Feeding schedule for 6-week-olds

I have a 6-week-old kitten, Pip, who is a total bottle baby. He refuses wet food even when I mash it with water, and he’s only interested in the milk replacer. I’m currently leaving out dry kibble 24/7 because I’m worried he’s not getting enough calories if he’s not eating the wet stuff.

Is this a good strategy, or am I just encouraging bad habits? I’ve read feeding frequency for young kittens but that thread was mostly about 8-week-olds. I’m scared he’ll starve if I take the bowl away, but the mess in my small apartment is getting out of hand.

Hi Dana, this is a very common struggle with bottle babies. The nursing behavior is often more about comfort than hunger. I would strongly recommend looking at help! kitten won't stop nursing which has some great techniques for breaking the cycle.

For feeding, at 6 weeks, they should be eating 4-5 small meals a day. Free-feeding dry food is generally not recommended for kittens this young because it can lead to overeating or digestive issues. Try mixing a little warm water into the kibble to make a porridge-like consistency. It might take a few days, but they usually catch on.

I agree with kathy. Free-feeding is a nightmare for the house. My Whiskey is a picky eater, so I know the frustration. I found that warming the food to body temperature makes a huge difference. Cold food just smells different to them.

You can also try kibble that kittens actually eat for some ideas on brands that have higher fat content, which makes them more appealing to a kitten used to milk.

@greg_walsh I tried warming it, but he still pushes the bowl away. He just wants the bottle. I’m going to try the porridge method kathy suggested.

@kathy_simmons The thread you linked was helpful but I’m worried about the timeline. Is it okay to skip a meal if he’s not eating? I feel like I’m in a standoff with a tiny creature who is winning.

The standoff is real. My River was very selective at that age. I found that consistency was key. I set a timer for 4 meals a day and only left the food out for 15 minutes. If he didn't eat it, it went away. He was hungry by the next meal.

It’s worth noting that the transition from milk to solid food is a biological process that happens over a few weeks. Don't panic if he’s not eating perfectly on day one. Just keep the meals small and frequent.

I travel a lot so I rely on automatic feeders, but for a 6-week-old, I’d keep it manual. You need to monitor exactly how much he’s eating.

I think the issue is he’s not weaned properly. Have you looked at weaning schedule for kittens? It outlines a gradual reduction of milk replacer over 7 days. That might help bridge the gap.