How should you feed a kitten, and how often? A kitten is not a small adult cat: it grows fast, it needs more calories per kilo than an adult, and it needs food little and often, because its stomach is small and its energy needs are high. This guide is the kitten feeding schedule by age in words: the schedule from weaning to adulthood, how much a kitten should eat at each weight, when to change the number of meals, and when to switch from kitten food to adult food. It uses the veterinary feeding factors for kittens and the RER formula vets use, so every number can be checked against the table below.
The short version is: four meals a day until about 3 months, three meals a day from 3 to 6 months, two meals a day from 6 months on, and kitten food until about 12 months — with the amount worked out from the kitten's current weight and re-checked every two weeks, because a kitten grows so fast that last month's amount is already wrong. The rest of this guide explains why, and what to do when the kitten does not follow the schedule.
Kitten feeding schedule by age
The schedule below covers a kitten from weaning to adulthood. The ages are approximate — individual kittens vary — but the pattern is the same for every kitten: many small meals at first, fewer and larger meals as the kitten grows, and a switch to adult food at about 12 months.
| Age | Stage | What to feed |
|---|---|---|
| 3–4 weeks | Weaning begins | Mother's milk plus a little wet kitten food, offered on a shallow plate |
| 4–6 weeks | Weaning | 4 small meals a day of wet kitten food, plus mother's milk if still nursing |
| 6–8 weeks | Weaned | 4 meals a day of wet and dry kitten food |
| 2–3 months | Rapid growth | 4 meals a day |
| 3–6 months | Rapid growth | 3 meals a day |
| 6–12 months | Slowing growth | 2 meals a day |
| 12 months | Adult | 2 meals a day of adult food (ask your vet when to switch) |
Weaning usually begins at about 3 to 4 weeks, when the kitten starts to show interest in solid food, and is usually complete by about 6 to 8 weeks. Offer wet kitten food on a shallow plate, at room temperature, and let the kitten investigate it — do not force it. A kitten that is still nursing will take less solid food, and that is normal: the mother's milk is still the main food until weaning is complete. Fresh water should always be available, in a shallow bowl the kitten can reach, and it should be changed daily. The kitten weight chart by age guide explains how to track growth against the breed's expected adult weight, and the kitten cat food calculator guide gives the same numbers by weight.
How much should a kitten eat at each weight?
Kittens need the RER formula with a factor of about 2.5, applied to the kitten's current weight and re-checked every two weeks as the kitten grows. The formula is: RER equals 70 times body weight in kg to the power of 0.75, and daily needs are the RER multiplied by 2.5. The table below gives the daily calories and the grams of dry food at each weight, assuming a typical dry food at around 350 kcal per 100 g.
| Kitten weight | Calories per day (×2.5) | Grams of dry food per day |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 kg | 105 kcal | 30 g dry food |
| 1 kg | 175 kcal | 50 g dry food |
| 1.5 kg | 235 kcal | 67 g dry food |
| 2 kg | 295 kcal | 84 g dry food |
| 3 kg | 400 kcal | 114 g dry food |
| 4 kg | 495 kcal | 141 g dry food |
| 5 kg | 585 kcal | 167 g dry food |
If you feed wet food, use the tin's kcal figure to convert: a typical wet food is around 70 to 100 kcal per 100 g, so a 1 kg kitten needing about 175 calories would need roughly 200 g of wet food a day. Mixed feeding is fine as long as the total calories add up. Measure food with scales, not a scoop, and weigh the kitten every two weeks — the amount changes quickly as the kitten grows, and a kitten that is not gaining weight at all over two weeks, or that is losing weight, needs a vet check, not just more food. The how much should a kitten eat per day by weight guide gives the same numbers in more detail, and the kitten weight predictor estimates adult weight from the kitten's current weight and age.
Weaning a kitten: how to do it
Weaning is the move from mother's milk to solid food, and it should be gradual, not sudden. Start at about 3 to 4 weeks by offering a little wet kitten food on a shallow plate, at room temperature, once or twice a day, and let the kitten lick and investigate it. Do not force the kitten, and do not worry if it eats almost nothing at first — the mother's milk is still the main food. Over the next two to four weeks, increase the solid food and decrease the milk, until the kitten is eating solid food at every meal and no longer nursing. By 6 to 8 weeks most kittens are fully weaned.
A kitten that is orphaned or separated from its mother before weaning needs a vet-recommended kitten milk replacer, fed from a bottle, never cow's milk — cow's milk is not a substitute for mother's milk, and most kittens cannot digest lactose well. Feed the replacer little and often, following the product's instructions and your vet's advice, and start offering solid food at about 3 to 4 weeks, in the same way as a mother-reared kitten. Keep the kitten warm, weigh it daily at first, and ask your vet to check its growth — an orphaned kitten needs closer monitoring than one with its mother.
When to change the number of meals
Change the number of meals when the kitten's age says so, not when it seems convenient: four meals a day until about 3 months, three meals a day from 3 to 6 months, and two meals a day from 6 months on. The reason is the kitten's stomach: a young kitten's stomach is small, so it cannot eat enough in one or two meals to meet its needs, and it needs food little and often. As the kitten grows, its stomach grows too, and it can eat more at each meal, so the number of meals can fall. Do not drop to two meals a day too early — a 3-month-old kitten fed twice a day will be hungry between meals, and a hungry kitten is more likely to eat too fast, to steal food, and to develop behaviour problems around food.
Space meals evenly through the day, offer each meal for 15 to 20 minutes, and take up what is not eaten so you can see appetite changes. A kitten that suddenly eats much less, or stops eating, needs a vet check promptly — appetite changes are often the first sign of illness in a kitten. Fresh water should always be available, and food should be offered after play, not immediately before, with a rest afterwards. The how often should you feed a kitten guide covers the same ground from the frequency side.
When to switch from kitten food to adult food
Most kittens should switch from kitten food to adult food at about 12 months, but the exact age depends on breed and size: a small breed such as a Singapura is usually an adult by about 12 months, while a large breed such as a Maine Coon can take 2 to 4 years to finish growing, and it should stay on kitten food for longer. Ask your vet when to switch, rather than switching at the first birthday out of habit, especially for a large breed, where steady growth matters more than fast growth. Switch gradually over a week, mixing the old and new food in increasing proportions, so the kitten's digestion can adjust — a sudden switch upsets digestion and can cause diarrhoea.
Kitten food differs from adult food in two ways: it has more calories per gram, and it has more protein and more of the nutrients a growing kitten needs. That is why a kitten should eat kitten food, not adult food, and why an adult cat should not eat kitten food — an adult cat fed kitten food will gain weight, because kitten food is too rich for an adult. The best kitten food for growth guide explains what to look for in a kitten food, and the how much food should a kitten eat guide gives the calorie tables for kittens by weight.
Common kitten feeding mistakes
The most common mistake is feeding cow's milk: most kittens cannot digest lactose well, and cow's milk causes an upset stomach and adds calories the kitten does not need. Fresh water is what a kitten needs, and a kitten milk replacer is what an orphaned kitten needs — never cow's milk. The second is free-feeding — leaving a full bowl down all day — which makes it impossible to know how much the kitten has eaten and hides appetite changes. The third is feeding adult food to a kitten, which does not have enough calories or nutrients for growth. The fourth is overfeeding to make the kitten grow faster: excess weight in kittenhood sets up weight problems for life. The fifth is switching foods suddenly, which upsets digestion. And the sixth is forgetting to weigh the kitten: weigh it every two weeks, write the number down, and compare it with the breed's expected adult weight — the line over weeks is what matters, not any single reading.
For related reading, see the kitten cat food calculator guide, the kitten weight chart by age guide, the how often should you feed a kitten guide, the how much should a kitten eat per day by weight guide, the kitten weight predictor, the best kitten food for growth guide.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I feed a kitten?
Four meals a day until about 3 months, three meals a day from 3 to 6 months, and two meals a day from 6 months on. A young kitten's stomach is small, so it cannot eat enough in one or two meals to meet its needs, and it needs food little and often.
How much food should a kitten eat per day?
Use the RER formula with a factor of about 2.5, applied to the kitten's current weight: a 1 kg kitten needs about 175 calories a day, a 2 kg kitten about 295, and a 3 kg kitten about 400. Re-check every two weeks as the kitten grows, and weigh the kitten at the same time.
When should a kitten start eating solid food?
At about 3 to 4 weeks, when the kitten starts to show interest in solid food. Offer wet kitten food on a shallow plate, at room temperature, and let the kitten investigate it — do not force it. Weaning is usually complete by about 6 to 8 weeks.
When should I switch my kitten to adult food?
At about 12 months for most kittens, but large breeds such as the Maine Coon can take 2 to 4 years to finish growing and should stay on kitten food for longer. Ask your vet when to switch, and switch gradually over a week.
Can kittens drink cow's milk?
No. Most kittens cannot digest lactose well, and cow's milk causes an upset stomach. Fresh water is what a kitten needs, and an orphaned kitten needs a vet-recommended kitten milk replacer, never cow's milk.
How do I know if my kitten is growing well?
Weigh the kitten every two weeks and compare with the breed's expected adult weight: a kitten should gain weight steadily, not in jumps and not at all. A kitten that is not gaining weight over two weeks, or that is losing weight, needs a vet check. The kitten weight chart by age guide explains how to track growth.
Results on this page are estimates for general information only and are not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, underweight, overweight, pregnant, or has a health condition, consult your veterinarian before changing diet or care.