When to start feeding kittens food?

oreocookie

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Hi,

     The kittens are getting so big and very fast, LOL!  They are walking ALL OVER my room and even venturing into the living room when allowed.  The babies are three weeks old (as of past Friday) and I was wondering at what age do I start introducing wet kitten food?  Grey is doing great feeding them, but she is looking more skinny to me and even though she is eating two cans a day of wet and all she eat dry she is still loosing weight.  I noticed that she will not eat all the wet food when I put it down, but rather in several smaller meals through the day. 
 

Willowy

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I always start when their little teeth first start to pop through (usually around 3 weeks). Although usually it takes about a week of walking through the food and making a mess before they actually eat it consistently :lol3:. I use a pasty canned food (Fancy Feast Kitten, usually) with kitten formula mixed in to make it soupy. . .but I usually have orphans. Since they still have mama I guess you could use water. I smear some into their mouths, then if they look like the want more I guide their faces to the saucer to try to get them to lap it up on their own. . .like I said, it's a process :D.

After solids are introduced, make sure you give them a shallow litterpan. Mamacat doesn't want to clean that up! :x
 
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missymotus

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Mine start eating on their own, usually at around 3 weeks they start to taste mums food

I always feed mum in the kitten pen so they grow up watching her (same with litter tray)

Have never watered down food, the kittens easily explore mums plate of raw meat or wet food and start tasting
 
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orientalslave

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I and a friend who bred BSH have both had the same experience as Missymotus - the kittens start exploring mum's food (a messy business) at 3-4 weeks and that sets them on the road to eating it.  It needs to be in shallow dishes they can easily get into (I said it was messy!) and I put down several dishes of food.  I also have never watered it down, and I've seen quite tiny kittens managing dry food as well.
 
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Thank you all for the feedback!   will go ahead and start giving Grey her wet food in the kitten room! 
 
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