Feeding Your Kitten
The Art of Keeping the Hangry Monster at Bay
How often should you feed your kitten? What should you feed them?
Feed your fluffy little powerhouse a balanced complete diet suitable for their age and lifestyle.
And most importantly—no, they can’t eat dog food (sorry, they will try!).
Growing kittens have twice the calorie requirements of adult cats and need a lot of extra nutrients to support those growing bones and crafty brains!
With high energy requirements, fast metabolisms and small tummies your kitten needs small frequent meals. As they grow, the frequency of feeds can be reduced and the size increased.
- 6–12 week old kitten: 4 times per day
- 3-6 months old: Gradually reduce to 3 meals – take a little out of 1 meal and build up the others, gradually adjusting timing to keep meals evenly spaced.
- 6-12 months old: Reduce to twice daily feeding, taking into account altered nutritional needs during this time, such as neutering or going outdoors. Talk to a vet for professional advice.
- Up to 3 months old most kittens stop eating when they’re full. After that, some will graze, but others over-eat when the opportunity arises. If your cat is a grazer, ensure all food left out is fresh.
Vaccines and Pest Protectors: Because Your Kitten is Not Invincible!
What vaccines does my kitten need?
Kittens need a course of core (essential) vaccines to protect against serious viral illnesses, including Panleucopenia, Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpesvirus) and Calicivirus.
- Panleukopenia causes life-threatening vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. Panleukopenia virus is hard to kill and you can carry it into the house on your feet. So even indoor cats and kittens need vaccine protection!
- Feline herpes virus and calicivirus cause cat flu. Vaccination doesn’t always prevent infection but does prevent infection from developing into serious illness.
- Your kitten will also need these vaccines to be allowed in a cattery for holidays.
Other vaccinations are optional, including Feline Leukaemia Virus and Rabies, depending on your kitten’s lifestyle. Outdoor cats and kittens in multi-cat households should have the Feline Leukaemia vaccination.
Are there any risks?
Vaccinations are one of the most common and safe treatments in medicine. Mild side effects may include fever or soreness lasting 1-2 days, while serious allergic reactions are rare (1 in 10,000 cases) and managed with prompt veterinary care. Chat with our Joii vets online if you have any questions about your kitten’s vaccines.
What about flea and tick treatments?
Kittens can pick up fleas and ticks early, so prevention should start from 8 weeks old. There are lots of effective products, including sprays, spot-ons and some tablets. Check with a vet which ones are safe to use in kittens.
Any other creepy crawlie pests?
Ear mites are a common challenge for kittens. Lots of dark reddish-brown wax is the main warning sign, sometimes (but not always) accompanied by scratching. Ear cleaning can help but some kittens may need prescription spot-on treatments.
Do I need to worm my kitten?
Kittens can get worms from an early age – even from mum’s milk. Worms are a common cause of diarrhoea and vomiting. Severe cases may cause breathing problems, pneumonia, or life-threatening intestinal blockages.
- Young kittens need to be wormed every 2 weeks from 2 to 8 weeks old, then monthly until 6 months old. After that, continue with regular worming at least 4 times per year, depending on their lifestyle and hunting habits.
- Vet-approved wormers come in tablet, liquid, paste, or spot-on form, with specific treatments needed for different worm types.
- Most intestinal worm treatments only kill adult worms present in the intestine. Regular worming prevents a new population of worms from establishing in your kitten’s tummy.
More than a sniffle? Reasons and tips for Feline ‘pawrly’
Why is my kitten sneezing a lot?
Sneezing may be triggered by allergy or environmental irritants, such as cigarette smoke or perfume. Reduce the risk by avoiding smoking and wearing or spraying perfumed products around your kitten.
But sneezing can also signal an upper respiratory tract infection or cat flu. Other cat flu signs include runny eyes, sleeping more, and going off their food.
- Keep your kitten’s nose and eyes clean, using boiled, cooled drinking water and a clean cotton pad.
- Let them rest. Encourage fluid intake with wet food, warmed gently to improve its smell and kitten appeal.
- If your kitten stops eating, has thick or greenish discharge from their nose or eyes, red swollen eyes or breathing difficulties, talk to a vet as soon as possible.
Bath Time: Do Kittens Come with a Waterproof Setting?
Spoiler: Most cats find water as appealing as lava, so it’s fortunate they groom themselves and rarely need baths!
But occasionally bathing helps remove dirt and odours or controls skin issues like allergies or infections. Always check with a vet for the best products to use, and read our handy guide to bathing cats.
The Mystery of the Meowing: Are They Communicating or Complaining?
Kittens have a lot to say for themselves. But is your tiny overlord demanding food, attention, or just yelling for sport?
- There are lots of reasons why kittens meow. It’s their way of telling you they are hungry, scared, cold or poorly.
- If you’ve ruled out hanger pains, litter box crises, and other causes, the chances are they are simply feeling bored or feeling that you’d benefit from making more fuss of them.
Kitten-Proofing: Because Chaos is Their Middle Name
Your kitten sees your home as an obstacle course. Whether it’s for a wall of death around the curtains or zoomies through the kitchen cupboards, let’s make sure they don’t destroy everything (or themselves) in the process.
How can you kitten-proof your home?
- Keep household hazards and breakables safely locked away.
- Ensure the kitchen is a kitten-free zone when there are hot pans, kettles and food-mixers on the go.
- Check the tumble dryer and washing machine for ‘unexpected’ purring contents before use.
- Make sure there are no harmful houseplants around. Check our helpful guide and if in doubt, keep them out!
- Cover power sockets and hide electrical wires, elastic bands and anything else that is tempting to chew or play with.
Catnip: Nature’s Party Drug for Cats!
What’s the deal with catnip, and is it safe?
- Catnip, a plant belonging to the mint family, contains Nepetalactone, a chemical which triggers a euphoric “high” in sensitive cats.
- Around 60% of cats react to catnip, but usually not until they’re 6-12 months old.
- Catnip mimics female hormones, so affected cats – male or female- act like a female cat ‘in heat’ – playful, rolling, affectionate, hyperactive, but occasionally even aggressive.
- Catnip comes as dried and fresh, in sprays and catnip-filled toys.
- In sensitive cats, it can help with separation anxiety and even pain management.
The Bitey Phase: Have you brought home a tiny vampire?
Why do kittens suddenly decide your hands and ankles are chew toys, and how can you teach them to stop?
Ok, perhaps not a vampire, but your cute little fuff ball is nevertheless a predator. They’re exploring the world with mouths and claws and developing skills to stalk, pounce and subdue their prey. And anything that moves is fair game. The secret is to be consistent and make sure they realise from an early age that fingers don’t count.
- Choose toys that allow kittens to safely express normal instincts and play with them every day to prevent boredom and frustration.
- Redirect playful energy to their toys and provide scratching posts.
- Halt play immediately if it descends into rough stuff.
- Reward appropriate play with a treat or additional play.
Teething troubles and do kittens lose their baby teeth?
Human babies (and parents) are not alone in this! Teething is a normal but painful process for kittens. Baby teeth erupt at 2-4 weeks and fall out by 3-4 months. And 30 adult teeth replace them by 7 months. Symptoms of teething include chewing, drooling, swollen gums, behaviour changes, and appetite changes.
- Cool down favourite toys or treats in the fridge or freezer to act as soothers.
- Apply a soothing gel suitable for cats.
- Start gently cleaning your kitten’s teeth as soon as possible. Use a finger brush or soft cloth with some tasty kitten toothpaste.
Your kitten will grow up before you know it, so enjoy the chaos while it lasts. With the right care and attention, your little feline fluff ball will develop into a happy healthy cat. And still be the boss of the household!
Joii vets are on hand 24/7 for help and support at every stage of your cat’s life
