Getting a new kitten is one of the most exciting activities one would ever undertake in life. Those little booties and eyes full of wonder and so much fun together cannot be put into words. But, as any cat lover understands, nurturing a healthy and happy kitten does not only need love and care but it begins with good diet. This detailed article will provide you all the information that you require about cat food for kittens.
Why Kittens Have Unique Nutritional Needs
Kittens probably develop more rapidly than any other domestic animal, and they increase their body weight and put on muscle, bone and new organs in a very short while. Following this growth phase puts a lot of pressure on their bodies for specified nutrients. When it comes to the kitten compared with adult cat, the kitten needs more calories, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals for its proper development. Thus, it is essential to select the proper cat food for kittens as the meals contain the nutrients vital for the cat’s development.
Higher Energy Needs: Kittens are more playful and have much higher metabolism than cats of other ages. It is a fact that they need more calories per pound of body weight to assist with their growth and in the energy they use up. Selecting the right cat food for kittens is important given that they require higher nutrients compare to their adult counter parts.
Protein Requirements: Proteins are the elementary materials of the body being that they are used in construction of the body. In order for kittens to grow, they require animal-based proteins, which are of good quality, to promote the development of muscles and repair tissues.
Essential Fats: Fats are necessary for building the brain, the nervous system; they are energy producers in concentrated form. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have an important role of maintaining healthy skin and hair coat.
Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins like A, D and E are essential for bone growth, immune function and overall health, as well as minerals like calcium and phosphorus.
Choosing the Best Cat Food for Kittens
While choosing the cat food for kittens, certain precautions should be taken into consideration, and one among them is, the food selected should be a kitten formula. Here’s what to consider:
Complete and Balanced Nutrition: Select diets with labels that indicate foods for growth, or for all ages. This makes it possible for the food to be meeting the nutritional need of the kittens in terms of diet.
Quality Ingredients: That means for kitten’s food the first ingredient should be an animal protein such as chicken, turkey or fish. Stay away from foods that contain many filler foods such as corn, wheat or soy.
Wet vs. Dry Food: When it comes to wet and dry cat food especially for kittens, it has been seen that there are advantages to both. Wet food offers the necessary moisture and is normally more appealing to most animals and dry food is easy to serve and assists in the aspect of dental health. This way it can provide the best of both worlds- the security of primary research and the convenience of secondary research.
AAFCO Approval: This should meet the nutrient profile set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) thus ensuring that the food is nutritional adequate.
Transitioning to Solid Food
Kittens weaned from the mother are around four weeks old; at this stage, they start taking solid food. This period is so important when it comes to weaning them from the mother’s milk. Here’s how to do it smoothly: Here’s how to do it smoothly:
Introduce Gradually: First you have to take a portion of wet kitten food and a little quantity of water or even kitten milk substitute to make a soft porridge. This makes feeding the kittens easier and beneficial to their digestion systems because small pieces of food are easy to digest.
Encourage Exploration: Put a tiny amount of food on your finger or in a saucer and help the kittens get interested in the meal by lapping it. Do not force over-eating or may be even eating at all on the new food but allow him to gradually get acquainted with it on his own sweet time.
Increase Proportion: Transition the kittens from a liquid diet to solid cat food for kittens in gradual succession over several weeks. Start by mixing a small amount of wet or moistened dry cat food for kittens with their milk, gradually increasing the solid food while decreasing the liquid portion. After several weeks, the kittens should be completely on solid cat food for kittens, ensuring they receive the necessary nutrients for healthy growth.
Feeding Schedule and Portions
Kittens have very small stomachs and would require feed frequently to meet out their energy requirements. Here’s a recommended feeding schedule:Here’s a recommended feeding schedule:
Up to 6 Months: This means that to feed kittens, should be four times a day. Due to their high metabolism levels and rapid growth, frequent meals should be provided to the child.
6 to 12 Months: As they gradually age they should feed them three times a day because the growth rate has considerably dropped.
Portion Control: Feeding should be done according to the recommendations of the type of food used on the packaging, or with specific adaptation related to the kitten’s weight, age and activity. Closely observe their body status regulating portion sizes in order not to underfeed them nor overfe
However, there are some special considerations for feeding kittens Nutrition Requirements for kittens that need to be understood.
Hydration: Always provide the kittens with clean fresh water to drink. Of course, wet food does contribute to keeping the cat’s hydrated, however, the client should note that water is still required.
Avoid Cow’s Milk: Most of the kittens are are in fact not tolerant to lactose and cow’s milk often leads to upset digestion. If needed then it should only be water or especially kitten milk replacer.
Supplements: If the kitten food you are giving to your cat is a complete balanced commercial kitten food then usually you don’t have to supplement it. While it is okay to add supplements to your cat’s diet consult with your vet first.
Describing High Quality Cat Food for Kittens
Read the Label: It exposes the quality of the ingredients that are being used and thus dictates the quality of the food. Find the named animal proteins at the first place on the list most preferable.
Avoid By-Products and Fillers: This reduces greatly the nutritional value of the meat and also can be indigestible like the corn, wheat, soy filler among other meat by products.
Brand Reputation: Any processed product to be chosen should be from reputable brands that are well known for observing quality and the nutritional composition in their products.
Nutritional Analysis: Ensure you read the guaranteed analysis of the product on the packaging to check with protein, fat, fiber, and moisture. Kittens require more protein and fat compared to adult cats; however, the actual amount depends on the cat’s size.
Homemade Diets for Kittens
However, they are complete kitten foods that can be bought from the market, nevertheless, some enthusiasts and pet owners choose homemade diets. When going this way, it is highly important to pay maximum attention to the completeness and balance of the diet. Here are some tips:
Consult a Veterinarian: Consult a veterinarian or a specialist in the sphere of pet nutrition to develop a diet.
Use High-Quality Ingredients: Make certain that animal proteins and healthy fats are part of the diet and the necessary vitamins and minerals are incorporated into the diet.
Monitor Health: Monitor your kitten’s development and health, and modify the feed that your kitten is consuming to meet its growing needs.
Catering for the kitten’s nutritional needs of is important thus calling for the right cat food for kittens. It is imperative to consider the nutrients that your kitten requires and choosing of proper nutritious, complete and balanced food for your kitten is the key to a healthy life. Regardless of the diet you decide to feed your kitten, wet and dry, commercial and homemade food, always consider the nutritional needs of the kitten and consult with your vet about the diet your kitten should have. Therefore, for your kitten to be strong, healthy and a bright adult cat you should feed him or her with the right foods.
Selecting The Most Appropriate Cat Food
Selecting the most appropriate cat food for kittens is again very important for the growth of the kittens. Proper diet for cats that are kittens should be from a quality food which contains all the nutrients that the kitten need for its growth. Besides, to make the kittens entertain and to improve their diet creatively, you can buy jerky treats for cats online. The treats are not only tasty but also it contains health benefits and make it a snack to take. Since there are many manufacturers selling kitten jerky treats online, When you try to cat food for kittens and buy jerky treats for cats online, you will be able to find many types and flavors of the jerky treats. Ensure that they feed on healthy foods and occasionally treat them to sweet foods in order to begin a joyful and healthy life.