Anyone got 4-6 month old kittens?

[ifonly4]

If you've got kittens around this age, how much are they eating - my two are getting through 7 pouches and approx 40g dry between them a day, and still seem to be hungry. I haven't got a problem giving them this amount as they seem genuinely hungry (reckon they'd eat more). However, it's far more than they were on with foster carer (I was told when we got them they were eating 1.5 pouches each a day and had dry given as one meal) and I want to ensure they don't pile on too much extra weight.

[MadCatEnthusiast]

Are you free-feeding them?What times are you feeding them? I do and I just monitor my 7mo kitten's wet food intake from how much her dry food bowl looks. She gets through about 1.5 pouches and about 60g of dry food. At that age, they get super hungry especially as they're growing

[dementedpixie]

I left dry down all the time and give wet meals 3 times a day at that age. Tbh I still do that now and my cats are now 1 and a half. I've never measured out dry food. I put half a pouch each down for each of the 3 meals and leave dry out in 2 bowls. What food are they having?

[Dollymixture22]

MY four month eats around tray and a half of lily’s Kitchen during the day and a handful of dry food which she nibbles through the night. Also has a treat (webbox stick or yoghurt).

I was worried she wasn’t eating enough but vet said she is a healthy weigh now - just petit!

[Strawberrytraveller]

I have two kittens just over 4 months.

They eat around 200g of Animonda carny kitten wet food each per day (so 400g total, ie one regular size tin) , plus the female will nibble on dry in between.

I feed them that over 4 meals, so approximately 50g each per meal.

Some days they eat a bit more.

[ifonly4]

They had 2 pouches and 25g dry around 7am, by 10.30am both clearly wanted more so two more pouches. I've done quite well to get to 4pm and given them two more. Every morsel is going and they are interested in anything we're eating. I don't want them hungry but at the same time don't want them putting on too much weight.

Unless they're sleeping, they are constantly active, looking for mischief and currently have been chasing eachother around for 30 mins.

[dementedpixie]

What food is it? Is it decent with a high meat content to keep them fuller for longer? As I said before I don't weigh out dry food and they come back and forward to it during the day

[dementedpixie]

So was 25g between them or each?

[viccat]

Until about a year old, kittens can pretty much eat as much as they want to and you won't have to worry about weight gain as they're still growing.

Although I second the advice from a PP to switch to a high protein, grain free food and you should see they are eating less as it's better quality and more filling for them.

[ifonly4]

Thanks for your replies everyone. I've only had them a week and they're still on Felix kitten pouches and Purina One (previous diet). They are doing so well, but one of them had to be rehomed with sibling as he was less confidence/smaller so don't haven't rushed any changes.

I'm not expert re: diet but have been looking at Zooplus. Does anyone have any suggestions for a better diet to trial?

[Dollymixture22]

I like Lilly’s kitchen wet and dry. It’s grain free with high meat content.

I have recently also tried her on thrive kitten food. Its very similar to marks and Spencer’s chunky chicken from when I was a kid! It’s clearly very good quality chicken - but my kitten it’s that fussed and it gives her a bit of an upset tummy.

She loves webbox treats - the sticks and little moist bis it treats.

Oh and cat milk.

[cricketmum84]

My kitten is 10 months now but at 6 months she was eating 60g of dry James well beloved per day, no wet food.

That does seem quite a lot for kittens - is their worming up to date?

[ifonly4]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I'll be reviewing their diet soon, so will just keep feeding. They were wormed 20/8 so hopefully it's not worms.

[Fluffycloudland77]

When my Bengal was a kitten he had a miaow that could wake the dead that we called "bowl empty". There was no way on earth you could get into the kitchen without being yelled at and tripped up until a bowl was filled with a pouch/tin.

It stopped when he stopped growing.


Unless they are eating mice it's less likely to be worms.