Let young kittens eat as much as they want; they will almost certainly not become overweight. You can free feed as long as other pets don't eat all of the food and you leave out only dry food. Young kittens need a lot of calories for their size.
A feeding routine is important and a balance must be achieved such that the kitten must be given enough food to maintain healthy growth but is not allowed to overeat. Kittens have smaller stomachs than adult cats so they should be eating smaller amounts more frequently.
Kittens need plenty of nutrients to grow up strong and healthy, so you need to make sure you're feeding them enough. Unfortunately, overfeeding can also lead to health problems in kittens and cats.
Cats will get fatter if they're regularly overfed. This means they get less mobile, more lethargic, less active, and can eventually get sick.
From a few weeks old up to 3 or 4 months old, it's almost impossible to overfeed a kitten because her growing body is constantly craving nutrients.
Cats might beg for food between meals. Your cat cannot control how much she eats at a certain time. However, if you are following your veterinarian's advice with proper amounts and regular feeding, you can rest easy that she is indeed getting the right amount of food and nutrients.
How much a kitten should eat varies based on age, weight, and other nutritional needs. Most kittens under six weeks old will drink 2-22 ml of formula or cat milk per day. Most kittens over six weeks old should eat ¼ to 1 and ¾ cups of dry food per day.
If you overfeed your cat it could be very dangerous for their health in the long term. While treats are fine for cats every so often, they should only account for ten percent of their total food intake. Just as overfeeding can be dangerous, underfeeding a cat can lead to malnutrition.
For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as they'll eat in three or four daily feedings until they're 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks.
Is My Cat Really Hungry? A meowing cat in the kitchen is not necessary an automatic sign of a hungry pet. A cat that is truly hungry may have a certain type of insistent meow, or may hang around pawing at its food bowl or where its food may be stored. When food is offered, a hungry cat will eat quickly.
Your kitten is so hungry all the time due to the rapid growth spurts that need a frequent supply of energy. Moreover, kittens play a lot to learn essential cat skills for communication and hunting. Therefore, they need more energy to sustain these vigorous activities, hence the frequent hunger and excessive eating.
Pre-measure Your Cat's Food to Keep From Overfeeding
The best method is to measure out a day's (24 hours) ration in the morning and then feed out of that container to provide feedings during that day. When that container is empty, no more food until the next day.
We recommend feeding your kitten three meals a day until they are six months of age. At six months, your kitten will closely resemble an adult in size, but they are still a kitten and should continue eating a diet made especially for kittens. You can adjust their feeding to two meals a day instead of three.
Kittens should urinate after each feeding and have a bowel movement one to four times a day.
Young kittens have very small stomachs and are best started on 4 small meals a day – if that's not possible, leave out some dry food so they can nibble. At 4 months old, this can be dropped to 3 meals daily. At 6 months old, this can be dropped to 2 meals daily.
Cats generally prefer to eat several small meals each day. How much food a cat needs depends on its age, the type of food, body weight and level of activity. If a cat eats more food than it needs, it will become overweight and may suffer. If you underfeed your cat, it will lose weight and may become ill.
Your cat will display habitual behavior around mealtime when it is hungry, and many cats can be quite demanding that they are served. But cats aren't as motivated by food as dogs, so acting hungry all the time, begging, or whining for food between feedings may point to a medical issue.
You can tell a cat is eating too much when they look much rounder around the torso. If you can't see the waistline, it's probably time to rethink your cat's diet! Other signs of an overfed cat include lethargy and exercise intolerance. Extra weight restricts mobility, making it harder to run, jump and play.
Feeding dry food alone or feeding both wet and dry foods are both perfectly acceptable, but feeding wet alone may make it difficult for your kitten to get sufficient nutrients in the day. Dry food also helps to keep your kitten's teeth and gums heathy.
This means that the best place for a kitten to sleep is a warm and secure spot, sheltered from draughts. It's not a bad idea to have the kitten close to you for just the first few nights. Find a cosy place next to your bed and you can even choose a spot up off the floor if possible.
A mix of both wholesome wet and dry food is recommended for the first eight to 12 weeks. As your kitten develops her tastes, experiment with different flavors and textures to discover what she likes best.
Cats may become obsessed with food if they are depressed, stressed, or simply bored. Some cats have even been diagnosed with “psychogenic abnormal eating disorder,” a psychological condition that boosts their drive for food.
Don't worry – they're hungry, not starving. Just like us, a cat's empty stomach sends signals to its brain when food is needed, usually at around the times of day that they are used to being fed. If you're the person that feeds them, they'll look to you to fulfil this need.