Parkway Animal Hospital's

PET OWNER'S GUIDE TO

Nutrition for Kittens

Unlike most pets, cats remain true to their "meat-eater" heritage, and have special food requirements.

Cats cannot process vitamins directly from vegetables, so a cat must eat the meat of animals that can convert vegetable vitamins to a digestible form. That's why, in the wild, a cat must eat its prey’s entire carcass to derive essential proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Taurine, for example, is an amino acid that is vital to eyesight. Non-meat eaters can make taurine in their body, but cats cannot. Therefore, they must eat foods that contain taurine.

Commercial diets for cats must be balanced and nutritional, specialized, and concentrated in small portions. Therefore feline foods are slightly more expensive than dog foods. Wet or dry food for a cat should contain 30-40% protein. We highly recommend premium cat food for all kittens. It can be fed free choice. Only put out what the kitten will probably eat in the one-day period. We prefer to put fresh food out every day. We consider Science Diet to be the premium cat food for your cat.

Water is extremely important to the cat. Insufficient fluid intake can cause the urine to become too concentrated leading to urinary stone problems. It seems easy for the cat not to drink sufficient water each day. Make water very accessible in more that one part of the house. Grown cats should drink a cup of water daily.

If the kitten does not eat well within the first 36 hours in the new home, it may be that it misses familiar surroundings. It may be necessary to force feed the kitten to stimulate appetite. We also recommend feeding some strong smelling canned foods during the early growing months.

The major appetite stimulant for the cat is smell!! Since dry foods do not have as strong a smell as canned foods, some cats are more reluctant to eat dry food.

Make diet changes slowly. Any abrupt change can cause digestive upsets resulting in vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Milk is not necessary in the diet and quite often causes diarrhea.

Allow the kitten plenty of rest time. Cats sleep about 22 hours each day. Adequate rest is necessary for optimum growth and development.

Guard against the kitten swallowing foreign objects. Quite often, we must perform surgery to remove foreign objects from the stomach and intestinal tract. These objects include string, fishing line, marbles, needles, or just about any other small object you can think of.

FEEDING THE KITTEN

The first year is the most important for a kitten. His development is determined in those fifty-two weeks. This first year is critical because during that time he grows from infancy through the equivalent of childhood and then on to young adulthood. That’s why it is especially important to feed a high quality food such as HILL’S SCIENCE DIET FELINE GROWTH to your kitten. The best nutrition possible is needed to build strong bones, good muscles, a well-developed nervous system, and provide the energy needed during that first year. See PREMIUM PET FOODS for more information.

The kitten’s normal weight practically triples during his first three weeks of life. In his first 20 weeks, a kitten can have a 2,000 percent increase over his birth weight. At 26 weeks, the visible growth rate starts to level off, and he may look like an adult cat. However, the kitten continues to develop inside—his bones become stronger and his body fills out—until he is one year old.

Extensive studies show that a kitten rapid growth and high energy level require food that will give him extra nutrition and calories. And since he has a small stomach, it’s difficult just to eat more food to get the needed calories. The kitten’s correct development requires protein, calcium, iron, phosphorous, and many other nutrients as part of a complete and balanced diet. It is important to use a food specially formulated for kittens. Kittens, like babies, need their own special food.

Supplementation of the food often upsets the nutrient balance. Too much of anything can be harmful, and often leads to other health problems. Do not feed additional supplements unless your veterinarian recommends it.

FEEDING RECOMMENDATIONS:

Place your kitten’s food and water dishes away from foot traffic and noise, in a place, which is comfortable and easy for him to reach. Putting newspapers or a plastic mat under the dishes will make cleanup easier. Feed in the same place all the time. Do NOT change the location unless absolutely necessary.

Always keep clean, fresh water available. Change the food and water daily. Keep food and water dishes clean.

Establish a routine so that your kitten is fed at the same time every day. Give him three (3) meals a day, if at all possible until he is six (6) months old. At 6 months, your kitten will closely resemble adult size, but don’t be misled. He still needs to do a lot of growing up and filling out. Now he can be fed only twice (2) daily, but be sure to continue the kitten diet until one year of age.

It is acceptable to feed only dry food during the first few months if it is softened with water. However, it is also acceptable to feed either canned food or a mixture of both.

By the time he is seven (7) months old, most of your kitten’s permanent teeth should have grown in. One of the advantages of feeding dry food, apart from the convenience, is that dry food can help decrease the rate of tartar accumulation on the teeth.

Do not worry if your kitten’s appetite decreases slightly between the ages of four (4) and seven (7) months. As he loses his baby teeth, he may eat a little less because his gums are sore.

For a proper feeding program, use only high quality commercial foods and feed the amount that maintains your cat’s weight at it’s optimum level.

Make any changes in foods gradually by mixing the old and new food over a 7-10 day period to avoid gastrointestinal upsets. Cats do NOT require a variable diet, and the least problems occur when the same food is fed all the time.

What not to feed your kitten:

Bones
Table scraps
Puppy or dog food – deficient in nutrients required specifically by cats.
Foods known to cause health problems, such as chocolate, onions, etc.

When in doubt, ask your veterinarian for the best answers to anything you want to know about nutrition for you pet.

OUR MISSION:

"We embrace the art of healing and the science of medicine to enrich the lives of our animal companions.
We support you in making informed decisions that allow your pet to enjoy wellness as long as possible.
Our hospital team inspires an atmosphere of compassion and respect for our patients, our clients, and for one another."