How often should I feed my kitten?

Rambunctious little kitties need plenty of energy for all their playful adventures, so how often should you feed your little ball of fur? In this article, we’ll cover how often you should be feeding your little furball to keep them happy and healthy as they grow.

Mar. 28, 2025

Est. read time: 3 min.

The first month

In the beginning of their young lives, kittens are fed by their mother. The tiny felines will suckle every two to three hours, while the rest of their day is mainly spent asleep. As long as mommy cat provides her young with plenty of milk, you don’t need to give the little ones any additional nutrition. Weigh the kittens regularly to ensure they keep gaining weight.

Three kittens nursing from their mother's white fur

Weaning kittens

Around the age of 4-5 weeks, kittens can get introduced to solid food. To help your kittens to successfully make the switch from their mother’s milk to kitten kibble and wet food, we created a separate article full of tips and advice. You can find it right here.

A tabby kitten eating wet food from a white bowl on a marble surface — *Catit Cuisine Kitten Mousse*

Kittens on solid food

To support their growth, kittens need more food per pound of body weight than adult cats do. Therefore, the little ones should be fed multiple times throughout the day. Up until they are three months old, it is recommended to feed kittens three to four times per day. When the kittens are between 6 months and 1 year old, 2 feedings per day should suffice.

A fluffy black cat eating dry kibble from a white, ergonomic cat bowl — Catit PIXI Feeding Dishes

Adult cats

Adult cats generally do well with one or two larger meals in 24 hours, though in nature cats eat up to 12 smaller meals in a day. We suggest mimicking this natural feeding pattern, which is child’s play with our Catit smart feeders. Thanks to these nifty app-controlled devices, your cat can enjoy a delicious meal whenever they need — or want — it most.