What to Feed Your Kitten
Feeding Kittens
What to feed your kittens. Photo by Rev. Penny Dean. Pet Central Supply.
Kittens require a constant supply of food and fresh water as they are growing incredibly fast and have a vast amount of energy which will burn their food up fast.
Kittens daily needs
Kittens need 20–25 Calories for every 100 grams
of body weight
Kittens require a high protein diet with lots of vitamins and minerals to support growing bones & teeth. Provide your kitten a variety of kitten food. Newborn kittens will nurse from the mother or can be bottle fed. Kittens start eating solid food at 4-5 weeks of age. Do not feed kittens before 4 weeks of age.
What to feed Kittens
Occasional cat treats are okay but only after they have eaten their regular chow.
Important Note: Do not feed kittens table scraps
Check with your veterinarian for your kitten's nutritional needs or if you have a kitten which is younger than 4 weeks and should be nursing but no mother cat is available. (See Video below for more information).
"When choosing a pet food, fiber is an important consideration, but remember that the needs of cats are not the same as those of humans. A moderate level of moderately fermentable fiber, such as beet pulp, provides proven nutritional benefits for cats. Cat diets containing high levels of poorly fermentable fiber dilute calories and deprive cats of the nutrients they need.Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn't digested by a cat's gastrointestinal tract. It is important for the health of cats, providing bulk to move food through. Some types of fiber can be fermented (broken down by bacteria) in the system. This process creates short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are an important energy source for the cells lining the intestinal tract. (Iams, 2015).
What age can kittens be weaned?
Kittens can be weaned at 6 to 7 weeks of age.
Kittens daily needs
- 10 grams of crude protein
- 4 grams of total fat
Kittens need 20–25 Calories for every 100 grams
of body weight
- Supplemental feedings from 2.5 to 4 weeks after birth, because mother’s milk is no longer sufficient.
Kittens require a high protein diet with lots of vitamins and minerals to support growing bones & teeth. Provide your kitten a variety of kitten food. Newborn kittens will nurse from the mother or can be bottle fed. Kittens start eating solid food at 4-5 weeks of age. Do not feed kittens before 4 weeks of age.
What to feed Kittens
- Kittens chow (dry)
- Kitten chow (soft, canned)
Occasional cat treats are okay but only after they have eaten their regular chow.
Important Note: Do not feed kittens table scraps
Check with your veterinarian for your kitten's nutritional needs or if you have a kitten which is younger than 4 weeks and should be nursing but no mother cat is available. (See Video below for more information).
"When choosing a pet food, fiber is an important consideration, but remember that the needs of cats are not the same as those of humans. A moderate level of moderately fermentable fiber, such as beet pulp, provides proven nutritional benefits for cats. Cat diets containing high levels of poorly fermentable fiber dilute calories and deprive cats of the nutrients they need.Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn't digested by a cat's gastrointestinal tract. It is important for the health of cats, providing bulk to move food through. Some types of fiber can be fermented (broken down by bacteria) in the system. This process creates short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are an important energy source for the cells lining the intestinal tract. (Iams, 2015).
What age can kittens be weaned?
Kittens can be weaned at 6 to 7 weeks of age.
What to Do If the Mother CaT won't or Cannot Nurse the Kittens
If the kittens are less than 6 weeks old and cannot nurse for whatever reason you should give them kitten replacer formula. There are many homemade recipes for kitten formula on the internet but these may not be the safest and healthiest choice for your kittens as they will not provide all of your kittens nutritional needs but may be an option if you cannot get formula right away. Commercial kitten formula is quite affordable and provides for all of the kittens nutritional needs.Kittens are growing at a very fast rate and need the right vitamins and proteins for proper growth and good health. For very young kittens you may also need to get a pet bottle for kittens to drink from, as this will simulate nursing and most very young kittens do not know how to drink from a dish yet. Never give your kitten a homemade formula made with cows milk as kittens cannot properly digest it.
Featured Video: How to Bottle Feed Kittens
The following video shows what you will need and how to bottle feed kittens from the SPCA of Texas
Published on Mar 14, 2018
Published on Mar 14, 2018
Notice: As an Amazon Associate and a Google Adsense Associate. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases on this website. #CommissionsEarned
Pet Central Supply & Pet Care Tips
Hot News About Birds & Animals
Terms of Use/Disclaimer
Contact us: [email protected]
Pet Central Supply & Pet Care Tips
Hot News About Birds & Animals
Terms of Use/Disclaimer
Contact us: [email protected]
References:
- How-To Bottle Feed Kittens. (2019). YouTube. Retrieved 21 April 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS7vCkq71Ug