how much should a kitten eat each day? how much weight should she gain?

[onthebrink]

I'm new here with LOTS of questions!

We got a kitty from the SPCA today. She weighs 1 pound 9 ounces. They want her to weigh 2 pounds before we can bring her back to be fixed.

How much should she be eating each day? Right now, she has dry Pro Plan kitten food available. She also was sent home with prescription diet (?) canned food. She had 1 teaspoon at 3pm and a teaspoon at 5pm. I'm going to cuddle and feed her in a bit.

But - anyway - is there any guideline about how much she should eat?

What about weight gain guidelines?

Oh, I was told that she is 3 months old, but I have no idea for sure.

Here's her picture:

Her name is Starlight.

 

[puppycat]

well what was wrong with her. Obviously she was very sick if she weighs a pound at 3 months. Not that they are suppose to weigh a whole lot but thats pretty small for three months. And if she is on prescription canned food that usually means that she was sick or still recovering from something. You can look on the back on pretty much any cat food bag and it will tell you what the recommended amount is for a kitten that is 3 months of age. However, if your kitten is sick or was sick and is recovering now...you may need to feed her less or more considering on her condition. The SPCA should have told you if it was more or less than the usual recommended amount.

I personally don't know cause I haven't had a kitten but I do work at a vets office and when we feed our dogs and cats special canned food it means they have something wrong or because we need them to put on weight and to gain strength.

that should give you some idea of what to look for. Good luck

 

[tru]

Oh my, what a sweet little tiny kitten and a precious little girl.

That does seem awful smalll for a 3 month old kitten, but my precious full grown topped out at 6 lbs. at her heaviest.

I do wonder about the prescription food though. Generally kittens can free feed without a problem, but with prescription food I would think they shou8ld have instructed you in some manner.

My vet goes by the 2 lb. rule to spay or neuter also.

 

[shadowbaby]

If you got her from the SPCA, chances are the canned food is regular hill's science diet, and not their prescription line. I know the spca where I live gets kickbacks for buying hill's, so that's ALL they feed (they don't use donated food from what I've seen while there, although they do give it out to other rescues).

 

[jlphilli]

I would just give it some time if your kitten has recieved a clean bill-of-health from the vet. My kitten was found under a shed and was VERY underweight....within a week he turned into a little piglet and eats all the time! I give him a couple of spoonfulls of canned food in the AM, and dry offered all day. If you are having trouble getting your kitten to eat the dry food, try mixing the canned in with it.

 

[cearbhaill]

I would let her eat as much and as often as she wants at this point. Free feed if it is your inclination- kittens this young prefer (and need) small portions very often- they nibble here, nibble there off and on all day. If you prefer to feed designated "meals" I would fed her small meals at least four times a day. As she gets older you can reduce it, but she is very young and needs all the good nutrition she can get.

I'll bet your daughter (?) is in heaven- that photo is one for the scrapbook!