Kitten Nutrition

Your newborn kitten has a lot of growing up to do!

A kitten grows amazingly quickly in the first six months of his or her life, developing 75% of his adult body weight. A kitten's body has to build muscle, bone, hair, teeth and a fully developed immune system extraordinarily quickly. So it's hardly surprising that they're going to need the highest quality nutrition, and plenty of it, to get there.

NUTRITION

Kittens are full of curiosity about the world around them. And need lots of energy to explore it.

So it’s only natural they’ll need essential minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and iron to help them build strong bones and teeth.

Remember, kittens have smaller mouths than adult cats. The smaller kibbles in most manufactured kitten foods will make it easier for them to chew and release all of the essential nutrients.

WEANING

Of course, mother's milk makes the ideal first food for every kitten and is naturally rich in everything they need.

Although they won't be ready for weaning until they are between six and eight weeks old, most kittens will start to nibble solid foods at three or four weeks. This is the best time to start offering a specially formulated kitten food - wet or dry.

Don't be tempted to wean too early. Switching to solid food too soon can be damaging for a kitten's immature tummy. Throughout the process they will inevitably supplement their food with mother's milk. Kittens generally know how much they need, whilst the mother will soon make it clear if she thinks her kittens have had enough milk!

As at all ages, a kitten requires a frequent supply of fresh water from a clean bowl.

FEEDING

Little kittens have little stomachs, but very large appetites. Here are a few hints and tips to help you along the way.

Initially your kitten will eat four times a day. If you are unable to accommodate this, feed three times a day but leave a little dry food out as a snack
Reduce feeding to three meals a day as they get older. By six months old reduce it to two.
Cats are grazers and don't adapt well to just one meal a day.
Cats prefer to eat food that is served at room temperature.

What to feed?

There are so many different types of cat food on the market. The main difference is wet or dry. Wet can be very convenient, especially with the single serving pouches ensuring a fresh easy serve. Dry complete diets help to remove plaque from the teeth. It’s also hassle free, just pop it in the dish and your kitten will help himself.

Changing Diet

For the first couple of weeks that your kitten is in his new home, try to feed him the same brand of kitten food he was eating before you homed him. This will make it a little easier for him to settle in and will remove some of the stresses of change which can lead to tummy aches when combined with a new diet.

Moving on to adult food

Most cats look fully-grown by six months. However, they’re still kittens on the inside. Their bones are still growing and their bodies are filling out. Kittens should transfer to adult cat food no earlier than twelve months old.

Fresh Water – Not Milk

Make sure fresh water is always available to your kitten and don’t give him cow’s milk. Contrary to popular belief, cow’s milk isn’t good for cats, as they cannot digest lactose.

Meat-eaters

Cats must eat meat to survive. They can go blind and suffer other debilitating illnesses if fed on a total vegetarian diet.

Fussy-eaters

Kittens are generally straightforward where eating is concerned. Most will happily eat whatever they are offered. A lack of a varied diet can lead to fussy eating, so it's worthwhile getting your cat used to eating many different flavours of food. However, if your cat goes off food for more than 24 hours, please consult your vet. .