Kitten feeding and nutrition guide
Rapid growth, discoveries, and development just about sum up the first few months of your kitten’s life. Knowing how to feed your kitten from the start is vital to supporting their healthy growth. During their first year, you’ll watch your new pet transition from tiny fragile kitten to an independent and curious young adult cat. Most cat breeds reach adulthood at around 12 months but some take longer—Maine Coons, for example, reach adulthood at around 15 months. In nutritional terms, the first year is a delicate stage of a cat’s life. As their bones grow and harden and their brain matures at an incredible pace, they need energy, protein and other nutrients. Choosing a food that gives the right balance of all of those will support your kitten’s development and set them up for a long and healthy life.
Kittens versus adult cats: how feeding needs differ
The nutritional needs of kittens are very different from those of adult cats (and completely different from those of humans). Their food should contain more energy and protein than adult cat food, to support bone and muscle growth, as well as plenty of antioxidants to help them build up their immunity. As they explore, play and grow, kittens need food that is suited to their small size but gives them the right balance of nutrients to support their development. While kittens’ nutritional needs can differ from breed to breed, as a pet owner, you’ll also get to know your own kitten’s unique needs.
Foundation for growth: why your kitten’s diet is so important
From the outside, it may look like it’s all play, napping and cuddles, but your new pet is going through an intense period of growth. It’s important that your kitten’s food is up to the task of supporting their development. After all, the smallest and newest member of your household has an impressive list of nutritional requirements. Their food needs to be easy on their fragile digestive system and suitable for their tiny mouth and teeth. A diet that lacks the right nutrients in the right amounts can affect their development. Kittens need protein to support the growth of their muscles and bones, for example. Not getting enough can cause joint and bone problems in later life. While kittens are protected by their mother’s immunity at birth, this protection fades over time, so their food needs to contain antioxidants to help them build up their immature immune system, especially before they are vaccinated.
What does healthy development look like?
For all kittens, the pace of growth is intense in the first months of life, but that growth differs from one breed to another. Most cats will reach adulthood between 12 and 15 months of age. But the tiny Singapura (the smallest recognized breed of cat) won’t have the same nutritional requirements at the same stage as their more imposing Maine Coon or Persian cousins. It’s important to consult a chart that gives kitten feeding guidance by age and breed and it’s a good idea to speak to your vet for advice tailored to your cat. That way you can be sure your kitten’s food is giving them the right support for their rapid development.
Birth to 4 months
At this early age, your kitten is growing at a lightning-fast pace. A week-old kitten has only just opened their eyes. Fueled by their mother’s colostrum, which builds their immunity, and then by milk, they gain around 0.3-1 oz of weight per day. Fast forward to a month old and that tiny bundle has already transformed into an inquisitive and playful, though still small, explorer. They’ll be ready to start weaning—a vital process as the kitten transitions from complete dependence on their mother for their nutritional needs, to independence. The weaning process is usually completed at around two months. Their first food needs to be soft, to ease the transition from milk to solid food, and full of the antioxidants they need to build their immunity, as well as amino acids to aid muscle and cell growth.
4 to 12 months
Your kitten’s growth is continuing and they are developing strong muscles and bones. Growth is at its most intense at around four or five months, when your kitten could be gaining around 3.5oz a week. They need a more energy-dense food—a food that contains more calories per ounce—than adult cats. But at first, it must be one that little mouths can still manage while they’re waiting for their adult teeth to grow in. Keep a close eye on portion sizes to ensure your kitten does not put on too much weight during this growth phase. At this age, kittens are busy playing and also honing their social skills. During this period your cat will go through puberty and you may notice that they start to behave more like an adult cat. That could include sleeping for as much as 13 to 16 hours a day. After all, growing, developing and socializing is tiring work.
Adult cats
When your pet is around a year old, you’ll say goodbye to the kitten phase and settle into life with an adult cat. At one year, your pet’s adult teeth are in place, meaning they are ready for adult food. Ask your vet for help on managing that transition. Your cat’s food no longer needs to be as energy-dense, but they still need essential nutrients such as amino acids including taurine and vitamins A and D. You’ll need to decide whether to feed your cat wet or dry food (or both) and select the right one for them, taking into account their habits and activity level. Feeding your cat the correct quantities is important to prevent them from putting on excess weight.
Feeding kittens wet versus dry food
What should you feed your kitten?
One of the big questions you’ll ask yourself as a new pet owner will be what to feed your kitten. Wet food contributes to your cat’s water intake and has a strong aroma that may tempt fussy eaters to go to their bowl. Cats are more sensitive to smell than they are to taste. On the other hand, dry food stays fresher in the bowl for longer—good news for grazers, which cats are by instinct.
Kibble’s texture has another benefit for your cat
It acts in much the same way as a toothbrush, gently removing tartar. As to when your kitten can eat dry food, tiny rehydratable kibble designed for kittens is suitable from one month of age, around when the weaning process begins. Once you’ve done your research, you may conclude that a mix is the ideal solution, either alternating dry and wet food or feeding a little of both at the same time (but not in the same bowl–the wet food will turn the dry kibble soggy if your cat doesn’t eat it all straightaway).
Managing the transition
Either way, you should introduce any changes to your cat’s diet gradually to prevent an upset stomach. Cats can be sensitive to changes in their diet, and a slow transition will help avoid any issues. Kittens normally drink their mother’s milk in their first weeks of life, so a replacement milk specially formulated for kittens can play an important nutritional role if this isn’t possible. But kittens should not be given cows’ milk (neither should adult cats). They are unable to digest it and it can cause diarrhea.
The science behind ROYAL CANINⓇ kitten nutrition
We specialize in health through nutrition that is tailored to meet the unique needs of every kitten. For us, feeding your kitten isn’t just about growing their body and providing energy—it’s about supporting them too. We provide an optimal balance of nutrients to improve their defenses against disease, and to support their energy, cell growth and maintenance.
It’s a good idea to know how much to feed your kitten before they arrive. How much they should eat will depend on your new pet’s breed, exact age, and stage of development. Once you’ve worked out how much they should eat, make sure you weigh their daily food ration. If you’re wondering how many times a day to feed your kitten … well, you may find that they decide for themselves. Cats are natural grazers and often capable of regulating their own intake through multiple tiny meals a day. While not true for all cats, if it applies to yours, leave out a bowl of suitable food (not surpassing their total daily food ration) and allow them to follow their instincts.
Around a month old, the vital weaning process begins for your kitten, and is usually completed around two months of age. Between four and 12 months, as your kitten’s body develops rapidly, their food needs to supply plenty of energy to support their growth. Once your kitten has reached adulthood, usually around a year (although it depends on their breed), the focus is no longer on rapid growth, but their food will still need to supply the nutrients they need to maintain their health, and should be tailored to their breed, lifestyle and stage of life.
Create the right feeding environment for your kitten
Cats can be sensitive about their food—not just what they eat, but the conditions in which they eat it. Try to create a quiet and calm feline feeding space, without disturbances. They should be out of sight and with an easy escape route. It’s no surprise that they don’t like their food bowl to be anywhere near their litter box but you should also keep your kitten’s food and water bowls apart to avoid food falling into the water. Ideally, your kitten’s feeding area should not be in your own dining area. It’s not a good idea for cats to eat human foods—their digestive systems are different and human foods can harm their health. Keeping the two areas separate will reduce the temptation to let them nibble on leftovers.
How much should your kitten drink?
Kittens should drink around 1 oz per pound of body weight but you don’t need to get out a measuring cup: part of that liquid comes from your kitten’s food and they will need to drink more or less depending on whether they eat dry or wet food. The temperature, your kitten’s activity levels, and their overall physical condition will also affect their water needs. Just make sure fresh, clean water is always available, ideally in several calm spots around your home. It should be topped up at least daily. Bowls should be washed regularly to prevent pathogens from growing in them. Glass, porcelain or metal dishes are best: some kittens can be put off by the smell of a plastic bowl.
The food your kitten eats provides the foundation for healthy growth, which is why getting it right from the start is so important. Once you’re confident that your kitten is eating the right food with the right nutrients for their breed and stage of development, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy this exciting stage of your pet’s life.
