Get The Right Supplies
Pick up some wet kitten food, making sure that it says “kitten.” Kitten food is higher in calories, fat and protein that the kitten needs to help grow big and strong. Wet food is the healthiest choice for kittens to start off with, as the moisture content will help them stay healthy and hydrated. However, some kittens may prefer dry food, and thats okay as long as you choose a healthy kitten kibble. You’ll also want to pick up some shallow food dishes so the kitten can easily access the food.
Other Precautions To Take Into Account
By starting to eat more solids, the kitten may become constipated, and one way to help is to gently stimulate their gut, by giving gentle massages. We will leave a small litter tray so they can begin to do their needs there.
Coinciding with the beginning of the ingestion of solid foods and on their own, the first internal parasite will be given, very important to maintain the health of our kitten. On the other hand, we must offer access to fresh and clean water. The bowl of water should not be too close to the food and, of course, away from the litter box, if possible in another room.
If you want to read similar articles to When do Kittens Start Eating Food and Drinking Water On their Own?, we recommend you visit our Healthy diets category.
How Do I Get My Kitten To Eat Dry Food
If your kitten is slow to warm up to eating dry food, there are a few things you can do to encourage them to start eating. The first thing is to keep offering your kitten a mix of wet and dry food together while waiting a bit longer before introducing completely dry food. Some kittens just need more time to grow and mature before making the switch from soft food to harder dry food.
Don’t Miss: Why Do Cats Walk On Keyboards
Purina Kitten Chow Nurture Dry Kitten Food Best Value
The best dry kitten food for the money is the Purina Kitten Chow Nurture Dry Cat Food. The food is made with chicken to provide the essential animal-based protein that your growing kitten needs to thrive and a 40% crude protein content overall. It also contains DHA essential fatty acid for optimum vision and brain development, essential vitamins and nutrients like vitamin E and taurine, and added antioxidants for vital immune support. The food is also free from artificial colors and flavors and is a great choice for owners on a budget.
Unfortunately, this food contains grains like corn, soy, and wheat, none of which are ideal for cats or kittens, as well as chicken by-products. The inclusion of these ingredients keeps this food from the top position, but it is our best value pick for best kitten dry food.
This food is difficult to fault, and the only significant downside that we could find is the high price, keeping it from the top two spots on this list. All in all, this is our top pick for premium best dry food for kittens.
This food contains grains, including corn and soy, which are not ideal for developing kittens, and several customers reported that the food caused nausea and vomiting in their kittens.
- May cause nausea and vomiting in some kittens
When To Start Feeding A Kitten Adult Food
Kittens might look grown up by six to eight months, but theyre still kittens on the inside! Their bones are still growing stronger, and their bodies will keep filling out.
Keep feeding them their nutritious kitten food until theyre about 12 months old, when they can make the switch to adult food. Take a look at our guide to feeding an adult cat for more information.
You May Like: How Much Food Should You Feed A Cat A Day
Benefits Of Canned & Dry Food For Cats
You want to take great care of your kittys health and wellbeingand that includes what you put in their food bowl.
However, if youve ever tried to search online which type of food is best for cats, you may have encountered differing opinions and information overload.
So, how do you decide what to feed?
Here are some considerations that may make your choice simple and stress-free.
How Long Should Cats Eat Kitten Food For
ByChloe Petrylakpublished 9 February 21
How long should cats eat kitten food for? Knowing when to make the switch can be crucial for your felines health
Feeding your kitten so that they grow up to be healthy, strong adults seems obvious, but the knowing the answer to the question how long should cats eat kitten food for? can be tricky.
A newborn kitten will feed on its mothers milk for the first four weeks of its life. Once they are around a month old, they can slowly be introduced to a good quality kitten food until they are completely weaned off of the milk at around eight weeks old.
Until your kitten grows into a cat, they need enough calories from their food to be able to maintain their high activity levels. Most kittens want to eat at least three or four meals a day, explains Jennifer Larsen, DVM, PhD, nutritional consultant and assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California. Its also a comfort thing kittens are snackers at heart.
As with cats, kittens need fat, some fatty acids, and most vitamins. However, kittens also have a higher requirement for protein as well as amino acids, minerals, and additional vitamins. Did you know, kittens should in fact get around a third of their energy from protein? This is why choosing the right food at the right stages of your felines life can be crucial.
Don’t Miss: Best Litter For Cats With Sensitive Paws
When Can Kittens Eat Dry Food
Ensuring your kittens get the vital nutrients they need from their diet is essential for their growth and development. According to animal sanctuary and activism group Best Friends, kittens should be exclusively nursed or bottle-fed for the first month of life. Heres what a general feeding schedule should look like:
Why Wont My Kitten Eat Dry Food
Raising a kitten is a wonderful opportunity to have a warm little bundle of fluff in your home. Kittens love to play, and they make life so much fun. But sometimes, your kitten might have a few quirks that cause you to worry. Do you have a kitten that wont eat dry food? Baby cats may need a little coaxing before they make the switch to kibble. You can help make your kitten eat dry food by mixing it with wet food, adding a little unsalted broth, or feeding the old and new foods side-by-side.
Read Also: Cat Rental Grand Island Ne
What Wet And Dry Cat Food Do Veterinarians Recommend
Regardless of whether you choose to feed a dry or canned cat food, it is important to feed a well-balanced, commercial diet to ensure that your cat gets the vitamins and minerals they need.
Reputable brands such as Science Diet and Royal Canin have been quality-controlled and specially formulated to meet a cats nutritional requirements. Your veterinarian can give you more specific recommendations based on your cats health history.
Avoid feeding a home-cooked or homemade diet unless it is specially formulated by a veterinarian who is specialized in making these diets. If you dont have help from a qualified vet, these diets can be deficient in vitamins and minerals such as taurine, which can cause heart disease in cats.
Involving your veterinarian in your decision of what to feed your cat can be very helpful in ensuring they get the most appropriate nutrition.
Here are some other things to consider.
Ingredients To Stay Away From If Youre Feeding A Kitten
- Proteins from Corn and soy
- Wheat and white rice as they are high in carbohydrates, while wheat is gluten-free.
- Rye as it is difficult to digest and contains gluten.
- Avoid cat food with wheat as three of the first five ingredients.
- Potatoes, with the exception of sweet potatoes, can raise a cats blood sugar level.
- Tapioca should also be avoided.
Recommended Reading: Good Wet Cat Food For Kittens
Feeding Tips For Your Cat
If your cat enjoys wet food, you can choose to feed a wet-only diet. Or, you can do a combination of wet and dryfeeding wet food as a treat, or as a topper on kibble.
The latter options can add water and palatability to your cats kibble-based diet.
Whatever you choose, just remember the following:
- Focus on quality. For most pets, the quality of food is more important than whether the food is dry or wet.
- Feed an appropriate amount to maintain your cats weight and avoid obesity.
- If feeding wet food exclusively, be sure your cat eats ALL the food to get all the nutrients they need.
- If feeding kibble, keep plenty of water available for your kitty to drink.
When you feed your cat, its a special time for bonding between you and your pet and when you know youre taking care of their health needs, youll have the peace of mind to fully enjoy that bonding experience with your feline companion.
From our family to yours,
Fromm Family Pet Food
How Should I Begin The Weaning Process
To begin the weaning process, start by separating mother and kitten for a few hours at a time. This will gradually lessen the kittens dependence on their mother and her milk. Both mom and kitten should have their own special area, complete with a litter box, food, and water.
Continued
As the kitten becomes more socialized and independent, theyâll be able to spend longer periods of time away until they are completely weaned.
Remember that removing a kitten from their mother too quickly can have negative consequences for both mother and baby, such as aggression and other anxious behaviors. Kittens learn how to play, eat, interact, and use a litter box by observing their mother or another adult cat. Ideally, a weaning kitten should be left with their mother.
Recommended Reading: Cat Has No Energy And Not Eating
Recommended Reading: Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar In Cats
Feeding Kittens 4 To 5 Weeks Old
By the time a kitten is about 4 weeks old, its often ready to start eating solid food. Introduce solid food slowly into their diet by mixing a little canned kitten food with milk replacer on a tablespoon. It may take a few tries, but eventually, your kitten will be interested enough to begin lapping up the mixture on its own. Sometimes it helps to gently rub a tiny bit of canned food on the kittens lips to give them a little sampling of whats available. Never rush this process. A kitten will begin eating solid foods on their own schedulea timeline that can vary from kitten to kitten.
Meanwhile, keep offering milk replacer in a bottle to make sure the kitten is maintaining their weight and getting all the nutrition they require. Weighing your kitten every day or so is also a good way to be sure your pet is gaining weight and developing properly. Make sure to provide a shallow bowl of fresh water once the kitten reaches 4 weeks of age.
Meow Mix Lil Nibbles Dry Kitten Food
Specially formulated for growing kittens, Meow Mix Kitten Lil Nibbles Dry Cat Food contains chicken meal as the first ingredient and a 38% crude protein content overall. The food includes essential fatty acids and DHA for optimum muscle, brain, and vision development and sources of healthy protein, including ocean fish meal, turkey, salmon, and beef. The food is specially balanced with the vitamins and nutrients that growing kittens need to thrive and is made in the U.S.A.
This food contains grains, including rice, corn, and soy, and has a relevantly low crude protein content. Some users report that their kittens would not eat it due to the strong fish odor.
This freeze-dried dry food from Instincts has a 42% crude protein content that is made up of 81% animal sources, including cage-free chicken, turkey, and fish. The food contains naturally occurring DHA for healthy vision and brain development, omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, and live, natural probiotics and antioxidants for enhanced immune support. This kibble is grain-free and made in the U.S.A. These are all reasons it gains its spot on our list for best kitten dry food.
Several customers report that their kittens would not eat this food due to the pungent smell. Some also reported loose stool and diarrhea and even vomiting in their kittens.
- May cause gas and bloating
- May cause loose stool and vomiting in some kittens
Read Also: How To Get Cat Pee Out Of Leather Car Seats
How Much Wet Food Will Feed A Kitten
As kittens grow, their food requirements will increase too. Follow the guidance on the kitten food packaging for the amount to feed depending on age and weight. Younger kittens will be fed several smaller meals a day, decreasing in frequency and increasing in portion size as they get older. If you are concerned that your kitten is not gaining weight as they should be, seek veterinary advice.
Dont Miss: What Is A Savannah Cat Mixed With
How Much Should You Feed Your Adult Cat
As your kittens metabolism starts to slow down and he reaches adulthood, you might notice him start to put on excess weight. Obesity is a common issue among adult cats and, when not corrected early on, may lead to complications later in life. Regular exercise and a well-controlled diet will help to prevent obesity and keep your cat in good shape.
Whether you feed your cat homemade cat food or the best commercial cat foods, its critical to feed him the right amount per day. But theres no single amount of food that every cat should eat each day.
Calorie needs vary from cat to cat, with many factors coming into play. When deciding how much to feed your cat, youll have to consider his breed, age, reproductive status, underlying health conditions, and more. In general, however, the recommended daily caloric intake is about 20 calories per pound of bodyweight.
that helps you identify how many calories your cat needs per day.
You May Like: At What Age Do Kittens Get Their First Shots
Carbohydrates Vs Animal Proteins And Fats
A diet with too many carbohydrates is one of the leading causes of obesity and diabetes in felines. While cats do need a small amount of carbohydrate in their diets, they are carnivores by nature and their bodies thrive best on meaty proteins and fatty acids.
Dry cat foods typically contain more carbohydrates than wet food because many dry foods use grains, such as cornmeal and rice, to process the kibble. Some cat foods even contain proteins from vegetables rather than meat, which is also not ideal for your carnivorous cat.
Instead, cats need food low in carbohydrates and high in animal fats and proteins. While some dry foods do contain an acceptable amount of carbohydrate with little or no grain or vegetable products, these are often specialty brands. When shopping for cat food, read the ingredients list and try to minimize ingredients stemming from corn, rice, beans, peas or potatoes.
Regardless of whether you choose dry or wet food, your focus should be on the nutrients it contains. If you need a little guidance about what to look for, read my care guide Understanding Pet Food Labels.
Recommended Reading:
Before Beginning The Weaning Process
When its at all possible, kittens should be exposed to some mothers milk, especially within the first 12 to 24 hours of life. The first milk, or colostrum, contains antibodies that the kitten can only absorb during this time.
If a queen has an extremely large litter of kittens and cannot produce enough milk, each kitten should still get some of her milk. Some milk is better than no milk, says Dr. Jules Benson, vice president of veterinary services at Petplan. If she cannot produce any milk due to mastitis or other issues, another nursing mother may accept the kittens if they are close to the size of her own.
If no nursing cat is available, you can feed a kitten milk replacement formula with a nursing bottle or syringe. In an emergency, Benson recommends mixing a cup of whole milk, an egg yolk, a drop of liquid multivitamin, and three Tums in a blender but this is strictly for temporary use, to get some nutrition into the kittens, and you should switch to formula as soon as possible.
Youll be bottle feeding for three to four weeks. Always warm the bottle in a cup of hot water and taste test it yourself to check the temperature and that it hasnt soured. If youre using a powder formula, store unmixed powder in the freezer.
Feed slowly but frequently: every two to three hours during the day. At night, dont worry about it theyll wake you when theyre hungry. If theyre sleeping, let them sleep, and get some sleep yourself.
Recommended Reading: Why Are Orange Cats So Dumb
Read Also: How To Use Cat Litter Pellets
How To Encourage Kittens To Drink
Cats are opportunistic drinkers so place a few bowls around the house, making sure each one is in a calm place, away from food bowls and litter boxes. Also try:
- Using glass, porcelain or metal bowls many cats dont like the taste of water from a plastic bowl.
- A wide, shallow bowl filled to the brim so your kitten can keep an eye on their surroundings while drinking.
- Letting your kitten drink from a water fountain or tap some prefer running water.
Recommended Reading: How To Tell What Animal Killed My Cat