Free Feeding vs Assigned Meals and Portions for a Siberian Kitten

Hey All!

I just got a Siberian kitten about 5 weeks ago (she is 15 weeks old now).  I took her to the vet at 12 weeks for her shots and made sure to ask a TON of questions.  One such question was free feeding vs meal times.  The vet said that I should not free feed her and it will cause bad habits and make her gain too much weight.  She said to feed her 3 to 4 times a day with 1/8 of a cup dry or wet food (note: the kitten is only 3lbs).  She said as the cat gets older, free feeding can cause diabetes.  

Is this good advice?  I just want to make sure I'm not starving her.  She seems happy and energetic (playing as I type this).  If it is correct advice, when should I increase the amount of food?  There just does not seem to be reliable info out there on this topic. 

Please respond and let me know if you need any clarification.  Thankyou!

CatQuestions232,

I would go with fixed wet food meal times than free feeding. If you have the time, this will be a good option. Once your kitty gets into the routine, there's no need to free feed and he might be choosy over food as he has a choice what to eat and also when to eat.
Although there are many here do mix feeding but at the end of the day it's your call.
My boy gets fixed time to eat and when it's time to eat, he'll meow for food. I had him since he was just 3 weeks old and he has been along doing fixed time feeding, I don't lay out a buffet for him. Now he is 10 1/2 months old and his eating amount and timing has changed to eating lesser.
Moreover your kitty is still a kitten and need more proteins and nutrients to grow and it's a long way for him to go till he reaches a year old. Dry food is full of carbs and too much he might have a weighty issue and worse if he don't drink enough, he might get UTI.
Feed your kitty as much as he can eat. He needs at least four meals a day but not just 2 spoonfuls of food each time. That is not enough. Divide the timing and amount for the day and adjust accordingly.
Remember to spay or neuter your kitty at the appropriate age. I'll help them health wise.

its a she =) Ya I agree with you on the fixed.  Should I feed her as much as she wants until she is full and save the left over?  Or is that too much for each feeding time?

Kittens should eat as much as they want until they are a year old.  They self-limit as they get older and need less food for energy.

You should aim for some dry kibble left down all the time and several meals of wet food per day.  She needs the wet food.  That way, she is never hungry and gets as much as she needs.  Little tummies need frequent, small meals.

I have a Siberian too.

Sorry, it's a she :nod:

Mayb 1st few meals you watch how much she eats. If she finishes the amount you gave her and still wanting for more, then add on a little mire till she stops and that should be roughly the amount she can have in one sitting. After a few times you should be able to gauge the amount for each meal. This way you don't get the food contaminated. Wet food don't last long on hot days. Maybe in winter it can last longer out in the plate. But I never leave food out more than 15mins.

Talkingpeanut has good suggestions for you.

I've always heard to let kittens eat all they want.  I keep dry kitten food available for my boys 24/7 and give them wet food twice a day.  They're all very healthy and not overweight.

Free feeding does not cause diabetes. A lifelong high carb dry food only diet is why many cats develop diabetes. Genetics may play a role in some cats.

Kittens should be fed as much as they will eat. They are rapidly growing and need all that food. Feed both canned and dry food for now. When kittens get to about a year old you can slowly transition to meal times, preferably only canned food but a little dry is ok.