Build my kitten's plan

Free kitten feeding calculator

How much should my kitten eat?

Enter your kitten’s age and weight to get a daily calorie target, portions in cans and cups, a meal schedule and what’s coming next. It’s free, takes 30 seconds, and nothing you type is stored. Not sure of the age? Try our kitten age calculator.

Reviewed October 2026 · Based on the veterinary energy formula · See sources

Tell us about your kitten

Takes 30 seconds. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.

Weigh yourself holding your kitten, then subtract your own weight.
What will you feed?
Use the calories from my food's label (more accurate)
Look for "kcal/can" on the label. We assume 90 kcal (a typical 3 oz kitten pâté) if left blank.
Look for "kcal/cup" (8 oz measuring cup). We assume 450 kcal if left blank.

Your plan will appear here.
Daily calories, portions per meal, a feeding schedule and what's coming next.

Quick reference

Kitten feeding chart by weight and age

Daily calories for a healthy kitten, before you account for treats. Use these as a starting point and adjust so your kitten stays lean but keeps growing. A dash means that weight is unusual for the age, so check with your vet.

WeightUnder 4 months
kcal/day		4–12 months
kcal/day
1 lb (0.45 kg)9575
2 lb (0.9 kg)165130
3 lb (1.4 kg)220175
4 lb (1.8 kg)275220
5 lb (2.3 kg)325260
6 lb (2.7 kg)—295
7 lb (3.2 kg)—335
8 lb (3.6 kg)—370

How many meals a day?

AgeMeals a dayWhat’s in the bowl
0–4 weeksEvery 2–3 hoursMom’s milk or kitten milk replacer
4–8 weeks4–6Wet kitten food softened into a gruel, thickening over time
2–3 months4Kitten food: wet, dry or both
3–6 months3Kitten food
6–12 months2–3Kitten food, then a gradual switch to adult food around 12 months

Show your working

How the calculator works

Vets estimate a pet’s energy needs in two steps, and our calculator follows the same method:

  1. Resting energy requirement (RER) = 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75. This is what the body burns at rest.
  2. Daily energy for growth = RER × a life-stage factor. We use 2.5 for kittens under 4 months and 2.0 from 4 to 12 months. The Merck Veterinary Manual uses 2.5 for growing kittens, and the Pet Nutrition Alliance gives a growth range of 2–3 that starts to fall from about 4 months, so we ease to 2.0 as growth slows. Treat the result as a starting point and adjust by your kitten’s body condition.
  3. Portions: we take 10% off for treats, split the rest between wet and dry food if you feed both, and divide by the calories in your food (90 kcal per can and 450 kcal per cup unless you enter the numbers from your label).

Every kitten is different. Breed, activity level, body condition and spaying or neutering all change real-world needs, so treat the result as a starting point. Weigh your kitten every couple of weeks: you should be able to feel the ribs easily without seeing them.

When to follow your vet instead: if your kitten is underweight, unwell, recovering from illness or on a prescribed diet, follow your vet’s plan instead.

Kitten feeding questions

Many vets are comfortable with kittens free-feeding dry food while they grow quickly, as long as the kitten stays lean. Scheduled meals make it easier to notice appetite changes and to keep portions in check, especially after 6 months.

Every 2–3 weeks while your kitten is under 6 months, and monthly after that. Kittens can double their weight in a few weeks, so last month’s portions are often too small.

US labels list a calorie statement as kcal/kg plus kcal/can or kcal/cup, usually near the guaranteed analysis. EU labels often give kcal per 100 g, so multiply by the pack weight divided by 100 to get calories per pouch or can.

Keep treats to about 10% of daily calories so the main food still provides balanced nutrition. Our calculator subtracts this treat budget automatically.

Growing kittens do eat a lot. But constant hunger alongside poor weight gain, diarrhea or a bloated belly can point to parasites or other problems, so book a vet check if you notice those.

Sources