My kitten is 3 weeks old. How often should I feed them each day?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
My kitten just turned 3 weeks old how often should i feed him??
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on May 1st, 2017
Three weeks old is too young for a kitten to be separated from it's mother, so I would return him to his mother if possible. If he is an orphan, he should be fed every three hours. Check out this website for further details on raising an orphan kitten: http://www.2ndchance.info/orphankitten.htm
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
-
Published on September 25th, 2018
That is a lot of food. Normal daily requirement for a growing kitten like that would be about 1.5 cans spread into three feeds (1/2 can three times daily). That is a very nice kitty! You may want to consider having him trapped, if you want to adopt him/her. It would probably be faster to tame him once he/she is in your house.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 3 day old kitten I need sleep at night time so how should I feed her how much and how often.
Newborns typically feed every 2-4 hours. If they are good eaters you can let them nurse until they are full and their bellies are a little tight. If they are not nursing well then they may need more feedings but try to get them to eat 1/2 ounce. Around 3 weeks old you can usually stop the night feedings and just do frequent feedings during the day. Remember to gently stimulate them with a warm cloth to go to the bathroom
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I am fostering 2 orphaned kittens. Guesstimate for the age is 3 wks based on my knowledge and research done. I was wondering how many mls should they be drinking? One drinks 15 ml or more and the other I can barely get to drink 5 ml. This is per feed
An "average" sized 3 week old kitten will eat every three hours and should consume about 80mls of kitten milk replacer daily. This breaks down to about 10mls per feeding. It is always best to underfeed and feed more frequently than to feed larger meals.
Be sure to use an approved kitten milk replacer such as KMR. Mix it up fresh at each feeding, make sure it is warm, position the kitten appropriately (on it's stomach) and stimulate urination and defecation after each feeding. It there is a failure to gain or thrive, have them examined by your veterinarian.
This website below is an excellent resource for information regarding raising orphaned kittens.
http://www.2ndchance.info/orphankitten.htm
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I found 5 kittens underneath my trailer yesterday they appear to be about 3 weeks old I've not seen the mother for the past 2 days I gave them some soft food which they ate like they were starved to death
They need to be fed about every 4-6 hours. If they are eating kitten food then you do not have to worry about milk and bottle feeding. Make sure they stay warm. They are old enough to be dewormed. The one kitten appears to have a discharge from the eyes, this may be a sign of a respiratory infection which is common in kittens. I would have them checked by the vet for medicine before it affects their appetite and spreads to all of them
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I have a 3 week old kitten how often should she poop? We got her 3-4 days ago and don't know when she last poop
3 weeks is very young. Under normal circumstances a kitten should be with its mommy until it is 10 to 12 weeks old. Your kitten will still need to be fed with kitten milk (bottle feeding). You can get a bottle and Kitten milk at a large supermarket or your vet;s office. At three weeks, the mother still licks and stimulates the kittens genitals and anus to entice it to urinate and defecate. She then removes the urine and feces. You will need to do this with a soft tissue moistened with warm water every time you feed her. At 3 weeks of age she should be fed every 4 hours. Once she is around 4 to 5 weeks old you can offer her canned kitten food in addition to the milk. Here is extensive information on raising a kitten: http://animalalliancenyc.org/feralcats/tnr-colony-care-resources/managing-kittens/raising-orphaned-kittens/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My kitten is 3 weeks and 2 days old, which I've read is when they should start being fed less frequently (every 4-6 hours). So I've been trying to do that to prepare him for weaning, but every 2 1/2 - 3 hours he wakes up meowing like he is starving,
Hello, in general kittens this young can be fed whenever they feel hungry. During this time they are growing quite quickly and nurse every 2-3 hours. He may be feeling hungry often because he isn't consuming as much food during his feeding times. If he is on formula ensure you are feeding the recommended amounts, but he can also have more formula if he wants it. Additionally, you may start introducing a little wet food now to see if this helps him feel more full. Alternatively, he may not be meowing because he is hungry, but rather because he wants attention. You can try playing with him or offering toys to see if this calms his meowing. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My 3-4 week old kitty won't eat anything, neither will it drink.. her mother has left her after she was 2 weeks old. I tried warm milk, some meat (very squishy meat) and she doesn't want to eat or drink still... Help?
A 3 or 4 week old kitten is not quite ready to be weaned onto solid foods yet, so you will need to get kitten milk replacer and a bottle to try to feed her. If she is very dehydrated or sick, she may need to be evaluated by a veterinarian, who can show you how to properly tube feed so that she gets the hydration and nutrition she needs. You will also need to stimulate her bowel and urinary movements. Here is a good article on raising orphan kittens: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=576
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I found 3 little kittens and do not know how long they've been without food. They're about 3 weeks old
If they are only 3 weeks old, then they need to be on kitten formula. I will attach a link to a good article on raising orphan kittens below. It is very important that you use a bottle for them to nurse as syringing milk can cause it to go into the lungs. You will also have to stimulate them to go potty (detailed in the article). When possible, they should have a check up by a vet for overall health. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
OK so I got a kitten from a family member only to find out after the fact she was only 3 weeks old what should I do
AT 3 weeks old they are not weaned and still need milk. you can purchase kitten mil replacer at any vet or pet store to start feeding. She should be feed every 4 -6 hours based on her size and development She will also likely need to be wiped or stimulated afterwards in order to help her go to the bathroom. Just get a warm damp cloth and gently wipe to stimulate her to urinate and defecate. make sue she stays warm, as hypothermia can be fatal to young kittens that age. Kitten typically weight about a pound a month until about 5 months old. Around 4 weeks, you can try kitten food that is soft and see how she transitions. It may take a few tries for her to get it and like it. Vaccines should be started at 8 weeks and deworming at 4 weeks.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Whats the best food for kittens..and how do i tame them to wait for their food??
Hello, and thank you for your question. For 12 day old kittens, they should still be on mother's milk or kitten formula. They will need to eat/be fed every 2-3 hours during the day. Here is a link that provides some detailed instructions on bottle feeding kittens: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=576 I hope this helps! Good luck with your kittens!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
How much should you feed a 2 week old newborn kitten kitten formula.
Great question! He should be getting around 55cc daily of formula, but it should be spread out in feeds throughout the day and night. He needs to be fed every two and half to three hours, and this includes the night. It's better to underfeed than overfeed, it's safer to give smaller amounts of formula in more feeds than several large ones. I will put a link below to a website that gives more advice on looking after orphan kittens. I hope this helps! https://www.2ndchance.info/orphankitten.htm
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Have A Vet Question?
Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.
