How Do I Get 5 Week Old Kittens To Eat Real Wet Food???

[love67742]

So I have 3 kittens with no mother, so I've been bottle feeding them, but now they are 5 weeks and need to start eating real kitten food, but I don't know how. I've tried a lot of things, such as putting it on my finger and feeding them, but it doesn't work well... How do I get them to eat??

 

[Kieka]

Here is the Cat Site article on it that may help, Weaning: How To Get Your Kittens To Eat On Their Own

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Thanks for caring for these kittens. Here's a couple articles that might have some tips for getting them interested in eating real food.

Weaning: How To Get Your Kittens To Eat On Their Own
The Essentials Of Kitten Nutrition

Oh, and don't forget to have a low sided litterbox, with non-clumping litter, for when they start eating on their own.

Litter Training

 

[Galixy]

Hmmm. This is difficult for the kittens without a mother. I suggest trying to mix crunchy food with water. I know cats love that and it does soften it up for them! They could also just not like wet food........ Shredded with gravy is a good type of wet food and cats love shredded with gravy because clumpy wet food could also be a reason they are not eating it. My kittens love the shredded with gravy so if you havent already, try that.

 

[klmd302]

I just went through this over the weekend, though my situation is different in that the kittens have been nursing with mom. In my case, I got the kitten to try goat's milk in a bowl and then mixed it with wet food so he would recognize the smell. Since yours are bottle fed, I imagine you could skip that step and mix whatever they are getting in the bottle with the wet food. It also helped mine if I got the food on his chin so he'd have to lick it off, and then he realized it was tasty and wanted more!

 

[love67742]

I just went through this over the weekend, though my situation is different in that the kittens have been nursing with mom. In my case, I got the kitten to try goat's milk in a bowl and then mixed it with wet food so he would recognize the smell. Since yours are bottle fed, I imagine you could skip that step and mix whatever they are getting in the bottle with the wet food. It also helped mine if I got the food on his chin so he'd have to lick it off, and then he realized it was tasty and wanted more!

I'll try it, thank you!

 

[rgwanner]

I have weaned a couple times after bottle feeding I got a small sau er snd mixed the wet food with KM R (kitten replacement milk) so that is a thick liquid. I stick their chin in it When they lick I put the saucer up so their tongue laps the food. Then when they are used to "drinking" the food gradually replace the milk with water. When they are good with that you can gradually decrease the water. This really only takes a week or so if you are feeding them several times a day. Royal Cabin babysat food is

 

[rgwanner]

I have weaned a couple times after bottle feeding I got a small sau er snd mixed the wet food with KM R (kitten replacement milk) so that is a thick liquid. I stick their chin in it When they lick I put the saucer up so their tongue laps the food. Then when they are used to "drinking" the food gradually replace the milk with water. When they are good with that you can gradually decrease the water. This really only takes a week or so if you are feeding them several times a day. Royal Cabin babycat food is good but expensive. The shelter where I volunteer uses Friskies Turkey They say to stay from did or beef unless that is the only thing they will eat. Hope this helps