Kittens should be weaned very gradually. Beginning at the age of three weeks, solid kitten food can be made available, though the kittens will eat only a little solid food at this time. Kittens progressively increase their intake of solid food and decrease nursing. When first introducing solid food, a milk substitute may be mixed with the food to make it more appealing. Once the kittens reach five weeks of age, the queen will begin weaning them on her own. If kitten food has been provided at an early age, the kittens will switch more readily to their new food source. However, kittens who nurse exclusively will have greater difficulty, consume fewer calories, and as a result, their growth will slow during this period.
Kittens should be gradually separated from the queen, making sure that the kittens always have access to solid food. After a period of time, kittens should be completely separated from the queen during the day, spending only the night with her. Once they are completely weaned, kittens may be moved to a new environment around the age of seven or eight weeks. A 24-hour fast with limited water availability will help stop lactation.
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