Kitten Feeding Chart: How Much to Feed a Kitten
New kitten, small appetite, big worry. Almost every new owner asks the same question in week one: is this enough food? Good news, a growing, playing kitten is nearly always eating enough. This page gives you the actual numbers so you can stop guessing.
Kitten feeding chart by age
Computed at 80 calories per 3 ounce can of kitten wet food and 450 calories per cup of kitten dry food, which are typical label values. Your brand prints its own numbers, and the calculator above accepts them.
| Age | Typical weight | Calories/day | Wet food | Dry food | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 0.9 kg | ~160 | 2 cans | ⅓ cup | 4 |
| 10 weeks | 1.1 kg | ~185 | 2 to 2½ cans | ⅖ cup | 4 |
| 3 months | 1.4 kg | ~225 | 2½ to 3 cans | ½ cup | 3 |
| 4 months | 1.8 kg | ~245 | 3 cans | ½ cup | 3 |
| 5 months | 2.3 kg | ~260 | 3 to 3½ cans | ½ to ⅔ cup | 3 |
| 6 months | 3.0 kg | ~290 | 3½ cans | ⅔ cup | 2 to 3 |
| 9 months | 3.6 kg | ~290 | 3½ cans | ⅔ cup | 2 |
| 12 months | 4.0 kg | ~280, moving to adult needs | 3 to 3½ cans | ⅔ cup | 2 |
Why the amount stops climbing
Growth slows sharply after six months while weight keeps rising, so the two curves nearly cancel out. A 6 month old and a 9 month old often eat about the same. From twelve months your cat needs adult portions, which are smaller than most people expect, and our cat weight chart covers that stage.
Wet, dry, or both
Either works if it is a complete kitten formula. Wet food carries water, which suits cats because they run chronically underhydrated on dry alone. Dry food is convenient and fine as part of the mix. Many vets suggest feeding some of each early so the adult cat accepts both, which matters the day a vet ever prescribes a specific diet.
Kitten feeding FAQ
How much should a 2 month old kitten eat?
Around 150 to 170 calories a day at a typical 0.8 to 1 kg body weight. That is about two 3 ounce cans of kitten wet food, or a third of a cup of kitten kibble, split into four small meals.
How much should a 3 month old kitten eat?
Around 220 to 230 calories at a typical 1.4 kg. Practically: two and a half to three cans of wet food, or half a cup of dry, over three meals.
How much should a 6 month old kitten eat?
Around 290 calories at a typical 3 kg. That is roughly three and a half cans of wet food or two thirds of a cup of dry, in two or three meals. This is also the age to stop free feeding if you have been.
Can I free feed my kitten?
Before four months it is usually fine, kittens self regulate well while growth is at full speed. From five to six months switch to measured meals. Cats that free feed into adulthood are heavily represented in the overweight statistics.
My kitten always acts hungry. Is that normal?
Usually yes. Growing kittens are eating machines, and begging is also just learned theatre. Trust the weekly weigh in: steady gains along the growth chart mean the amount is right. A kitten that is ravenous and failing to gain needs a vet visit and a worm check.
What about milk?
Skip it. Most kittens lose the ability to digest lactose around weaning, and cow's milk causes diarrhea. Water alongside every meal is all the drink a weaned kitten needs. Unweaned kittens under about 4 weeks need proper kitten milk replacer.
Not sure of the age in the first place?
Eyes, ears and teeth date a kitten within a week or two. Sort the age first and the feeding plan follows.
Kitten age chartRelated cat calculators
Sources: NRC Nutrient Requirements of Cats; WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee guidance; AAFP kitten care recommendations. Portion equivalents assume 80 kcal per 3 oz can and 450 kcal per cup, typical for kitten formulas. Last reviewed August 2026.