No More Nursing?

Lately, Shinobi has been almost teasing the kittens with nursing. She'll jump into their enclosure and stand (she just refuses to lie down anymore) there just long enough to for them to latch on, then she'll jump out. They're clearly wanting the milk, they're crying and they run straight for her as soon as she's in there. Is she trying to wean them, or is she just being stingy? The kittens are about 5 weeks old and have already started eating kitten food, but they definitely still want to nurse.

Most moms will start to wean kittens around 6-7 weeks old. Your's is a bit early, but I let mom decide. The kittens will start to nibble on food, so in another week (6 weeks old) start making a kitten canned food gruel (add warm water and KMR and mix it till its soupy - not too thick or thin).

I offer this about 3 times a day at first. You may have to sit there and put food on your fingers and put it in their mouths. They will walk in it too. Just be prepared to wash kittens after and keep the food on a washable surface (not a rug). Within 2 weeks the kittens should be eating on their own.

Well, the kittens kind've decided to start eating solid food on their own, I didn't need to coax them at all. They found mom's food and went at it.

Our kittens have been eating solid food since about 4 weeks, but only in small amounts. Now they eat it and hardly eat off mom at all. They are now 7 weeks old.

I never bothered with introducing kittens to mushy watered down food to ease into it. They always did fine just nibbling on moms food when she decides to show them how to eat it and when they are ready.