals with the combination of replacement formula and canned food, and the other half with bottle feedings. Gradually reduce the number of bottle feedings as the kittens eat more of the mixture.

    • 7

      Increase the amount of canned food included in the mixture by one part per week, decreasing the liquid formula by one part. In this way, you will feed one part canned food and three parts kitten formula during the first week, equal parts of each during the second, three parts canned food to one part kitten formula during the third, and completely switch to canned food during the final week. To ease the transition, you can mix in a small amount of formula or meat-based human baby food to the food during the final week of weaning.