What food do kittens eat

Choosing the right food for your kitten is an important decision. Nutrition supports her growth, development and can even affect her behavior.

Giving her high-quality kitten food now will help support many long, healthy years as an adult cat. If you’re a first-time cat owner, choosing the right food and knowing how much to feed and when is a daunting task. We’ll help you understand what to feed and when to help set you and your kitten up for success.  

What Do Kittens Eat?

Newborn kittens get their nutrition from their mother through nursing. If separated from their mother, a kitten milk replacer may be used. The weaning process may begin around three to four weeks of age, at which time more solid foods can be introduced.

Kitten Nutrition

Kittens need a complete and balanced diet formulated to meet their unique growth and developmental needs.

Look for a protein-rich kitten food to support her growing body and high energy. Calcium supports her teeth and bones and DHA helps support healthy brain and vision development.

Can Kittens Drink Milk?

Once a kitten has been completely weaned from her mother’s milk, she does not need milk in other forms.

Although cow’s milk is often appealing to kittens and adult cats, it doesn’t contain the nutrients they need and cannot replace a complete and balanced diet.

When Can Kittens Eat Dry Food & Wet Food?

As kittens begin to wean, they can start to nibble (and play with) solid foods. Starting with wet kitten food or moistened dry kibble will help through the transition.

Start by combining one part of warm water and three parts of dry or wet kitten food (it should look like oatmeal). Over the next two weeks, gradually decrease the amount of water and increase the amount of food.

By six to eight weeks, kittens can eat wet or dry cat food at will. With wet food and/or dry food, you can provide a greater variety of flavors and textures, which will help support her adventurous nature. You can also feed a combination of wet and dry food or dry kibble by itself.

Once your kitten is fully weaned and eating solids, choose whichever option is recommended by your veterinarian and works best for your situation.

Above all else, make sure the wet or dry food you choose is specifically formulated for kittens.

How Much to Feed a Kitten

Now you know what to feed a kitten, but how much should you feed her? The kitten feeding guide on the back of the package will tell you how much to feed your kitten.

If you’re feeding dry kibble, you can put an entire day’s serving out at once or divide in half and feed her twice a day.

You can also divide wet food in half and feed her twice a day. Any leftovers in her bowl should be discarded. You can store an open can of wet food in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bring it up to room temperature before serving.

The chart below can help you determine how much to feed your kitten. Refer to your kitten’s food packaging and consult with your veterinarian to ensure your kitten is getting the correct amount of calories each day.

Kitten Feeding Chart

Feeding charts are required on all kitten food packaging, but they don’t all look the same. Pay close attention to the chart on your kitten’s food label to ensure you’re feeding her the right amount based on her age and weight.

Here’s a sample kitten feeding chart, similar to what you’ll find on kitten food labels:

Note: Amounts listed above are for a 24-hour period. Kitten feeding amounts vary from product to product based on calorie content and formula. Consult the feeding chart on the back of your kitten’s food packaging. Individual needs can vary, so consult with your veterinarian regarding special dietary needs.  

When to Feed a Kitten

Once you know what to feed your kitten and how much, it’s time to create a feeding schedule that works for you both.  

Use your kitten’s name when feeding to help her learn her name, while also associating you with a pleasant activity.  

Creating a routine and feeding her at the same time each day can help your kitten feel secure and will aid in forming a bond between you two that will last for many years to come. 

You can feed your kitten one to three times a day, as long as you don’t give her more than her total daily calorie needs.  

For example, you can put dry kibble in her bowl in the morning and she can graze throughout the day. If a twice-a-day schedule works better, give half her daily amount in the morning and half in the evening.  

Same for wet food or a combination of wet and dry food. Just make sure the wet and dry food combined meets the total amount of calories she needs in a day.  

When to Stop Feeding Kitten Food

Kittens grow fast and before you know it, you’ll need to switch to adult cat food. For most cats, this transition should happen around her first birthday.  

Large breed cats like Maine Coons, however, take a little more time to mature. They may need to continue eating kitten food until between 18 months and 2 years of age.  

Your kitten’s first year goes by fast, but ensuring she's getting the right nutrients during this time will help support her in the years to come.  

For more on kitten feeding and nutrition from our experts, visit our Pet Expertise page.  

Good food is very important for the health and development of your kitten, but what can a kitten eat and drink, and what should be avoided? Here are our tips!

From mother’s milk to solid food

For the first weeks of their lives, the diet of kittens consists of mother’s milk only. Mother’s milk will do for the first 3 to 4 weeks. After that, you may begin adding canned food to their diet. Starting at around 6 or 7 weeks, most kittens can switch over to solid food completely and no longer need to drink from their mother. Around 8 or 9 weeks the kittens are ready to leave the nest (although later is better) and move to their new owner. Your kitten was probably a few months old when you purchased it.

What can a kitten eat?

Of course, you want to provide the best possible home for your kitten which includes a healthy diet. A 6-week-old kitten can be fed both dry food (kibble) and wet food (canned). Their small teeth may still struggle with kibble, so it is a good idea to soak the kibble in lukewarm water at first. Yarrah Grain-Free cat food is very well-suited for kittens. The kibble is rich in protein and fat which is important for the kitten’s growth and health.

Protein and fat: important nutrients in a kitten’s diet

Kittens grow fastest during the first stage of their life. Proteins and fat are essential nutrients for stimulating that growth. Do make sure you give them the correct proportion of proteins and fat, we recommend 32% protein and 13% fat. Proteins ensure healthy growth while fat gives the kitten the energy it needs to get enough exercise. Apart from giving them enough protein and fat, it is important to make sure the food does not contain any chemical preservatives and artificial scents, pigments and flavourings. This reduces the risk of allergies and other health issues. All Yarrah food is 100% organic, which means it contains no chemical preservatives or artificial scents, pigments and flavourings.

Water and wet food

Cats are naturally poor drinkers, but just like any other animal and humans alike, cats need water to survive. On average, cats need 50 ml water per kg of body weight. This amounts to 25 ml for a 500-gram kitten. Since water makes up a larger portion of a kitten’s body than that of an adult cat, it is extra important to make sure they drink enough. You can help make sure your kitten gets enough water by feeding it wet food. Almost all cats consider it a real treat and since it contains a lot of moisture, the cat will be ingesting some of the necessary water without knowing it. Yarrah wet food is suitable for all ages, from kittens to senior cats. Apart from serving it wet food, make sure your cat has access to one or several bowls of fresh water. This will allow you cat to have a drink when it feels like it. It is best to keep the water at room temperature. Is your kitten suddenly drinking much more or less water than before? Contact a vet.

How many daily meals

Cats are known for eating many small meals throughout the day. On average, a kitten will eat around 5 to 6 times a day. They only eat a little bit at a time because their stomachs are small. You can leave kibble out for the entire day; they will stay crunchy and fresh. Wet food is best given only once a day or spread across two daily meals to make sure it doesn’t get dirty and doesn’t spoil. Check the feeding schedule on our products for the recommended daily amount of food. Our food calculator will help you figure out the right daily amount of dry and wet food for your cat.

Switching to a different type of food

When picking up your kitten, always ask what type of food the kitten has been getting so you know what food the kitten is used to. If you want to switch to different food, it is best to gradually introduce the new food by mixing it into the current food throughout the first seven days. Slowly reduce the amount of the current food and increase the amount of new food.

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