Kittens usually start to eat solid food when they’re 3 weeks old. By the time you collect your kitten at 8-12 weeks, they should be fully weaned from their mother’s milk. Kittens grow rapidly in the first 12 months so need more daily calories than older cats.

Getting your kitten's diet right is important for their growth and development. This kitten feeding guide covers everything you need to know about what to feed kittens, including how much, how often and different feeding methods.

What to Feed Kittens

The cat breeder should have already weaned your kitten onto a solid food diet, which you should stick to in the beginning to prevent stomach issues. If you choose to change their diet, you can do so by adding small amounts of the new food to the old food. Gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the old food so that you’re eventually left with only the new food.

Cats are carnivores, so they need a meaty diet to get all the vitamins and minerals that they need. There are wet and dry food options for cats and there are pros and cons to each. Kitten wet food has the benefit of moisture which helps to keep your kitten hydrated. However, wet food is associated with a higher risk of dental problems.

Some dry kitten foods have been designed to help scrape tartar from teeth and so dry food can be beneficial to dental health. Cats on dry food will need to drink more than those on wet food. Dry food stays fresh for longer and so can be a good choice if your cat likes to graze throughout the day.

Wet food must be eaten quickly, especially in hot weather, or it can go off and attract flies. Wet kitten food can be better for hiding medications in, so can be a good choice for cats on daily medications. Speak to your vet if you’d like help deciding on the best food option for your kitten.

Whether you choose wet or dry food, make sure you are feeding your kitten food that is designed for its age. Junior or growing cat foods contain the essential nutrients required for growth and bone development. You can switch to adult cat food when they’re over 12 months of age.

Stick to reputable brands as they’re manufactured to strict quality control guidelines. High quality products will meet nutritional requirements, contain minimal filler ingredients like corn, wheat and soy, and will be rich in protein. There should also be more calories per cup and higher amounts of certain nutrients like calcium.

Homemade cat food is not recommended, especially for young kittens, as they need lots of calories, protein, nutrients and minerals, which can be difficult to achieve when making your own cat food. Also, do not be tempted to feed your kitten human food, as this can cause upset tummies, and possibly put them off eating their own food.

Ensure your kitten always has access to fresh water, and never give your kitten cow’s milk! While your cat may enjoy milk, they’re not able to digest it properly and so may suffer with an upset tummy.

How Much to Feed a Kitten

Kittens can eat a lot of food as they’re growing rapidly and need the calories for energy, but they’re still at risk from overeating and gaining too much weight. How much food you need to give your kitten will depend on the brand of cat food. There will be feeding guidelines on the packaging based on age and size, but you can also check with your vet.

You’ll know if you’re over or underfeeding your kitten by their body condition scoring. Your vet or veterinary nurse will weigh your cat and assess their body condition. A good weight for a cat means that you cannot see their ribs, but they can be felt, their body is well proportioned, and they have minimal abdominal fat.

Overfeeding a growing kitten can result in permanent damage to bones and joints, so it’s very important to weigh out their food and make sure they’re getting the correct amount. 

How Often to Feed Kittens

Kittens should be fed little but often, so split their daily food allowance over 4-6 meals. The number of meals can be gradually reduced as they grow.

Most adult cats (over 12 months) eat twice a day. Stick to a kitten feeding schedule so that your cat gets used to eating at certain times. Cats love routine and having one means they won’t be pestering you every two minutes for food.

How to Feed a Kitten as They Grow

There are two main methods for feeding kittens; free-feeding or meal-feeding.

Free-feeding is when a bowl of dry cat food is left out at all times so your kitten can eat when they want and will in theory self-regulate how much they need. However, some kittens will overeat. This method isn’t recommended in multi-cat households as you can’t keep track of how much each cat is eating. But this can be resolved by a microchip activated feeding bowl, as long as another cat isn’t guarding the bowl.

Meal-feeding is when you feed a kitten at regular feeding times with a set number of meals a day. This method works for both wet and dry food. The portion size is measured so you can monitor exactly how much your cat is eating.

This method can be difficult when feeding a kitten as they need 4-6 meals a day, which doesn’t fit in with most pet owner’s work schedules. However, you can get automatic feeding bowls that work on timers to release a measured amount of food for your cat at set times.

Whatever method works best for you, make sure your cat bowl is in a quiet place where your kitten can eat without being disturbed. Always provide fresh water and clean the bowls after every meal.

Problems with Kitten Feeding

If your kitten isn’t eating much, is vomiting or has diarrhoea, you should take them to see your vet. Although the cause of an upset tummy may be down to diet, there are many other possible causes that will need investigating.

Kittens are at high risk of dehydration if they’re losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhoea and your vet will want to ensure that they receive prompt treatment to keep them healthy.

When feeding a kitten, you’ll need to consider the method of feeding and whether to feed wet or dry food. To prevent your kitten from over or undereating, make sure to measure their food.

Stick to high quality, age-specific food from a reputable brand to ensure they’re getting all the nutrients and minerals that they need for growing. Ensure your kitten always has access to fresh water and speak to your vet if you have any concerns.

Everypaw Insurance for Kittens

Covered by our Cat Insurance, Everypaw's Kitten Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your kitty will be well looked after.

Get a quote

 

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis - www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.