Cats and kittens can eat similar foods, but kittens need more calories initially to grow strong and healthy, but this requirement decreases as they grow older. You need to be very attentive when feeding a kitten, as their needs differ from an adult cat. Kittens have big nutritional needs because their bones, muscles, and other internal systems are rapidly growing. It may seem as if your kitten is constantly eating—or meowing for more food, and this may be the case. Kittens can eat when they feel hungry and some kittens will want to eat as frequently as every 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours day and night. When feeding a kitten, a best practise is to feed the kitten on demand rather than trying to schedule feedings. Most young kittens under four weeks of age will go happily to sleep after they're fed and have a full belly.

What you need to feed a kitten!

So what do you need to feed a kitten successfully? Here's a list to get you going;

• Kitten Bottle or syringe

• Nipples for the bottle

• Kitten milk replacement

• fleece baby blanket

The Basic Steps to Feed a Kitten

Step 1. Heat the formula to body temperature. Do this by immersing the bottle in a cup of hot water or by removing the nipple and warming in the microwave for a few seconds (4 to 8 seconds). Shake the bottle well after warming to make sure there are no hot spots in the formula and check the temperature. It should be warm but never hot. Never re-use formula that you have warmed. Discard it and use fresh formula for each feed.

Step 2. Use a fleece baby blanket to feed a kitten. Cut a hole in a fleece blanket small enough to place the bottle nipple through. If you don't have a small fleece blanket, a towel or t-shirt will work in a pinch. Kittens instinctively knead their paws against the bottle when they nurse, just like they would if they were nursing on their mother. When you use the fleece blanket, you'll avoid having your hand scratched but more importantly, it prevents the kitten from associating your hands with food and biting. This isn't really much of a problem when kittens weigh less than a pound, but it's not so fun dealing with this when they become an adult cat.

Step 3. Gently place the nipple into the kitten's mouth. Tilt the bottle up slightly so the nipple is full of milk. Most kittens automatically begin sucking. If the kitten refuses to take the nipple, place a little dab of Karo syrup on their tongue to stimulate the sucking response. Never squeeze formula into a kitten's mouth as this can cause choking. Feed a kitten until they are comfortably full, not until the stomach is tight and distended. You'll know when a kitten is full because small bubbles of formula will form around his mouth and the kitten will spit the nipple out.

Step 4. Burp the baby! Now you must burp him, just like a human baby. Hold him on your chest, lap or shoulder and gently rub and pat his back with two fingers until he burps.

Kittens are generally not to picky when it comes time to eat. If you need to feed a kitten, take your time and prepare the kitten food with patience. Feeding a kitten is not difficult once you get the hang of it. It's not a tough thankless job, as you watch your kittens curl up after a good meal. Visit http://www.promotepets.com for more tips on pet health.