Feeding and Play Questions

Ok my kittens are 3 1/2 weeks old and today I noticed they all at some point tried to eat some of their mamas wet food. I then mixed a little bit with KMR and they all chowed down! Not much of a mess either. Now that I did that they seemed to have a burst of energy and started playing like I have never seen before. My question is...
1. Was that safe for me to do now?
2. If so do I do it everyday?
3. How much should I do it?
4. How many times a day should I try to feed them?
5. After they eat is their anything I should do to or for them?
6. Should I now leave water for them at all times?
Also as of today I blocked off my room with a babygate and it is totally kitty proof is it ok that I give them all free roam of the room during the day? (they were in my empty closet in my room)
Thanks for any advice!
Melissa

I have a question to add onto hers. About what quantity of wet food would make up a serving for a small kitten like this? Is 1-2 tablespoons about right? Someone here had advised trying chicken baby food and my kitten gobbled it down and was still hungry so I gave him more and then found a little that he'd thrown up on a blanket later.

I just leave a can of moist food out twice a day for my litters...whatever the babies don't eat the Mom will finish off! I like to spread it around on one or two paper plates, so everyone has access to the food, and they don't think they have to fight over it. I basically allow them to eat as much as they want. I wouldn't worry about vomitting once after eating his first solids...just give him a little less next time.

The human babyfood is great to get kitties started in eating, but it isn't well balanced like kitten food, so use it to help transition them to canned kitten food. I also leave moistened dry kitten food available all day and night. Some people think dry isn't healthy, even if moistened, but I use it.

Always leave fresh water available. Be aware that they will play in it and make a mess!

At 3-1/2 weeks, you can put out a low litterbox for them, with clay litter (no clumping litter yet!) After they eat they may go potty. If they have a Momma, she will litter train them. Otherwise keep stimulating them until they go on their own!

my kits are 4 1/2 weeks old they havnt started eating yet

Originally Posted by kittenuk

my kits are 4 1/2 weeks old they havnt started eating yet

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Try offering them canned kitten food. Usually one of the males will dig in quickly. They are like babies, and they do things at their own pace. If they are extremely delayed we worry, but otherwise just encourage them!

Even kittens develop at there own rate

Chicken or turkey meat baby food is fine for a day or two (so long as they are still nursing Momma) in order to introduce them to the idea of eating from a dish on their own. It is not recommended as a steady, daily diet. I use it only to begin the process. Once kittens are all lapping up the baby food, I then put down a dish of regular canned kitten food, mushed up with the baby food on top of it as a sort of gravy for a couple of days. Then I mush the baby food into the canned kitten food for a couple of days. Then I discontinue using it at all. The whole process lasts about a week at most.