How Much To Feed A Kitten: Feeding Chart By Weight/Age
Veterinarian
How much you feed a kitten impacts his or her growth, behavior, and development. Diet and nutrition are important for optimal health at every stage throughout your cat’s life, but especially during these pivotal months.
If you have just acquired a kitten and you’re interested in learning about proper nutrition, take a look at our guide and feeding schedule for kittens by weight and age. These will help you understand what to feed and when so that you can make sure your new four-legged friend grows into a happy and healthy adult cat.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
How much to feed a kitten
How much you feed your kitten will depend primarily on their age and size. Here are some general guidelines you can follow, but we recommend speaking to your vet for the best recommendation.
Newborn kittens
For the first few weeks, newborn kittens depend entirely on their mother’s milk and will nurse frequently (every two to three hours, about 45 minutes at a time for the first week). Weighing your kitten on a daily basis is the best way to make sure they’re getting all the nutrients they need. This is especially important if the kitten needs to be bottle-fed. Kittens that are bottle-fed should consume a tablespoon of special feline formula at each feeding. Young kittens should gain about a 1/2 to 3/4 of an ounce per day.
4 - 6 weeks old
Kittens typically start weaning at the age of 3-4 weeks . During this time, they should be given wet kitten food or gruel made from canned kitten food combined with a few tablespoons of warm water. By six weeks, your kitten should be eating gruel four times a day.
6 - 8 weeks old
At the end of week six, the number of meals should decrease to three times per day. The gruel should become less watery and dry food should be introduced by soaking it in warm water. By eight weeks of age, they should be drinking water and eating on their own. An eight-week-old kitten should weigh about two pounds and should consume about 162 calories per day.
8 weeks - 10 months old
From 8-10 weeks, your kitten should be fully weaned and given normal kitten food twice a day. The first 6 months are the period of most rapid growth, after which your cat’s nutrient and calorie requirements will begin to decrease.
Over 10 months old
At about 10-12 months of age, your kitten can be switched to adult cat food. Because kitten food usually contains more proteins, fat, and calories, some might need to make this switch earlier (for instance, cats who are prone to obesity).
Kitten Feeding Chart by Weight & Age
Age | Weight (lbs) | Dry food amount (cups) |
|---|---|---|
6 weeks | 2/3 to 1-1/3 | 1/4 to 1/3 |
7 weeks - 5 months | 1-1/2 to 5-3/4 | 1/3 to 1 |
6 months-one year | 5-3/4 to 12 | 2/3 to 1-14 |
* The amounts listed in our kitten feeding chart are for a 24-hour period. There is no way to recommend the exact amount of food to give your kitten, as all kittens have different nutritional needs, and the suggested serving size varies depending on the food manufacturer. Consult your vet on how much to feed your kitten and be sure to check the package instructions when feeding your kitten.
How often do kittens eat?
Kittens need to eat frequently in the first few weeks of life to ensure they consume enough calories and nutrients. Try to feed kittens at regular intervals, up to six times per day but at a minimum of three: in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Feeding your kitten at the same time each day can help them feel secure and help in forming a bond between the two of you.
Use the feeding guidelines on the food label to determine how much food to give to your kitten. If your kitten eats three meals, split up the daily portion into three equal parts and feed 1/3 at each feeding.
Bear in mind that the feeding guidelines should only serve as a starting point. You will need to monitor your kitten’s body condition and, if necessary, adjust the amount of food accordingly.
If your kitty seems to be gaining too much weight, reduce the feeding amount. Conversely, if your cat is not gaining weight as expected, the amount of food may need to be increased.
Recommended Serving Sizes For Kittens
Age | 0-1 weeks | 1-2 weeks | 2-3 weeks | 3-4 weeks | 4-5 weeks | 5-8 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type of food | Kitten formula | Kitten formula | Kitten formula | Kitten formula | Mix of kitten formula/solid | Mix of kitten formula/solid |
Amount | 2-6 ml | 6-10 ml | 10-14 ml | 14-18 ml | 18-22 ml | |
Frequency | Bottle feed every 2 hours | Bottle feed every 2-3 hours | Bottle feed every 3-4 hours | Bottle feed every 4-5 hours | Feed every 5-6 hours | Feed every 6 hours |
What do kittens eat?
As mentioned before, newborn kittens get the required nutrients from their mother through nursing. If a kitten is separated from or rejected by the mother cat, a kitten milk replacer should be used. Be sure to stay away from certain articles of food cats can’t eat such as chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, and dog food, as these can be poisonous to your pet.
When can kittens eat wet food?
As kittens begin to wean (at about 3-4 weeks of age), wet kitten food or moistened kibble can be introduced. Start by combining three parts of dry or wet kitten food and one part of warm water to obtain a mixture that looks like oatmeal. Over the following two weeks, gradually reduce the amount of water and increase the amount of food.
When can kittens eat dry food?
By the age of 6-8 weeks, your kitten can eat dry and wet food. Once your pet is fully weaned and eating solid food, your vet will help you choose the option that works best. Cats develop food preferences early in life, so be sure to offer different foods (wet, dry, different shapes and flavors) to keep your options open. However, regardless of the types of food you decide to feed, be sure the food is specifically formulated for kittens.
Why won’t my kitten gain weight?
In some cases, your kitten might be spending too much energy keeping themselves warm and, as a result, experience weight loss. If so, be sure to keep your kitten warm and dry at all times.
However, in other cases, your kitten’s failure to gain weight may be caused by parasites. Intestinal parasites like coccidia, as well as worms like tapeworms and ringworms, can cause diarrhea, weight loss, and declining health in your pet. Other health concerns, such as flea infestations and upper respiratory infections, can also result in weight loss. If your kitten loses or fails to gain weight, make sure to seek immediate veterinary care.
You should also talk to your vet if you suspect your kitten is more fat than fit. Your vet will rule out any serious cat health issues and prescribe a balanced diet and exercise to help control your pet’s weight.
With the rising cost of veterinary care, you may want to consider pet insurance. The right cat insurance policy can help you plan for your kitten’s healthcare and provide peace of mind knowing that most of the costs of testing, treating, and managing any injury or illness will be covered.
Pawlicy Advisor's free comparison tool can help you look at pet insurance plans by top US providers side by side to find the option that best suits your cat’s needs and your budget.
Your cat's health is priceless — let's protect it together.
Key Takeaways
- How much food to feed a kitten depends on their age and size. Our kitten feeding chart can help you determine how much to feed your kitten. Monitor your pet’s body condition and adjust the food amount accordingly.
- Meeting your kitten’s dietary needs will help make them happier and healthier. Bear in mind that too much food can make your cat obese, whereas not eating enough can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
- Refer to your kitten’s food packaging and consult with your vet to make sure your kitten is getting the correct amount of calories per day.
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Veterinarian
Ricky Walther, DVM, is a small animal general practitioner in the greater Sacramento, California area. Realizing the positive financial and medical impact that pet insurance can provide for pet parents and the profession, he lends support and advice to companies like Pawlicy Advisor "The Pet Insurance Marketplace") that simplify the process of connecting with veterinary financing resources.
