How much to feed a kitten: chart by age and daily portions

A kitten isn't just a small cat. It grows at a different pace, has different needs, and eats on a different schedule — especially in the first 4–6 months. Underfeeding or overfeeding during that window can shape your cat's health for years to come.

Short answer: up to 4 weeks — mother's milk or a kitten milk replacer. 4–8 weeks — wet food plus soft pâté, 5–6 times a day. 2–4 months — kitten food, 4–5 times. 4–6 months — 3–4 times. 6–12 months — 2–3 times. After a year — adult food, 2 times a day.

What to feed: the key word is "kitten"

The best choice for most kittens is a complete food labelled "for kittens" (kitten). That can be dry, wet, or a combination of the two.

Adult cat food is not right for a kitten — it doesn't have enough calories or the micronutrients a growing body needs.

About a home-cooked diet: cats are obligate carnivores and need taurine (without it — blindness and heart problems). "Chicken and rice" is especially risky — cats aren't built to handle large amounts of carbohydrates, and they end up short on taurine. If you want a home diet for a kitten, do it only with a veterinary nutritionist.

How many times a day to feed a kitten

Water should be freely available at all times.

How many grams a day does a kitten need

Kittens need 2–2.5 times more calories per kilogram of body weight than an adult cat.

RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75
Kitten requirement (kcal/day) = RER × multiplier
  - up to 4 months: × 2.5
  - 4–12 months: × 2.0

Example — a 1.5 kg kitten, 3 months old, food at 400 kcal/100 g:

• RER ≈ 95 kcal; requirement = 238 kcal/day; ~60 g per day, split across 4–5 meals.

Sample portions by age

For medium-breed kittens, food at ~400 kcal/100 g:

Notice that the amount in grams doesn't grow in a straight line with age. By the end of the first year it actually drops a little.

Dry, wet, or both?

• Dry food only: convenient, and you can leave it in the bowl. Downside — low water intake.
• Wet food only: more moisture (good for the kidneys). Downside — spoils quickly and costs more.
• A combination: dry available during the day, wet 1–2 times a day. The best compromise.

What not to give kittens

Beyond the general list of foods cats shouldn't have, kittens have a few "never" items of their own:

• Cow's milk — most kittens are lactose intolerant. If you're hand-rearing without the mother, use a kitten milk replacer.
• Raw meat and fish — a high risk of salmonella, toxoplasma, and parasites.
• Tuna alone — it contains mercury, isn't balanced, and causes a taurine deficiency.
• Dog food — not enough taurine.
• Sweets, cookies, baked goods — excess sugar, plus the risk of xylitol.
• Bones — especially dangerous for kittens.

Common mistakes

• "The kitten eats non-stop — just let it eat." If it's already getting round, switch to measured portions.
• "I'll give it some milk." Most kittens can't tolerate cow's milk.
• Switching to adult food too early. A kitten needs "kitten" food until 12 months.
• "Once a day, like an adult." A kitten's stomach is small.