Feeding regimes for kittens

[SillyTilly]

Bright-water and Lightening are currently on four feeds a day. They are 8.5 weeks and are very small for their age (they were hand reared).

When can I start moving them to three, then two, feeds per day.

Do I go by their age, or their weight. What markers should I be looking for when I make these changes.

Also - I work full time, and am out of the house from 9.30 to 6.30. I'm intending to feed at about 7am, 9.30, 6.30 and 11pm. Will these feeds be far enough apart?

Many thanks

Olivia

[CJK]

I am feeding Alisha about 4-5 times a day, very small amounts. Usually as soon as we get up, anything from 4-6 am, Then again around 11am, 2pm, 5pmand 8-9pm. She seems fine with this, and isn't looking for food in between.

You could always try getting some kitten biscuits and leaving some down whilst your out. At least that way they can nibble if theyre hungry.

Sorry can't be of much help on how and when to cut down, been so long since we had a kitten we're jsut going by what Alisha seems to want!

[dinahsmum]

My two are on a fairly loose regime, depending on what else is happening around the house. At 9 weeks, if I listened to them, they would be on a 12 meal a day regime :) - they are always starving! (In a nice, healthy, way, not in a starved or riddled with worms way!) Their loose regime is something like
6ish - small helping of kibble
8ish - breakfast
12ish - lunch
5ish - tea
8ish - supper
bedtime - small helping of kibble.
Breakfast, lunch, tea and supper are part meat part kibble.

I think you will find that your kits will let you know when they need to eat and if they are hungry. As long as they clear their plates, have healthy poos and grow, you will know that what you are doing is right for your babies. :)

[Sweet]

Whats Kibble? x

[dinahsmum]

Whats Kibble? x
Dry food. I'm giving them a mix of Burns duck'n'rice and Hill kitten chicken (both free samples, one direct from Burns, the other from my vet!)

[SillyTilly]

A little up-date.

Well I tried to do the four feeds a day, but it's sort of turned into free feeding. I think I was a bit generous with my helpings, so there was a bit of kibble always left over.

So now what I'm doing is topping up/changing the kibble four times a day, but there is always some available. They seem to have a big munch when I top up, but go back for snacks in between.

One thing I have noticed is that they don't/won't/can't eat the kibble around the edge of the food bowl. They just eat what's in the middle. Is this normal? Is there something wrong with the bowls I'm using? ANy ideas?

Cheers

Olivia

[Hreow]

How high are the edges and what were they used to before? You could try a saucer, but I think they will just push the biscuits over the edge.

Just as long as they get about the amount it says on the package. They will feed in dribs and drabs and most cats can handle that without gaining more weight than they need to. Rover is no longer a kitten, strictly speaking, but he gets fed more than the twice a day he's allegedly supposed to be fed. It suits us, and we keep an eye on the amount so it's not above the 3-4 pouches a day (including the training-bribes and tidbits) he's supposed to have. He still doesn't see the point of dry food. :-(

[Rosie]

From getting Alfie at 10 weeks he has been on three meals a day one of which is either sardines or tuna. The other two are kitten food with biscuits. He seems very content and is growing well. Because I have another cat and a dog mealtimes are quite strict. It means that when I am in the kitchen at other times they are not always pestering for food. I can't leave other food down as the dog would eat it all! My neighbour gives Alfie his lunchtime meal.

The other thing is that Alfie's toilet habits seem to be very regular he "goes" twice a day. I know this because he wees outside but uses the litter tray to poo. I have been told that from 6 months he can go on 2 meals a day.