How much should I feed my kitten?

Take the resting need (RER = 70 × weight-in-kg^0.75 kcal) and multiply by ×2.5 under 4 months or ×2.0 from 4 to 10 months. Divide by your food’s calories and feed across several small meals. Use a food labelled for kittens or “all life stages.”

How often should a kitten eat?

Young kittens do best on three to four small meals a day. Many owners free-feed kibble while a kitten is growing, then move to measured meals as it approaches adulthood.

When do I switch to adult cat food?

Most cats move to adult food and amounts around 10–12 months. Use the adult cat feeding calculator from then on.

My kitten always seems hungry — is that normal?

Growing kittens have big appetites, but constant hunger or poor growth is worth a vet check. Weigh weekly and recalculate so portions keep pace with growth.

Kitten feeding

How much to feed a kitten

Enter your kitten’s weight and age for a daily calorie target and servings. Kittens need far more than adult cats — and it changes fast.

Body weight

Age (months)

Kittens need far more energy than adult cats.

Your food (optional — turns calories into portions)

Mix wet & dry

Daily calories to feed

— kcal

Resting need (RER) — kcal · ×— for activity

Good to know

General guidance only — an estimate, not veterinary advice. Always check with your vet about your pet’s growth, weight and diet.

How this was calculated

Kittens grow fast and need a lot of energy. We take the resting need — RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 kcal/day — and multiply by a growth factor that falls with age: ×2.5 under 4 months and ×2.0 from 4–10 months, then the adult ×1.2. Because a kitten’s weight changes quickly, recalculate often.

Source: WSAVA & AAHA feline nutrition guidelines. Full method on our methodology page.

Adult cat feeding →Cat weight check →

Built by the PawGauge team, reviewed against cited veterinary sources. Last reviewed 29 June 2026.

About our figures →

Feeding a growing kitten

Kittens pack a lot of growing into their first year and can need two to two-and-a-half times the calories of an adult cat their size. That demand is highest in the first few months and eases as they mature, which is why the multiplier drops from ×2.5 to ×2.0 and then to the adult ×1.2.

Feed a diet made for kittens or “all life stages,” offer several small meals a day, and re-weigh weekly so portions keep up. Aim for steady growth and a lean body — not a pot belly. As your kitten nears its first birthday, switch to the adult cat calculator.

Kitten feeding questions

How much should I feed my kitten?: Take the resting need (RER = 70 × weight-in-kg^0.75 kcal) and multiply by ×2.5 under 4 months or ×2.0 from 4 to 10 months. Divide by your food’s calories and feed across several small meals. Use a food labelled for kittens or “all life stages.”
How often should a kitten eat?: Young kittens do best on three to four small meals a day. Many owners free-feed kibble while a kitten is growing, then move to measured meals as it approaches adulthood.
When do I switch to adult cat food?: Most cats move to adult food and amounts around 10–12 months. Use the adult cat feeding calculator from then on.
My kitten always seems hungry — is that normal?: Growing kittens have big appetites, but constant hunger or poor growth is worth a vet check. Weigh weekly and recalculate so portions keep pace with growth.