Is it normal for a rescued kitten to eat so much?
Very young kittens have tiny stomachs and exceptionally high energy needs, which causes them to consume surprisingly large amounts of food relative to their size. This sudden and heavy appetite often leaves new caretakers unsure whether such high consumption is healthy or if they need to adjust the feeding routine.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Consulting a veterinarian2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Taking them to the humane society to get checked and establish as a fosterDid this help you?
- 3Getting formula and mixing it with wet food to make a smoothieDid this help you?
- 4Checking out the Kitten Lady on YouTube and her website for kitten care tipsDid this help you?
- 5Checking feeding amount recommendations listed online based on weightDid this help you?
- 6Watching the dry food to prevent grazing and weight gainDid this help you?
- 7Taking the kitten straight to the vetDid this help you?
- 8Socializing the kitten with adult catsDid this help you?
- 9Considering getting another playmateDid this help you?
- 10supplementing wet food with a little dry kibbleDid this help you?
- 11using food puzzle balls or licky mats to provide mental stimulation and slow down eatingDid this help you?
- 12free-feeding dry food alongside canned foodDid this help you?
- 13calculating daily calorie needs based on the cat's weight and food labelsDid this help you?
- 14Trying different types of food such as wet food, treats, or dry food with waterDid this help you?
- 15Giving kitten formulaDid this help you?
- 16Buying squeeze-treat packagesDid this help you?
- 17Taking the cat in for the short term until it regains strengthDid this help you?
- 18Feeding minced boiled chicken mixed with water and commercial wet foodDid this help you?
- 19Introducing small amounts of water mixed into foodDid this help you?
- 20Researching emergency alternatives like plain cooked chicken, turkey, scrambled eggs, or goat's milk onlineDid this help you?
- 21Supervising introductions between the kitten and a reactive dogDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“the issue is that after I feed her she will go and sit by her food and ask for more literally 30 minutes after eating and if I pour her a little kibble she eats it like she’s starving”source ↗
“I never taken care of a cat thing young but I am willing to, any advice?”source ↗
“Little kitty has not been vaccinated yet but I’ll take care of it myself, anything else I should look out for?”source ↗
“I am slightly concerned about the amount of food I'm feeding him, cuz he just gobbles up a lot of wet food for his size. Should I be worried about that?”source ↗
“I found this kitten yesterday, it is approximately 600grams, i dont know how old is it, i dont know what should i feed it.”source ↗
“I dont know if that is suitable for it, i saw it squatting in the litter box meowing but nothing came.”source ↗
“I am afraid this food is causing constipation.”source ↗
“I dont have access to kitten milk.”source ↗
“She is peeing regularly but only passed stool once yesterday”source ↗
“I’ve never owned a cat before. I’m currently feeding her half a can of fancy feast in the morning and evening + dry food for her to eat during the day. I’m confused on if that’s an appropriate amount of wet food or if she should have more.”source ↗
“Someone gave me these kittens to foster they were following them home without a mom. I haven’t taken care of kittens this young before, about how old are they? Should I get milk?”source ↗
“Recently, this tiny kitten started joining us but she doesn't eat nor drink anything and just sits like that, even when she does, it's usually only a few bites or so.”source ↗
“She's getting thinner and I'm afraid she might pass away from being too weak.”source ↗
“I'm a broke college student so I can't take her to the vet nor give her vitamins.”source ↗
“depending on the type the cans may only be 60 calories so it might not be enough”source ↗
“I’m not sure how they will react to it.”source ↗
“She is healthy and energetic, my concern is food and constipation, idk if she is constipated or not”source ↗
“I already gave her chicken, but idk if she is old enough to be weaned”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 11How to tell how old a found kitten is and what care it needs
- 7Dog food feeding guidelines based on puppy weight vs expected adult weight
- 2What to feed a newborn kitten with diarrhea overnight?
- 10How to find a home for a found kitten
- 3Next steps for taming a feral kitten
- 11How to tell if stray kittens need to be rescued