You have just adopted a kitten that has come straight from their mother’s nest to your house. Among the many questions that may occur to you is that of food: how to successfully handle a kitten’s weaning? We explain to you how a kitten’s food evolves so that you can better understand this moment.
HOW TO FEED A RECENTLY WEANED KITTEN
FROM COLOSTRUM
TO MILK 
TO MILK
During the period of lactation, the composition of the milk that the mother cat provides her little ones varies. So, for the first 24 to 72 hours, kittens receive colostrum, which gives them immune protection during their first hours of life, whilst the composition of normal milk provides them with all the nutrients they need to grow quickly.
THE
TRANSITION 
TRANSITION
Weaning is the transition from milk as food to solid food. So, lactation begins to decrease from the fifth or sixth week of life, at the same time as they begin to be interested in the food that their mother eats. They begin by licking the remains of food that are left around her mouth; then they sniff around the food bowl, until they eat solid foods for themselves.
WEANING 
For kittens changing their type of food and leaving the maternal nest is a cause of stress, which means that it is not a good idea to bring it forward unnecessarily. As a general rule, the right moment is usually between six and seven weeks of age.
AFTER
WEANING 
WEANING
It is a good idea, during lactation, to give the mother the same type of food that the kittens will receive after weaning. Specially formulated foods are appropriate for this, and provide both the mother and the kittens with all the nutrients they need. Between weeks 6 and 8, the kittens should be fully weaned and used to a normal diet, with food that is complete and balanced.
DIET AND
MEALS 
MEALS
During this stage, when the kitten is growing so fast, it is ideal to give them dry food (it can be softened with lukewarm water) 2 to 3 times per day. You should take away anything that they have not eaten after an hour of being given it, because at room temperature it loses flavour and can even decompose and lose its properties. Between six months and one year old, you should reduce the number of daily meals to two, of a moderate size. However, it is worth always leaving available to them a plate with a small amount of food.
Weaning is the move from milk as food to solid food, and it is not a moment in the life of the kittens, but a transition process.
