What Should I Feed My Cat
Head to your nearest supermarkets pet food aisle and youll find plenty of cat foods to choose from. But with so much on offer, how can you decide what is best for your cat?
Before you buy, remember to choose food specially formulated for cats. Dog food simply isnt suitable and food intended for humans doesnt necessarily include all the nutrients that your cat needs. The best food for your cat is likely to be a complete cat food from a reputable brand. Your vet will be well placed to guide you to the best food for your cat.
Homemade cat foods might be good for occasional treats, but it is very difficult to give your cat the right balance of proteins, vitamins and minerals your cat needs to thrive unless this has been recommended by your vet.
Vitamin supplements arent necessary if you are feeding your cat good quality cat food – unless recommended by your vet too. Vitamin supplements could cause a dietary imbalance which could harm your cat always speak to your vet about any food supplements first.
Not All Adult Cats Can Eat Kitten Food
Even small amounts of kitten food can impact an adult cat who has underlying medical conditions. Many pre-existing medical conditions are managed either in part or wholly by feeding a veterinary prescribed diet. This includes cats with kidney disease who should eat a low phosphorous diet, cats on a hypoallergenic diet or food trial, cats with inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease and cats with struvite bladder stones on stone dissolving diets.
Best Overall: Crave Grain Free High Protein Indoor Adult Cat Food
Weight: 10 pounds| Form: Dry | Flavor: Chicken & Salmon | Life Stage: Adult
The best premium option overall is Crave Indoor Adult Cat Food. It comes in various flavors, including chicken, chicken with salmon, salmon with ocean fish, turkey, chicken, and duck blend. Catering to the protein-rich diets cats need to thrive, the number one ingredient is meat. Other nourishing ingredients include pea protein, potato protein, flaxseed, and several essential vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin E which research shows can help cats’ immune systems. Inspired by your pet’s ancestral hunting diet, the recipes are created with high-quality protein and carbohydrates for healthy muscles, energy, and immunity support.
Recommended Reading: Can You Move A Cat’s Litter Box
When Can Kittens Eat Dry & Wet Food
Although kittens shouldnt eat adult cat food before theyve fully matured, they can begin eating dry kibble and wet kitten food much earlier.
By three to four weeks, kittens can begin eating moistened dry kibble or wet food. Between six and eight weeks, kittens are fully weaned from their mothers milk and can eat dry or wet kitten food.
Supplementing Your Cats Dry Food Diet
Some pet owners prefer to supplement a wet-food diet with a daily allowance of dry cat food for grazing in addition to a regular wet food or . Dry cat food should also be served with plenty of water, as kibble lacks the moisture content of wet food. Some pet parents recommend using a cat water fountain in conjunction with kibble, so you can provide your favorite felines with a more enticing source of hydration..
You May Like: Polydactyl Maine Coon Kittens For Sale
Kittens And Adult Cats
Bringing a kitten into your home can be tricky when you already have an adult cat who has been living there for a while. Kittens are curious, playful, and a bundle of energy. They need attention in one way or another and trouble is their middle name. It might take your adult cat awhile to get used to this new behavior, but it can end up as a lovely pairing if you take the time to do it right. All cats are different and what works for some might not work for others, but as long as you keep a watchful eye, things will be okay.
How Long Should Kittens Eat Kitten Food
Generally speaking, kittens are considered kittens until 12 months of age. At this point, the majority of the physical, sexual, and emotional growth has already occurred.
There is one exception: larger breeds of domestic cats, such as Maine Coons, tend to mature more slowly and are considered kittens until around 18 months of age.
If you have a specific breed of cat, your cats breeder can give you instructions on how and when to transfer them from kitten to adult cat food. In the absense of this information, the 12-month mark is generally a safe bet.
You should change your cats food gradually, as making a sudden change can cause digestive upset. A good rule of thumb is to introduce the adult cat food slowly over the course of a week.
The first day, 1/8th of your kittens food should be adult food. Gradually increase the amount of adult cat food until youve completely made the switch. Dont worry if it ends up taking you longer than a week, as long as you do so gradually.
Its also important to remember that cats often need to eat less than kittens. So, the amount of kitten food you were feeding your kitten may be far too much adult cat food. You should consult your veterinarian and check the label on your cats food for guidelines.
If your adolescent cat rejects the adult food, dont panic. They may simply have developed a taste for their kitten food. You should try to give your cat the same brand of food that they ate as kittens, as the taste may be similar.
Also Check: Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-dried Raw Cat Food
How To Choose The Right Dry Food For Your Cat
As always, consult your veterinarian before choosing a brand for your cats dry food. The best dry cat food for one cat isnt always the best for another, so its important to have an expert opinion. Some brands specialize in breed, life stage, or even indoor dry cat food recipes, while others might specialize in grain free and limited ingredient varieties. To decide if a dry cat food diet is right for your cat, consult your veterinarian and check out some dry cat food reviews and ratings for information. Shop Petcos selection of top-rated dry cat food brands including WholeHearted, Science Diet, Orijen, and Blue Buffalo.
Homemade Beef And Vegetable Soup For Cat
If your cat doesnt like the taste of chicken, a beef and vegetable soup will make for a good alternative. While this beef and vegetable soup for cats can be time consuming to cook, the long cooking duration ensures the nutrients from the beef bones are released into the broth to give your cat a health boost. If your cat still finds it hard to consume soup, we suggest pouring some soup over their favourite dry food. This ensures your cat licks up the soup while eating and will get used to the taste of the broth.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Recommended Reading: How To Teach Your Cat To Fetch
Also Check: How To Train A Cat To Behave
How Much Should A Cat Eat
You should read the instructions on your chosen cat food for detailed information on how much you should feed your cat. You will also need to change the amount of food for kittens, adult cats and senior cats, so make sure you take this into consideration. For example:
Kittens have small stomachs and high energy needs, so they need to be fed little and often. Remember to check their food and replace it four times a day. It is imperative they are fed specific kitten food which provides nutrients required for growing and is more energy dense.
Your cat is an ‘adult’ when they are between one and eight years old. Your adult cat needs to be fed once or twice a day, but some will regulate their food intake, so their daily ration can be left out, particularly if you give them dry food.
Cats over eight are considered ‘senior’. As your cat grows older, their nutritional needs change and you can buy special foods that cater for them. These foods may have less protein and a balance of minerals and vitamins designed to keep them in good health.
Best With Probiotics: Purina Pro Plan Adult Complete Essentials Dry Cat Food With Probiotics
Amazon
Weight: 16 pounds| Form: Dry | Flavor: Chicken | Life Stage: Adult
-
Helps maintain a healthy coat
Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials is a high-protein cat food developed with digestive health and immunity in mind. The primary ingredient is real chicken or salmon, combined with brewer’s rice and a blend of live probiotics and prebiotics. This dry cat food also has omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin. The ingredient list also has eggs, animal fat, amino acids, and a range of essential vitamins and minerals.
The best overall premium dry cat food is the Crave Grain Free High Protein Indoor Adult Cat Food. It boasts a protein-rich blend of high-quality meat, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, it comes in multiple feline-approved poultry and fish recipes. However, Hill’s Science Diet Adult Indoor Dry Cat Food is another great choice. The vet-approved formula is packed with meat, whole grains, animal fat, fish oil, and veggie fibers.
The Spruce Pets / Jordan Provost
Recommended Reading: Why Is Cat Pee So Strong
How To Choose The Best Cat Food
Heres a few tips on how to choose the best food for your cat:
- Understand your cats nutritional needs: Remember, cats are carnivores. Opt for food that uses high-quality meats as the main ingredients.
- Focus on the first items of the ingredient list: Many foods use meat as their main ingredient. However, it’s often better to pick a recipe that uses several animal products. Look for meats listed as the first two ingredients, or more.
- Buy food thats appropriate for the cats age and health: Cat food is formulated to meet specific nutritional requirements based on age and overall health. For example, kittens shouldn’t be fed senior or weight management food. It will deprive them of the necessary calories for optimal development.
- Look for an AAFCO statement: The AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement guarantees your feline friend will receive a balanced nutrition ideal for their life stage and lifestyle.
- Does the company employ experts?: Pick brands that employ vets and pet nutritionists to develop recipes and oversee testing. Companies usually disclose this information on their website or should have no problem sharing if you call.
- Avoid artificial additives: Avoiding artificial colors and preservatives is always a good idea to prevent potential long-term health issues.
Why Do Kittens Need To Eat Kitten Food
To simplify things, consider the diets of adult humans and human babies. Human babies subsist mainly on milk or formula.
Whole milk may provide all the essential nutrients to help a human baby grow, but consuming milk as a primary food source is both unsustainable and unhealthy for adult humans and may lead to health problems. By the same token, we know that human babies should not eat adult human food. The same is true for cats and kittens.
Like human infants, kittens develop rather quickly, and their bodies double in size over a short period of time. To support this growth, kittens require nutrient rich and nutrient dense fatty foods that provide the building blocks for their development.
Nutrient density is key as a kitten needs to put on an astounding amount of weight relative to its small size. A kittens stomach can only hold so much food, so the food it consumes has to pack in as many calories, fats, and nutrients as possible in order to facilitate this growth.
To this end, kitten food has been engineered to meet the demands of a kittens development and is therefore incredibly dense. For this reason, it is the best and appropriate source of food for your kitten.
Also Check: What To Do With A Dead Cat At Home
We Looked For Species
We looked for foods that honor kittens nutritional needs, emphasizing meat ingredients over plants. All of the foods on the following list are rich in animal-sourced protein and keep carbohydrate content low. We looked for foods that were at least 50% protein and less than 10% carbohydrate, measured on a dry matter basis.
Set A Feeding Schedule
What you definitely need to take into consideration whether youre feeding an older cat, a kitten, or both, is having a regular mealtime schedule. Living a predictable life with a daily routine might not be your dream but its the perfect environment for cats. Knowing when theyre going to be fed, helps them feel secure.
Meals become a cornerstone event of the day around which other activities are added. A feeding routine helps your cat cope when there are changes in the household, as Ryan Llera, BSc, DVM, explains it perfectly.
Free feeding cats usually doesnt work, and with kittens, it could encourage binge eating, So, make sure you read the label on your package, or better consult your vet for the right portions your kitty will need and break them to at least two meals a day, or more regular but smaller meals if possible, throughout the day.
If a kitten is raised within this concept, it will create an eating habit which is especially important since any changes in your kittens appetite can be an early sign of illness you could spot!
Once youve established a regular eating schedule for both your older cat and kitten, its important to keep it synchronized. This way youll be able to keep an eye on both cats and make sure that they both ate their own meals, and most importantly that the little rascal didnt steal anything from the older cat.
Dont Miss: A Cats View Veterinary Hospital
You May Like: What To Do When My Kitten Has Diarrhea
Choosing The Right Food For Your Adult Cat
With so many options out there, it can be pretty complicated knowing which ones to try and which ones to avoid.
Its important to find the best cat food that offers your feline the same high-quality nutrition as their kitten food used to. For happy and healthy adult cats, you should consider the following things:
- Have high-quality ingredients been used to make the food?
- Does it provide a complete and balanced diet with appropriate levels of protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, and minerals?
- Has the brand met or exceeded the regulatory standards?
No matter what the packaging says, your cat will in fact be the best indicator as to whether a particular type of food is purr-fect for them. Be sure to look out for:
- Bright eyes and clean teeth
- Small, firm, stools
You May Like: How To Tame A Semi Feral Cat
Why Is My Kitten So Drawn To Adult Cat Food
Kittens often crave adult cat food because of:
- TeethingIf you left cat biscuits for your older furry friend, a kitten might chew on them during the teething phase because they are hard and tasty
- Tempting smellSome manufacturers spice up their food with artificial flavours your curious kitten cant ignore
- Mimicking their motherKittens look up to their mother, so when they see her munch on food and leave some in the bowl, they’ll want to have a taste
Recommended Reading: Members Mark Wet Cat Food
At What Age Are Cats Fully Grown
Reviewed for accuracy on September 30, 2019, by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM
When a child finally turns 18 years old, they are generally considered to be an adult.
But what about our feline family members? At what age are cats fully grown? How do you know when to start feeding them adult cat food?
Your cat will hit several different milestones that signify that shes becoming an adult cat, but theres no one magic age where a cat stops growing and maturing.
Although theres no definitive age, there are general age ranges where most cats generally stop growing and reach adulthood. Heres what you can expect as your cat makes that transition.
Recommended Reading: How To Get Cat To Poop
When To Switch From Kitten Food To Cat Food
Most cats are considered kittens until around 12 months of age. Large breeds, like the Maine Coon, can take 18 months to 2 years to reach maturity, though.
During this period of growth and development, kittens need a complete and balanced kitten food. Once theyve reached adulthood , its time to transition to an adult cat food.
You May Like: Best Wet Food For Urinary Health In Cats
Our Top Picks For Best Cat Food
Food Label
Main protein sources: Chicken, Turkey, Whole Mackerel, Turkey Giblets , Flounder, Chicken Liver, Whole Herring, Eggs, Dehydrated Chicken, Dehydrated Turkey, Dehydrated Mackerel, Dehydrated Chicken Liver, Dehydrated Egg
Main plant ingredients: Whole Red Lentils, Whole Pinto Beans, Whole Peas, Whole Green Lentils, Whole Chickpeas, Natural Chicken Flavor, Whole Navy Beans, Lentil Fiber, Pea Starch
Guaranteed analysis: Crude protein 40%, Crude fat 20%, Crude fiber 3%, Moisture 10%
*These details may change depending on the foods flavor.
Why we chose this food: Dry cat food is often very high in carbohydrates, which isn’t biologically appropriate for cats since theyre true carnivores. This Orijen Original formula, however, is protein-rich, featuring a mix of poultry and fish as its main ingredients.
Dry cat foods often include fillers, like corn or wheat, in large amounts. Although cats can eat fillers, they often benefit from heavily meat-based diets they can better digest. Orijen Original features chicken, turkey, mackerel, flounder and herring as its main ingredients, just to name a few.
Orijen Original Cat is grain-free and coated with freeze-dried liver to improve its taste. Its also appropriate for all life stages, from kittens to seniors.
- Bag only available in one size
Food label
Main protein sources: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Salmon Meal, Peas, Menhaden Fish Meal, Freeze Dried Chicken, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver
Food Label
- Only available in one flavor