Good nutrition is essential during your kitten’s first year of life.
A balanced diet provides the energy and nutrients needed to support healthy growth, strong bones and teeth, a healthy immune system and normal development. Choosing the right food and feeding routine from the beginning will help your kitten thrive as they grow into adulthood.
Continue Feeding the Same Food at First
Bringing a kitten home is an exciting time, but it can also be stressful for them.
When you collect your kitten from a breeder, rescue centre or previous owner, ask what food they have been eating and continue feeding the same diet for the first few days.
Changing both their environment and their food at the same time can upset their digestive system and may lead to stomach upsets or diarrhoea.
Once your kitten has settled into their new home, you can gradually change their diet if you wish.
Changing Your Kitten’s Food
If you decide to introduce a different food, make the change slowly over the course of around a week.
Gradually mix increasing amounts of the new food with their current food until the transition is complete. This helps reduce the risk of digestive upset and gives your kitten time to adjust.
Unlike people, cats don’t usually become bored of eating the same food every day, so there is no need to change their diet frequently.
How Much Should a Kitten Eat?
Kittens have small stomachs but very high energy requirements.
This means they need to eat little and often throughout the day.
As a general guide:
- 8–12 weeks: Four meals per day
- 3–6 months: Three meals per day
- Over 6 months: Two meals per day
Always follow the feeding guidelines on your chosen kitten food as a starting point, adjusting portions according to your kitten’s age, weight and body condition.
Choosing the Right Kitten Food
Kittens have different nutritional requirements to adult cats and should be fed a complete kitten food that has been specially formulated to support healthy growth and development.
Complete kitten foods contain the right balance of protein, fats, vitamins and minerals needed during this important stage of life.
Both dry and wet complete kitten foods are suitable, and many owners choose to feed a combination of the two.
Dry Food and Wet Food
Both dry and wet food can form part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Dry food can be left available for some kittens to graze throughout the day, although this may not be suitable if your kitten shares a home with other pets or tends to eat everything at once.
Wet food should not be left out for long periods, particularly in warm weather, as it can spoil quickly. Instead, offer wet food as separate meals and remove any uneaten food after feeding.
Keep an Eye on Your Kitten’s Weight
Regularly weighing your kitten is a good way to monitor their growth.
Healthy kittens should gain weight steadily as they develop. If you notice your kitten isn’t growing as expected or begins gaining weight too quickly, speak to your veterinary surgeon for advice.
Monitoring their weight also helps you adjust food portions as they grow.
Food, Water and Litter Trays
Cats prefer their food, water and toileting areas to be separate.
Place your kitten’s water bowl away from their food bowl, and keep both well away from the litter tray. This encourages natural behaviour and helps keep feeding and toileting areas clean.
Fresh, clean drinking water should always be available.
Should Kittens Drink Milk?
Once kittens have been fully weaned, usually by around eight weeks of age, they no longer need their mother’s milk.
Cow’s milk and other dairy products should not be given, as many cats cannot digest them properly and they may cause stomach upsets or diarrhoea.
If you are caring for a young kitten that requires a milk substitute, use a specially formulated kitten milk replacer, such as Royal Canin® Mother & Babycat Milk, following the guidance of your veterinary surgeon or animal welfare professional.
Fresh, clean drinking water should always be available to your kitten.
When Should My Kitten Change to Adult Food?
Most kittens are ready to move onto adult cat food at around 12 months of age.
Although they may look fully grown before this, they are still developing and need the extra nutrients provided by kitten food.
When the time comes, introduce adult food gradually over several days to allow your kitten’s digestive system to adjust.
If your kitten has been neutered before reaching adulthood, your veterinary surgeon may recommend adjusting their daily food portions to help maintain a healthy weight while they continue growing.
A Healthy Start for a Lifetime
Feeding your kitten a balanced diet during their first year helps lay the foundations for a healthy adult life.
By choosing a complete kitten food, feeding regular meals, providing fresh water and making any dietary changes gradually, you’ll help support your kitten’s growth and development every step of the way.
At the NSPCA, we encourage owners to establish healthy feeding habits from the very beginning. Good nutrition during kittenhood is one of the best investments you can make in your cat’s lifelong health and wellbeing.
