In 2020 , over 2.2 billion units of cat food were sold in the United States . With so much food flying off the shelves , felid nutriment take on a whole new level of importance . And when we call back about cat nutrient , a common question that follows is : What do kitten consume ?
Nutrition is key for kitty in preventing serious health import and promoting hefty growth . Read this clause to realise what sort of food your kitty should eat , how much , and how often .
What Do Kittens Eat?
kitty want higher level of nutrients than adult cats do simply because they are growing .
Some of these nutritionary needs let in :
new-sprung kitty ( 3 weeks old and under ) get enough nutrition from their mother ’s Milk River or from commercial-grade kitten normal . It is very important that kitten only drink their mother ’s Milk River or a commercial rule made for cats because each species has very different milk properties , and kitty ask specific nourishing balances . Certain amino acidssuch as taurinethat cats require are not found in dog milk or goat Milk River , for instance . Without taurine computed axial tomography developsevere heart diseaseandblindness .
After kittens turn 3 - 4 workweek old , canned and ironical commercial-grade diets will put up perfect nutrition for kitty . The intellectual nourishment should either state it is articulate for kitty or for all life - stages . If a food is formulated for all life - stage , this means that the higher nutrients kittens would take are include in the food .
kitty should not be feast adult cat food as it will not contain sufficient fat , protein , or minerals for goodly growth . However , if a kitten eats some grownup food for a day or two until you could get to the store , it ’s no problem !
If your kitten has specific wellness or nutritional need , such as sensitive peel or stomach , your veterinarian may advocate a diet that ’s specially formulated to avail address these issues . Such diets are often more expensive than received kitten food . However , aCareCredit credit cardcan help you manage favored attention monetary value , including food recommended by your veterinarian to keep your kitten healthy . *
The Association of American Feed Control Officials ( AAFCO ) has developed minimum standards for what nutrition solid food must contain for dogs and cats . Look for a small AAFCO instruction on the grip or cans of food for thought . If there is n’t one , another brand of food should be choose .
How Long Do Kittens Nurse?
Kittens run through liquid - only diet until they are approximately 3 - 4 weeks of age . At that time , kitten slowly begin eating more solid foods .
If you have a mother Arabian tea and kitten , just entrust out plenty of canned cat food so that kitten and the mother cat can wipe out as they please . The kittens will watch their mother use up and will try it on their own . Apate - style give notice foodis much well-off for kitten than chunky solid food . Mother cats course ablactate their own kitten by decreasing the amount of time the kittens are allowed to nurse .
If you have a very immature kitty without a female parent , at 3 - 4 workweek of eld commence offering a shallow dish of kitten formula with a very small amount of canned pate food mixed in . bring in the kitty to the dish and lure them to eat by using a small spoon place near their mouthpiece . Most kittens at this age will start out chewing or lactate on the contents of the spoonful . tardily bring the spoon down into the bowl so the kitten try on some of the mixture . This level is very mussy !
Once the kitten begins eating out of the sweetheart reliably , bottle feeding is no longer necessary . This takes place when they exhaust out of a smasher without manducate the side of the dish and without sucking on the food .
put up a new dish of rule and canned food at least double daily , if not 3 to 4 times per Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , out of a clean dish . Every twosome Clarence Day , increase the amount of sack intellectual nourishment mix into the formula for about 2 weeks . kitten should be in full off formula ( or their female parent ’s milk ) by 6 to 9 weeks of age .
When Can Kittens Eat Wet Food?
Kittens can eatwet kitten foodas early as 3 weeks of old age . Since kitten are not usually full wean until 6 to 9 hebdomad of years , there is ideally a gradual alteration from formula or their mother ’s milk to a solid - food dieting .
However , some kitten younger than 6 week honest-to-god — as immature as 3 week old — are already onto upstanding nutrient . If a kitten refuses to eat from a feeding bottle , and is 3 weeks of age or older , set out a plate of give the sack solid food and see what happens ! The kitty may very well chow down .
When Can Kittens Eat Dry Food?
kitten can be extend juiceless intellectual nourishment whenever they have fully transitioned to canned food — approximately 6 weeks of old age and older . Your kitten will choose whether they opt mostly put up food or mostly dry solid food . The important affair is to furnish as much transcribed and dry food as your kitten wish to eat up !
What Human Food Can Kittens Eat?
bozo are obligate carnivores , so really your cat can eat up plain , well - cooked meat of any kind . Raw or undercooked nitty-gritty is not honest for your cat , as bacteria and parasites can get serious health concerns in your cat includingdiarrheaandvomiting .
cat should only use up up to 10 percentage of their daily food requisite as food other than their main balanced diet .
If you choose to feed human nutrient to your Arabian tea , it would equalise to some 1 tablespoonful in sum per day . As long as the human food is safe for your cat and all treat include human food are kept to a sum of 1 tablespoon per day , your kitty can enjoy some human food !
Examples of secure human foods for kittens admit :
Can Kittens Eat Tuna?
kitty can have small amounts of tunny each twenty-four hour period . In sum , kittens should be give no more than 1 tablespoon per daylight of foods other than their main dieting . If tuna is flow in this amount or less , your kitten should not live any ill result .
Tuna itself is not a particularly good part of a cat ’s dieting .
kitty that are feed bigger amounts of tuna have developed serious health issues , including :
Homemade Kitten Food
course your young feline homemade kitten intellectual nourishment is very intriguing and not recommended by veterinary nutritionists . This is particularly true in kitten , as growing animals have even higher nutritionary demand .
Cats are obligate carnivores , intend they must eat nub to survive . This does not have in mind that cats only take kernel , however , and without proper supplements add to a motley of protein and carbohydrates your cat will not do well . Kittens are peculiarly susceptible to nutritionary deficiency , meaning they are not receiving tolerable nutrition even if the amount of food is tolerable .
An instance of this is nutritionary junior-grade hyperparathyroidism , a circumstance that take place in kitten not fed balanced diet relate to atomic number 20 and phosphorus levels . Their bones become newspaper - thin and break without any harm , make significant pain and irritation .
If you do determine to make a homemade diet for your kitten , you must verbalise with your veterinarian . The internet is full of multitude ’s recipes , which are unfounded and could head to serious wellness condition in your kitten if not give under veterinary supervision .
What Not to FeedYour Kitten
There are many thing that should not be fed to your kitty . These include the pursual :
Dairy Products
Dairy product , like milk , may cause breadbasket upset include vomiting and diarrhea since cats do not have much enzyme to break down milk sugar .
Fatty Foods
Food gamey in fat can result in stomach upset as well as obesity , pancreatitis , anddiabetesif fed in in high spirits amount .
Salty Foods
Salty foods can cause increase micturition and drink and may even make toxicity if feed in gamey measure including tremors and seizure .
Undercooked Foods
Undercooked meat , ballock and bones may hold dangerous bacteria . Raw eggs actually decrease engrossment of B vitamins causing skin and coat problem . Bones can secede and become lodge in your kitten ’s throat .
Other foods that should not be fed to your kitten include :
How Much FoodShould a Kitten Eat?
Young kittens primarily eat formula ( 4 workweek and under ) should eat no more than their stomach can hold . Stomach capacity for intellectual nourishment is determined based on soundbox weight . This would equate to 20 milliliter of formula per Irish punt .
kitty under 4 months old ask 90 calorie per pound per daytime . But , the best dominion of thumb for kittens between 2 and 6 months of age is to feed as much as they will eat of a balanced kitten diet . Some kittens will exhaust more than others , bet on their own item-by-item metabolism .
Once your kitten reaches 6 calendar month of age , their metabolism will begin to slow down . Most khat will require much less food and should be monitored intimately for unnecessaryweight gain . Each and every kitty is different , so amounts may vary considerably .
How Much Wet Food to Feed a Kitten
For kittens under 4 months old , one - half of a 5.5 oz can of cat food should be fed in sum over a single twenty-four hours .
For kitten over 4 months , most will eat approximately 1.5 to 2 cans of 5.5 oz fire food per day .
How Much Dry Food to Feed a Kitten
For kitty under 4 months , approximately one - quarter loving cup of juiceless food would be fed in amount over a individual day . If offering canned food as well ( which is strongly recommended ) , decrease the total amount of wry solid food by one to two tablespoon .
For kittens over 4 month , most will eat some one - half cup to three - quarters cup of dry food per day . diminution by one - quarter cup if offer dismiss food , too .
How OftenShould Kittens Eat?
Kittens corrode formula should ideally use up 7 times per twenty-four hours if 1 calendar week old , 6 times per day if 2 week old , 5 times per daytime if 3 weeks previous and 4 times per 24-hour interval if 4 weeks older .
Kittens favor to eat up whenever they experience like it . However , meal feeding once your kitten is eating hearty food can precede to healthier feeding habits in the future . Feeding 2 to 4 meal per 24-hour interval is prefer .
When to Switch from Kitten Food to Cat Food
Once a kitten is finished grow , it ’s time to transition toan adult guy food dieting . This usually bump around 10 - 12 months of years . However , kitten growth charge per unit can change widely bet on breed , so some kitten may need to stay on kitten food for up to 18 months .
It ’s always best to call for your veterinary for counseling during this critical degree . The lower protein and kilogram calorie content in grownup cat solid food helps prevent cat fleshiness . However , percentage control also play an authoritative role in ensuring your kitten maintain a level-headed weight .
Your vet can facilitate advise if your kitten postulate to be on a strength or therapeutic diet . If so , that could lead to an unexpected growth in pet food costs . think of , having a health and preferent care credit entry lineup , such asCareCredit , can avail you manage your computerized tomography forethought budget . It can be used at any supplier in the CareCredit meshwork , and it allows you to pay over clip with compromising financing options . *
To transition your kitten to adult food , it will be easier to do the switch gradually over approximately one week . Each Clarence Day mingle in a little more of the adult food and a little less of the kitten food . Choosing the adult translation of the same mark of food will assist as the taste should be somewhat similar .
Kittens have specific nutritionary want . Using tips from this article will ensure your kitten remains tidy and eats the lineament food for thought they deserve . you’re able to always call your veterinarian if you are concerned . As long as you choose a balanced commercial kitten dieting and keep treats to a minimum , your kitty will be a long healthy aliveness !
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This information is shared solely for your convenience . Neither Synchrony nor any of its affiliates , including CareCredit , make any theatrical performance or warranties regarding the mathematical product described , and no endorsement is implied . You are urge to consult with your private veterinarian with respect to any professional advice demonstrate .
