Eating progress
Great news: everyone is growing beautifully. Yesterday we got a little worried about the brown tiger - he only gained 2 grams compared to the previous day. At this age kittens normally put on 8 - 12 grams per day. A smaller gain is fine if it happens once in a while, but weight loss is a red flag.
We kept an eye on the tiger all day, and he was eating perfectly well. Today he delivered a solid +8 grams. Mystery solved: the little trouble-seeker is burning extra calories fighting his brothers and plotting escape attempts. The box has high enough sides, but his tween Tiger Gray already mastered the art of jailbreak - yesterday morning we found him proudly sitting next to mom outside the box like he’d just completed a heroic quest.
It looks like both tiger boys are the adventurous type, while the black-and-white kittens (and the little calico girl) are more focused on food. That explains why those three gain weight more consistently - they eat and sleep like professional athletes in training. Both behavioral styles are perfectly normal for this age.
They’ll be one month old on July 29, and around this time kittens start licking themselves. That’s a sign their tongue coordination is developing - meaning they’re getting ready to try foods other than milk. We noticed the licking about a week ago, maybe a bit earlier, but decided not to rush.
Yesterday we tried a tiny test: just a drop of Churu on their lips. It’s soft, almost milk-like, and very easy to digest. Today we offered the same micro-portion from a finger. Results: Number One and Number Two can already lick from a finger! The tigers and the calico only licked their lips, but that’s totally normal. No need to hurry - every kitten has their own pace.
Safe to introduce soft foods at 4 weeks:
Churu
Kitten mousse
Kitten pate mixed with kitten milk replacer
Kittens are just beginning to coordinate their tongues and learn how to lick, so any new food should be offered in tiny amounts, never forced, and always warm, soft, and easy to lap. This is the “introductory tasting” stage - not real meals yet. The goal is simply to let them explore the idea of food.
