How to get my 11-week-old kitten to eat solid food and stop nursing?

If the mom hasn't started weaning Clyde yet, she should soon. I would give it another week, and if she isn't pushing him away by then, then you can separate them. Clyde will watch the other kittens and figure out what to do pretty soon.

Some kittens do nurse longer than others, and wean at a later date. He does need to learn to eat regular food, however, you can try to wean him. To start, mix dry kitten food with kitten milk replacer formula so they recognize the taste. Smear the mixture around their mouth with your finger and let them lick it off. Once they get used to the taste, they’ll seek it out elsewhere. As he get used to this, add in more dry food, and less formula until you have completely eliminated the formula.

I would recommend to start weaning him off the formula and offering the cat food more and more. He is old enough to eat dry kitten food and he isn't getting what he needs with just the formula. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If the kitten is 4-6 weeks it should be fed solid food, not milk. You should try kitten wet food, warm it up before offering to the kitten. If kitten allows, you can hand-feed or even syringe feed. Please, remember that kittens at that age should be fed very small amounts every 2-3 hrs.

At six months of age, Ritsu is way past the point of needing to nurse from his mother, and I would not encourage that behavior by giving him kitten milk replacement. It can take some kittens up to eight weeks of age to fully wean, and that's normal. He may be trying to nurse off of her for comfort, but it is concerning he's having trouble gaining weight. First thing to do is to make sure he's eating a high quality kitten formulated food, such as Hills Science diet or Royal Canin. You can try soaking the dry food in gently warmed low sodium chicken or beef broth, or tuna juice to tempt him to eat the dry food. If that works, then slowly reduce the amount of liquid you soak his food in until he's eating the dry only. Also make sure he is up to date on his deworming treatments, as intestinal worms will prevent him from gaining weight. Finally, I would have him seen by a vet for a health check. The vet can identify if there is a medical issues causing him to gain weight, such as an inability to digest nutrients properly, and can discuss treatment with you. I hope this helps :-)

At 5 weeks Baby should be old enough to start eating some solid food. You can try mixing some canned kitten food with some kitten formula like KMR and putting it in a shallow dish. If she still won’t eat I would recommend seeing a veterinarian to determine what might be wrong. They can also teach you how to tube feed if necessary.

I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your cat :( For the kittens, mom would have been weaning them by this point. Offer a bowl of warmed kitten formula, a bowl of warmed wet kitten food and a bowl of warmed formula soaked kitten kibble. Smear the contents of the bowls along the mouths/lips of the kittens so that they get the taste in their mouths. This will generally stimulate them to start eating. Royal Canin makes a great kitten food called Baby Cat for kittens under 6weeks old. This is what I fed my little rescues. Best of luck!