Solid food is a great way to get your kitten started after weaning. You should start introducing solid foods to your kitten at about 4 – 6 weeks old. At this age, kittens can eat a variety of dry and wet food, but it’s important to make sure that the food is appropriate for their age.
Solid Food For A 5 Week Old Kitten
If your kitten is 5 weeks old, it’s time to start feeding him solid food. A 5-week-old kitten can eat a diet that consists of canned food and dry food.
1. Canned Food
You can feed your kitten canned food as early as 5 weeks old; it is a great way to introduce your kitten to the world of eating. Canned food is great for kittens; it comes in soft chunks that are easy for a young kitten to eat.
Canned food comes in a variety of flavors and textures, making it a great choice for kittens who are not sure what they want to eat yet. Canned food contains lots of nutrients and water that will help your kitten grow up strong and healthy.
Canned food has some advantages over dry food: it’s easier to digest and provides more nutrients in each bite. It’s also generally easier to find canned foods that have been specifically formulated for kittens. You can buy canned food for your kitten at any pet store or online.
2. Dry Food
Dry food is often recommended as an alternative because it’s usually less expensive than canned food and can be stored longer without spoiling. But it does have its drawbacks: dry kibble may not be very appetizing to young kittens who need extra nutrition from their diet.
Dry food helps kittens in various ways; it improves the dental health of the kitten. One of the prominent ingredients in dry kitten food is fiber; fiber helps to improve the kitten’s digestive system, maintains the kitten’s weight, and aids constipation.
How Much Should 5 Week Old Kitten Eat?
A 5-week-old kitten should eat 2 tablespoons of canned wet food twice a day, as well as 1/4 cup of dry kibble twice a day. It’s important not to feed your kitten too much or too little food, to avoid weight problems such as being overweight and underweight.
Young kittens should be fed 2 – 3 times per day (with 2 – 3 hours between meals) until they reach 1 year of age (or start eating solid foods). After that point, most young cats will be fine with one meal per day—but always check with your vet first.
When Should Kittens Be Given Solid Food?
The best time to introduce solid food is when your kitten is between 4 and 6 weeks old. Solid food is part of the weaning plan for kittens. At 6 weeks, kittens’ digestive systems are mature enough for them to eat solids without getting diarrhea or vomiting.
If you’re wondering what kind of solid food to give kitten above 5 weeks, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Make sure the food is high in protein
- Look for a high-quality brand with quality ingredients
- Avoid foods that contain artificial colors or chemicals
Commercial Solid Food for Kittens
The advantage of feeding kitten commercial food is, that they are specially formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of the kitten at a certain growth stage. If you are ready to introduce your kittens to solid foods, you can choose from any of the commercial kitten foods below:
Purina Fancy Feast Grain Free Pate Wet Kitten Food Variety Pack, Kitten Classic Pate Collection, 4 Flavors – (24) 3 oz. Boxes
Price : $19.83 ($0.28 / Ounce)
Features :
- Twenty-Four (24) 3 oz. Boxes – Purina Fancy Feast Grain Free Pate Wet Kitten Food Variety Pack, Kitten Classic Pate Collection, 4 flavors
- Contains complete and balanced nutrition for kittens.
- Contains real poultry and seafood as protein sources
- Specially formulated for growing kittens.
- Has smooth pate texture that makes it easy for kittens to eat
- Made with real milk.
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Cat Food, Kitten, Chicken Recipe, 7 lb. Bag
Price : $32.49 ($4.64 / lb)
Features :
- Contains DHA from fish oil to support healthy brain and eye development in kittens
- A source of high-quality protein to help young cats build lean muscle
- Provides balanced minerals to give your kitten strong bones and healthy teeth
- Made with natural ingredients
PetAg KMR 2nd Step Kitten Weaning Food – Contains Natural Milk Protein – For Kittens 4-8 Weeks Old – 14 oz
Price : $16.49
Features :
- Made from Coconut oil, canola oil, whey, casein, vitamin b12, taurine, riboflavin, and more
- Specially formulated to help kittens when being weaned from mother
- Highly digestible and fine-textured to ease on the kittens’ tummies
Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Natural Kitten Dry Cat Food, Chicken 5-lb
Features :
- This is a high-protein kitten food that contains more meat for healthy muscle development
- Contains high nutrients to help promote healthy development including DHA and ARA (fatty acids found in mother’s milk), and taurine to help support cognitive development and retinal health
- Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals blend to support immune system health.
- Does not contain chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives.
Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Kitten Dry Cat Food, 7 lb bag
Price : $34.99 ($5.00 / lb)
Features :
- Formulated for kittens between 4 weeks to 6 months.
- Contains a blend of antioxidants, vitamins including vitamins E and C, and minerals that help support the healthy development of your kitten’s immune system
- Contains a good combination of prebiotics and highly digestible proteins help promote a healthy balance of intestinal bacteria for digestive health
- Has a good texture that is easy to chew, perfect for a young cat’s mouth and new teeth
Purina Beyond High Protein, Natural Kitten Food, Kitten Chicken & Oatmeal Recipe – 3 lb. Bag
Price : $12.18 ($4.06 / lb)
Features :
- Real farm-raised chicken raised without steroids is the ingredient in this Purina kitten food (Federal regulations prohibit the use of steroids in chicken).
- Has natural probiotics and prebiotic fiber to support digestive health and gentle combinations for a happy tummy.
- Formulated with high protein and contains over 15 nutrients found in mother’s milk to nurture your little kitten’s growing body the way nature intended.
- Has DHA derived from fish oil to help her thrive cognitively.
Related: Foods and Quantity To Feed A 2-Month-Old Kitten
Last words,
Kittens need the right quality and quantity of food to thrive; be sure to check the label of any kitten food you find, particularly the ingredient table. You should always consult your vet before changing your kitten diet; some kitten foods may cause illness or allergy.