You’ve got a new kitten at home. Exciting! But the questions come fast: how many grams should I feed per day? And how do I spread that out when I work and can’t be home all day? Too little and they won’t grow properly. Too much and the bowl runs out too fast, or they start putting on weight.

The answers are more concrete than you might expect. The amount depends on your kitten’s age stage and weight. This guide gives you the feeding charts, the explanations, and the approach that makes life easier — even on busy days.

How many meals per day by age

Kittens have tiny stomachs and can’t eat enough in one sitting to last the whole day. That’s why feeding frequency matters far more for kittens than for adult cats. In the first months of life, a kitten grows so quickly that its energy needs are almost constant. Small meals spread throughout the day keep blood sugar stable and prevent long stretches of hunger.

As your kitten gets older, its stomach grows and it can handle larger portions. You can gradually reduce the number of meals. The chart below shows how many meals per day are typical at each stage.

Pay attention to the 0–4 week stage. Kittens at this point live on mother’s milk or, if orphaned, on a specialist kitten milk replacer from a bottle. Solid food only starts to be introduced after 4 weeks alongside milk. If you have a newborn kitten without a mother, always consult your vet for the correct feeding protocol.

How many grams of dry food per day

The amount of dry food your kitten needs per day varies by weight. As a general rule: the heavier the kitten, the more it eats. But the exact portion also depends on the brand and calorie density of the food. Always read the label on the kitten food you’re using — the recommended daily amount printed there is based on that specific product’s calorie content.

The chart below gives average dry food amounts as a starting point. Your kitten’s actual portion may be slightly higher or lower depending on activity level and brand.

Want to calculate portions for an adult cat? Read our guide on how much a cat should eat per day. Kitten portions are generally higher per kilogram of body weight than adult portions, because of the extra energy needed for growth.

Dry food or wet food for kittens

Both work well for kittens, as long as the food is specifically formulated for kittens. Dry food is convenient, has a long shelf life, and is easy to portion in an automatic feeder. Wet food contains more moisture, which helps with hydration — kittens naturally drink less than they should, so extra water through wet food is genuinely useful.

A mix of dry and wet food works well for many kittens. You could give a portion of wet food in the morning and set the remaining meals as dry food via the automatic feeder. Keep in mind that wet food shouldn’t sit uncovered outside the fridge for more than an hour or two, especially in warm weather.

If you go with dry food only, make sure your kitten drinks enough water. Place a fresh water bowl somewhere separate from the food bowl. Some kittens prefer drinking from a pet fountain with running water over a still bowl.

How an automatic feeder helps with kitten feeding

A kitten aged 2 to 6 months needs 4 meals a day. That means planning a midday meal while most people are at work. An automatic feeder solves this: program the daily portion, split it across 4 time slots, and the feeder does the rest. You don’t need to be home.

• ✓Set times: the feeder opens exactly at the programmed moments, even when you’re not home
• ✓HD camera: check via the app whether your kitten is actually eating and how it responds to each meal
• ✓Portion control: set the daily amount once and the feeder automatically splits it across all planned meals
• ✓Less worry: no more wondering whether your kitten has eaten while you’re at work

Want to know how to set up the schedule? Read our step-by-step guide on setting up the feeder via the app. You can programme multiple meals per day, each with its own portion size.

Which feeder suits a kitten

For a kitten, we recommend a feeder with a quiet motor (under 35 dB), an HD camera so you can keep a close eye on whether it’s really eating in the early weeks, and app connectivity for setting a flexible daily schedule.

Signs your kitten is eating too little or too much

Your kitten’s weight is the best indicator of whether its food intake is right. Weigh it once a week in the first few months. A healthy kitten gains weight every week. If that’s not happening — or the opposite — something is off with the portion or the schedule. Watch for these signs too.

• ⚠Weight loss or no weight gain in the early months. Kittens grow fast. No weight gain signals they may be undereating, or there’s an underlying cause. See your vet.
• ⚠Sleep problems or constant restlessness. A hungry kitten is unsettled, meows a lot, and sleeps erratically. If the schedule is correct but it stays restless, check the portion size.
• ⚠Early-onset overweight. A kitten that finishes its bowl every meal and immediately wants more may not be getting enough per sitting. But if it’s visibly getting rounder, the portions are too large.
• ⚠Vomiting after every meal. Kittens that eat too fast or too much at once can bring food back up. More meals with smaller portions almost always fixes this.

When to switch to adult food

Most kittens are fully grown by around 12 months. At that point, kitten food is no longer needed and it’s time to transition to adult food. Large breeds like Maine Coons grow for longer and need kitten food until 18 months. If you’re unsure about your specific breed, ask your vet.

Always transition gradually over 2 to 4 weeks. A sudden food change almost always causes digestive issues: softer stools, reduced appetite, or an upset stomach. A gradual switch gives the digestive system time to adjust to the new formula.

When you switch, update the feeding schedule too. An adult cat eats 2 to 3 times a day instead of 3 to 4. Reprogram the feeder once you’ve fully moved to adult food. More details on the transition in our article on when to stop feeding kitten food.

Frequently asked questions

Want to learn more about feeding your cat? Read our guide on how much a cat should eat per day or browse all automatic feeders.