how often should i feed new kitten?

ok this is the first of many questions i'm sure!
Clara came home today. She's only seven weeks but her mum's owners didn't want to keep her any longer. They've been feeding her Whiskas kitten food (the pouches of wet food). According to the box i should be giving her four of these per day. She has managed about half a pouch worth in two sittings since she came home five hours ago. She hasn't figured out the water bowl yet. she keeps putting her face in it and jumping away startled. Is it ok that she isn't eating too much on her first day home? I thought about leaving some dry food out overnight but don't really want to free feed her if possible.
She has pooped once (not in the tray but never mind) and is very playful and lively in between her naps.
thanks
yorkie

p.s i am totally in love with my new furrball

I brought Steuben home at 6 weeks, and for the first few days, there was not a lot of eating going on either. There was just too much going on his environment to think about silly things like eating!!! He's 11 weeks now, and I've just spotted him finally using his water dish appropriately...he was using it as a toy mouse deposit site for a while. The water thing will come, and if he's eating wet food, he may be getting sufficient water from the broth at this point...leave it out, however. He may also be sneaking a few licks when you're not looking too.

You'll also find that a kitten this young won't eat a lot in one sitting when it comes to wet food. I had to feed Steuben 4-5 small meals a day. One at 7:00 a.m., one at 11:00 a.m., 3:00, 7:00, and last at 11:00 p.m. This worked well at my house. I would split a 3 oz can into 4 or 5 portions, and offer that. Now that Steuben is 11 weeks, he get's 1/2 a 3 oz. can of kitten food in the morning before I head out to work, about 2/3 c dry food (which he nibbles on periodically throughout the day...he certainly doesn't come close to finishing it), and the other 1/2 can of wet at night. Last night, he did polish off 1/2 can in the morning, a teeny bit of dry throughout the day, and somehow managed so snarf down an entire 3 oz. can of wet stuff at night. So that brought him up to a can and a half. He did eat a smaller meal this morning, though...went back to the 1/2 can.

Anyway, the litterbox thing. Is he in a confined area with easy access to the box? If not, he'll need to be, until he has that down pat. It should go something like this...hard play time for 15 minutes, give him his little meal, wait for about 10 minutes, set him in the box. Also make sure the box is shallow enough for your baby to get into it. I know a lot of people use lasagna pans (the foil ones...4/$1.00), or even a cookie sheet with litter on it. This can be messy, but hey, it sweeps up easily, right? Once you observe him going potty in the box (which he will get the hang of), wait until he's totally done, and then praise him to high heaven...lots of pets, "Good boy!!!", and even a little treat.

Good luck! You'll get a feel over the next few days what pace you'll need to take things.

When I got max and shamus at the age of 8 weeks, I left SD kittne dry food at all times and fed them 1/4 of a 3 oz can of SD kitten food each twice a day about 12 hours apart, so they got one can a day combined and as much dry food as they wanted.

thanks for the tips. she's living in the kitchen for the next week or so as i already have a resident cat and am taking my time in introducing them. i did have litter crystals in the tray but when i put her in it she just tried to eat them so i've swapped it for something finer.
Right now i'm resisting the temptation to go in and wake her up so we can play again.

Yeah, they like to sample which flavor their litter is, that's for sure. Just as long as it is non-clumping, it won't harm her. Aren't they so much fun when they're little? And there's so much excitement while they're growing...I can't wait to see what all of our babies will look like/be like as pretty young adult cats!

yes they're lots of fun. i'm shattered!

it was very naieve of me to think she couldn't reach the kitchen counter tops. she's just managed to climb up via the top of her bed and the washing machine so i've had to clear everything up there too. Now i feel guilty because she's crying and i've got to go to bed. It's gone 11pm here.