American Shorthair Kitten Food & Portion Control

Kittens have very different nutritional needs from adult cats — they need higher protein, more calories, and specific nutrients to support bone and muscle development, and getting this phase right sets them up for a much healthier life. That said, you're asking exactly the right question at exactly the right time, because American Shorthairs are genuinely one of the breeds most prone to weight gain, and instilling good portion habits at nine weeks is smart thinking. Before I point you in the right direction — is your kitten currently on anything, and do you know roughly what they weigh?

Totally understandable, and honestly the fact you're thinking about this now rather than in two years' time makes a real difference. At 900g and nine weeks, she still needs good caloric density — she's growing fast — but you're right that American Shorthairs can tip into overweight territory surprisingly quickly once they're past kittenhood if habits aren't established. The supermarket stuff is usually fine for short-term but tends to be lower in quality protein and harder to portion accurately. Can I ask: are you open to wet food, dry, or a mix of both?

That works perfectly. For your situation — a nine-week-old American Shorthair where you want to grow her well but not overshoot — I'd go with Royal Canin Kitten dry food. It's specifically formulated for kittens up to 12 months, with a high protein content to support muscle development, and crucially it has a controlled fat profile that makes it easier to manage weight through portion control without underfeeding. The kibble size is also designed for small kitten jaws, which matters at her age. The feeding guide on the pack is genuinely useful — it goes by age and weight, so as she grows you can adjust upward carefully rather than just free-feeding. I'd measure every meal rather than topping up freely, and that habit alone will serve her well as she gets older. The 2kg bag is a good starting size while she's still young.

At roughly 900g and nine weeks, the Royal Canin guide suggests around 35–40g per day split across three or four small meals — kittens do better with frequent smaller portions than one or two big ones at this stage. Once she's past 12 weeks you can usually move to three meals, and by six months twice a day is fine. Keep weighing her every two weeks or so; as long as she's gaining steadily but not getting chubby around the belly, you're in the right range. If she ever looks rounder than lean, just nudge the daily amount down by 5g and monitor.

American Shorthairs are a medium to large breed and finish growing a little later than smaller cats — I'd keep her on kitten food until she's around 12 months, then transition gradually over two weeks onto an adult formula. At that point, an adult food with a lean or weight management focus will be worth considering given her breed tendency. But you've got time — for now, nail the portion discipline on the kitten food and you'll be in great shape.