Weaning Transition: From Milk to Food Across Weeks 4-8

Start at 4 weeks: offer kitten kibble softened into gruel with replacer in a shallow plate, dabbing a little on lips to prompt licking two or three times daily, tapering milk as solids rise rather than stopping abruptly. At 5-6 weeks thicken the gruel progressively; most kittens self-feed by then while partial milk meals backstop calories.

Complete the move to small-size kitten kibble or complete wet food by 7-8 weeks, adding a shallow low-rim litter box and low water bowl that imitation usually teaches without instruction. Weigh daily to verify the calorie handoff, slowing the pace and restoring milk meals whenever gains stall.

Common mistakes: weaning before 6 weeks raises health and behavior risks, cow's milk causes diarrhea, and jumping straight to hard food triggers refusal. Weaning is done when the kitten reliably eats and drinks, gains normally, and uses the box, usually around 8 weeks, when first vaccines and deworming get scheduled.