The best way would be to monitor their weight. If they're gaining weight in the right places, that would be a good sign that they're eating what they need to be. And there is a body condition score, so your veterinarian can look at your kitten and see if they're underweight or at an appropriate weight.
It is better to slightly underfeed than to overfeed neonatal orphaned kittens. Kitten milk replacer should be the sole source of nutrition until 3-4 weeks of age at which time the weaning process may begin.
Keep them fed: Feed kittens every 2-4 hours depending on their age. They should eat roughly 30mls of formula/24 hours for every 4 oz of body weight. bowl of hot water or a microwave, if using a microwave make sure to throughly mix the bottle. If using KMR powder, mix 1 pt formula to 2 parts water.
Because of the kitten's small stomach, it's best to divide his food into three or four small meals a day. You can switch to twice-a-day feeding around 6 months, but some older cats also prefer small, frequent meals. Let young kittens eat as much as they want; they will almost certainly not become overweight.
Unfortunately, overfeeding can also lead to health problems in kittens and cats. The good news is, there are some pretty simple rules when it comes to how often to feed newborn kittens. The amount you need to feed your kitten depends on its age and weight.
Your kitten is growing so she needs to eat a lot to meet her daily nutritional requirements. These nutrients in the kitten's food provide her with the energy and raw materials she needs to build tissues and grow. An energetic and active kitten will need more food and will have the tendency to eat more.
Kittens should be offered food at least 4 times per day. Take care not to overfeed or underfeed your kitten. Your vet will be able to weigh your kitten, assess your kitten's body condition score and provide advice.
How Often and How Much Should You Feed Your Kitten? It's important to feed your tiny newcomer small portions at regular intervals, up to 6 times a day.
While a kitten should pee every few hours, they may pass stool anywhere from 1 to 6 times a day, depending on the kitten's age, care, and GI health. Sometimes, a kitten may even go 24 hours without pooping.
Timing is everything
Your new kitten will appreciate a routine just as much as you do, and her feeding is an integral part of her daily routine. Three to four meals a day is recommended during your kitten's first six to nine months. Young cats require more food because they're so active and develop quickly.
Age Makes a Difference
D., board certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition and James Law Professor Emeritus of nutrition at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. "From age six months to maturity, most cats will do well when fed two times a day."
In general, a kitten between 8 weeks to 4 months can be left alone for about 4 hours. After 6 months, they can spend close to 8 hours on their own. Leaving your cat alone all day is not ideal which is why you might want to consider adopting two pets so they can keep each other company while you are not home.
At this stage, their stomachs are still very small and their food requirement is high, so it is best to let kittens feed ad-lib so that they can eat when they are hungry.
For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as they'll eat in three or four daily feedings until they're 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks.
You can safely leave dry cat food out for several days and it won't spoil, but it's best to throw out leftovers and wash the dish on a daily basis, to keep Fluffy's food at its freshest. Keep in mind that dry food will grow stale within a day and may not be as appealing to your cat once this happens.
Quantity of food
If your 3-month-old kitten is weaned and able to eat solid food, it should be eating about 250 calories a day. However, this caloric and nutritional quantity depends on the breed, size and lifestyle of each cat.
How often should I feed my cat? Young kittens have very small stomachs and are best started on 4 small meals a day – if that's not possible, leave out some dry food so they can nibble. At 4 months old, this can be dropped to 3 meals daily. At 6 months old, this can be dropped to 2 meals daily.
The frequency that your kitten eats normally depends on how old they are: Up to 1 week old: every 2-3 hours. 2 weeks old: every 3-4 hours. 3 weeks old: every 4-6 hours.
Bathing too often can dry the skin, so try to avoid anything more frequent than every 4-6 weeks or so. 1 Kittens accept baths most readily so start as soon as you adopt one, as long as it's at least 4 weeks old.
There is no right answer to this question. As with most aspects of cat care, it depends on the individual. Some cats definitely do better when they eat the same thing every day.
Feeding the kittens. Kittens under 4 weeks old should be fed every 3-1/2 to 4 hours during the day. Nighttime feeding is not necessary as long as the kittens are fed at least 4 to 5 times during the day. However, feed as late in the evening as is convenient and as early in the morning as possible.