Kittens need to eat frequently throughout the day, with the frequency depending on their age:
- Newborn to about 7 weeks old: Kittens should be fed about every 2-3 hours, roughly 8 times a day if they are bottle-fed, since they rely on their mother's milk or a kitten milk replacement
- Up to 8 weeks old: Kittens typically need 3-5 meals of wet food per day, roughly every 2-3 hours, due to their rapid growth and high metabolism
- Up to 4 months old: Feeding about 3 times a day is ideal, spaced evenly throughout the day
- Between 4 and 6 months: Meals can be reduced to 2-4 times a day, depending on the kitten's growth and appetite
- After 6 months to 1 year: Feeding usually transitions to 2 times a day, and eventually to adult cat feeding schedules (once or twice daily) after one year
Kittens have small stomachs and high energy needs, so feeding small, frequent meals helps support their growth without overloading their digestion
. Wet food should not be left out for long periods due to spoilage, so meals should be spaced accordingly
. Some owners also leave dry food out for free feeding to allow kittens to nibble throughout the day if needed
. In summary, kittens start with very frequent feedings (every 2-3 hours), then gradually reduce to 3-4 meals per day by a few months old, and then to 2 meals per day as they approach adulthood
