What food and how much food would a 6 week old kitten eat?

Answer 1

It depends on a lot of things.

Firstly, it depends what brand of food you're feeding. Check the guidelines on the back of the bag, box or can. Most if not all packages of cat or kitten food will include feeding guidelines. For adult cats, these are based on weight. For kittens, they are usually based on both weight and age but sometimes just age.

In general, if you're feeding a food that is formulated for "all life stages" or "kittens and cats" you will have to feed a kitten more than you would if you were feeding a diet specially formulated for just kittens.

Match the age and/or weight of your kitten to the recommended feeding portions. If your kitten seems underweight (ie, you can easily see or feel ribs) you can up the portions. Remember, these are just feeding guidelines. As a general rule, kittens won't eat more than they need. A kitten should have a nice round tummy and feel weighty. If you think your kitten is overweight, consult your vet.

As an example, I feed my six month old kitten Wellness Kitten dry, and the recommended portions are 3/4 to one full cup of dry kibble daily. If she were also getting canned food, the recommended portions are 3/4 cup dry kibble and one 3oz can per day. Since she's got a small frame, she usually eats a little less than 3/4 of a cup daily.

Answer 2

If you are feeding her kitten food, then she needs one large (5.5 ounce) can per day. If you are feeding her adult cat food, then she needs twice as much. For adult cats, the wet food should be divided into two feedings: a morning feeding and an evening feeding. Kittens need to eat more frequently -- at least 3, but ideally 4 times a day.

It would also be a great idea to give her some dry food to snack on between meals. Innova/Evo brand dry food is the best dry food, in my opinion. It is a high-quality, grain-free dry food, and it makes their coats super-shiny and soft.

Also, if you can afford it, it would be a good idea to give your cat high-quality wet food as well. Most supermarket brands -- such as Purina, Friskies, Whiskas, Fancy Feast, Tender Vittles, etc., etc. -- are made with extremely low-quality "meat." It is actually really disgusting. These brands are made with all the leftover animal parts, including ground-up chicken beaks and feet, cow eyeballs, intestines, and something called "Animal Digest." Animal digest is essentially a mishmash of leftover parts; it can include rats, roadkill animals, and animals that were euthanized at animal shelters -- including dogs and cats.That's right, cats. These brands also include something called "ash," which is burnt animal remains. It is absolutely revolting.

Luckily, there are better foods available, made with high-quality meat that is fit for human consumption. They are more expensive than supermarket brands -- up to $2 a can -- but they will keep your cat healthy, and will add years to his life. It is well worth the money to keep your beloved pet healthy and happy. And in fact, you will most likely save money in the long run: since better cat food means a healthier cat, you will save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on veterinary bills.

High-quality cat food brands are sold at most pet stores, including Petco, Pet Stop, and petnetdirect.com. Some high-quality brand names include: Innova/Evo, Weruva, Max Cat, PetGuard, California Natural, Instinct, Prairie, Natural Balance, Solid Gold, Merrick, Wellness, Eagle Pack, Newman's Own, WYSONG, Precise, etc., etc.

If you really cannot afford to buy this food for your cats, then Iams brand is an acceptable second-choice. Iams is a supermarket brand, but it is of a higher quality than most supermarket brands. It's not as good as Innova/Evo, Weruva, Max Cat, etc., etc., but it is better than the other supermarket brands.

Answer 3

It is completely normal for the kitten to still be suckling her mother a little bit, so should be free to suckle her mother as much as she wants.

Along with suckling, kittens should be beginning to take an interest in their mother's food at this age. The best food to feed them is good quality wet food, mashed up and mixed in with a little kitten milk (never cow's milk) or water if need be to entice them to eat. You can even try and see if they will lick a tiny bit off your finger or off their paw.

Always have a shallow dish of water out, and feed small portions of food as frequently as you are able. It is best to put down food for them (on a plate, not in a bowl is a plate is easier to eat out of) at least six times a day.

The quality of the food is also important. For kittens, high quality kitten or cat food is best, although high quality brands are usually suitable for all ages.

Cats are carnivores so they derive all the nutrients from meat, so it makes sense to find a food with a high (50% or over) meat content. This should be the first or first couple of ingredients (listed as Chicken, Turkey, Lamb, Tuna, etc.). Foods that are free of grains, corns, and wheat gluten are highly recommended as these are cheap "filler" that bulk up foods - but have no nutritional value for your kitten.

Answer 4

A kitten at that age should still be with its mother. Kittens are usually weaned off milk between four to six weeks, but will still take milk from the mother. A kitten so small needs to be fed little and often; around five to six times a day or whenever they are hungry. Be sure to feed small amounts. Too much food at once will cause them to be sick.

Answer 5

Kittens need a lot of Protein and Fat in order to grow and develop in a healthy manner. Generally speaking, kittens need twice as much Protein (if not more) an adult cat does, so don't be surprised if you are feeding your kitten much more than you would an adult cat. It is very difficult to overfeed a kitten. Feed it as much as it needs.

Kittens have small stomachs, so the best method of feeding is "little and often", as often as four to six times a day for very young kittens.

Answer 6

Small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day, dry food out constantly if you wish but not a necessity. A 1/4 of a big can of wet is good for each serving.

Answer 7

My 5 mo. old kitten eats about 1 can a day of soft cat food.

Answer 8

About a hand ful but not too big of a scoop.