Baby cat dry food
Mother & Babycat Dry Cat Food
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Baby cats grow so quickly and require tailored nutrition that meets their specific needs. A mother cat’s milk has protective antibodies to support her kitten’s natural defenses. But as a baby cat transitions to eating solids, their immune systems are still developing. This “immunity gap” leaves a kitten in a fragile state. With growing bones, emerging teeth, and developing immune and digestive systems, they need the right nutrition to grow strong.
Royal Canin Mother & Babycat Dry Kibble feeds your young kitten’s magnificence from the very start with the building blocks needed for healthy growth: Essential nutrients like DHA for brain development. Immune system-strengthening antioxidants and vitamins. Highly digestible proteins and prebiotics for a maturing digestive system.
And transitioning your newborn kitten to solid food is simple: The unique, tiny kibble can be rehydrated with warm water for a softer food that eases kittens to a more “grown-up” diet.
With nearly 50 years of scientific research and observation, Royal Canin continues to deliver targeted nutrition to feed every pet’s magnificence. Not satisfied? Then neither are we. Our formulas are 100% satisfaction guaranteed. (Just contact us for more details.)
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Chicken by-product meal, chicken fat, brewers rice, corn, wheat gluten, natural flavors, fish oil, dried plain beet pulp, grain distillers dried yeast, vegetable oil, pea fiber, potassium chloride, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium silico aluminate, calcium carbonate, fructooligosaccharides, choline chloride, hydrolyzed yeast (source of betaglucans), vitamins [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E), L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin supplement, biotin, riboflavin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement], salt, L-lysine, taurine, marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.
), trace minerals [zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, copper proteinate], DL-methionine, magnesium oxide, carotene, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.Calorie Content
This diet contains 4236 kilocalories of metabolizable energy (ME) per kilogram or 479 kilocalories ME per cup on an as fed basis (calculated).
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Nutrient Amount Crude Protein (min) 32.0% Crude Fat (min) 23.0% Crude Fiber (max) 3.6% Moisture (max) 8.0% Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) (min) 0.09% Vitamin E (min) 420 IU/kg -
For the Kitten - Kibble Only
Age in Months Adult Weight 6. 
6 lb (3kg)11lb (5kg) Cups/Day Kcals Cups/Day Kcals 1 1/4 (29 g) 128 3/8 (38 g) 166 2 3/8 (38 g) 169 1/2 (51 g) 225 3 3/8 (49 g) 215 5/8 (65 g) 290 For the Mother - Kibble Only
Queen Weight Gestating Lactating 6.6 lb (3 kg) 1/2 - 5/8 cup (51 g - 74 g) (225 - 330 Kcals) Ad Libitum 11 lb (5 kg) 3/4 - 1 1/8 cups (85 g - 125 g) (375 - 555 Kcals)
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ROYAL CANIN Feline Health Nutrition Mother & Babycat Dry Cat Food, 3.
5-lb bagBy Royal Canin
Rated 4.8315 out of 5 stars
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About This Item
- Dry kitten food formulated for the specific needs of growing newborn kittens (1-4 months) and queen cats (pregnant or nursing).
- Supports a young kitten’s growth and development with an exclusive complex of antioxidants and vitamins.
- Small, easy-to-chew dry kibble helps a nursing kitten transition from milk to solid food; a perfect complement to Mother & Babycat Wet Cat Food.
- Provides digestive support with highly digestible proteins and prebiotics.
- Includes DHA to build a strong foundation for brain development, starting in the womb and continuing throughout a pregnant cat’s full term.
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Questions & Answers
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13 Customer Questions
Is the texture of this hard or soft? Is it small enough to be swallowed whole by older cats with dental problems?
Answer by
Chewy•
Jun 09, 2019
This kibble is hard however, it may be moistened with water if needed. It is also very small so kittens or older cats who need the extra nutrition should be able to eat it more easily.
Is this food good for senior cats and for putting on weight?
Answer by
Chewy•
Sep 05, 2019
This recipe is formulated for the specific needs of growing baby kittens (1-4 months) and queen cats (pregnant or nursing).
What is the phosphorous and protein percentage on a dry matter basis?
Answer by
Chewy•
May 17, 2022
This recipe has a phosphorus content of 0.97 % on an as-fed basis (1.06% on a dry matter basis) and a protein content of 32.49% on an as-fed basis (35.32% on a dry matter basis).
What flavor is this food? Is it a chicken/ turkey poultry type? Or is it a fish recipe?
Answer by
Chewy•
Oct 30, 2019
This recipe has a chicken flavor.
4.8
Rated 4.8315 out of 5 stars
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy FelViesLoveLife on Aug 31, 2022
Always a win
Never failed us but sadly it isn't grain free so we often have kitties get the runners from this. But it is always the go to kibble for lil ones and to transition gruelies to kibble.
Moms we foster always love it too and pretty much always manage to gain back weight when we wean their kittens. Sadly super expensive so we often have to stretch it with other baby kibble.
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy xine on Jul 13, 2022
Top 250 Contributor
Poor quality food with a premium price tag
Only bought due to getting a kitten who was eating this & didn't want to cause digestive issues. Love the kibble size, but that's all I like about this food. I assumed this kitten food was high quality due to price tag, but it's not. I don't think this kitten food is worth the price. It has Chicken By-Product Meal as 1st ingredient - this is over $4 a pound & that's the 1st ingredient!?! It also has carotene in it.
I think Purina Kitten chow is better quality than this & has no carotene & more protein. If paying over $4 a pound for kitten food get something that's higher quality than this cuz this isn't premium food - it's just cheap food with a high price tag.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Kenny on Aug 16, 2022
Yummy for the tummy
I am fostering a stray mama and 4 little ones. Mama was very skinny when I got her and she is now gaining weight nicely. She and the kittens love this food. Their coats are shiny and full. They didn't have any digestive problems with it. The kibble is tiny for tiny mouths.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Olivia on Aug 2, 2022
Good for sickly elderly cats, too
The vet recommended this for my daughter's elderly cat who is loosing weight and in poor health.
Really like being able to order on line and have it shipped to her house since it is difficult for her to get to the store. The cat really likes the food.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy KimberlyP on May 27, 2022
Mama and weaning babies love it!
Both the mama's and weaning babies love it! It's tiny enough and moist enough as a "dry" kibble that the babies can eat with their baby teeth. Even if their is no mama, babies will eat it, which is such a relief when raising a motherless litter. I continue to keep the babies on it until their about 12 weeks, then I move up to the larger kitten kibble. I use it for pregnant mama's, too, as it seems very nutritious, keeps their weight up, and gives them a healthy, shiny coat - which is what is needed for healthy newborns. I have very healthy babies when using this food. The only drawback is that is IS very expensive, especially when feeding mama, too.
Because of that, many people buy cheaper food and then end up with unhealthy mama & kittens. Please get the cost down so more people can use this great food. Thank you.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Crazyoldlady on Aug 18, 2022
Best for mom and babies
I foster and use this for all mom's to be and babies starting to eat on their own. My mom to be eats this whenever she wants and eats wet mother and baby 4 times a day.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Sharon on Jun 9, 2022
If I could rate with a 10
This stuff is amazing, liked by all moms, babies and even other adults that stole some out of the bowls. This is the best stuff for pregnant or nursing moms and the babies love it too! Definitely keeping this on hand for the next pregnant foster I take in.
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Villanelle on Jun 24, 2022
They won't eat it anymore. Bag is too large.
My kittens and cat do not like this food. AND there is too much wheat in the ingredients so I won't be buying it again. I have so much left. :(
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Heather on May 24, 2022
Good food but pricey
I like the quality of food and also the very small kibble easier for tiny kittens to eat. I mix some of the wet in to get them interested. My foster kittens and their feral mama seem to like it.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Empty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starFilled starBy Judith on May 5, 2022
Animal Shelter Donation
Spring is kitten season.
Shelters need healthy food for mother cats and kittens and Royal Canin is almost impossible for them to find. Chewy.com makes donations easy.
When can a kitten be given dry food
The appearance of a new friend in the family is always happiness. A small lump brings warmth and comfort to the house, as well as an important question: how to feed a kitten? You need to monitor the nutrition of the baby from the first days of life. And the most crucial moment is the transition of the kitten from wet food to dry food.
After birth, the mother takes care of the nutrition of the kitten. Colostrum, and later mother's milk, is a natural and healthy food for kittens up to 2 - 2.5 months. Cat's milk contains twice as much fat as cow's milk, and contains about three times more protein. With such nutrition, the kitten will receive everything necessary for healthy growth and development.
If for some reason the cat does not have the opportunity to feed the litter, or there is not enough milk, there are worthy analogues in pet stores.
The sucking reflex in a kitten appears even in the womb, so any responsible owner will be able to feed the kitten on their own. Veterinarians do not recommend preparing a nutrient mixture for a kitten yourself, because the kitten's digestive system is sensitive, and immunity is just beginning to form. ROYAL CANIN Babycat Milk is suitable for kittens from the first birthday up to 2 months. It comes with a feeding bottle and instructions. With this kit, you can feed your kitten up to 1-2 months before switching to dry food.
Complete transition to dry food is possible after 2 months from the date of birth of the kitten. However, the transition requires careful preparation. The first, still milk incisors, appear in kittens for 2-3 weeks of life. At 3-4 weeks, fangs appear in kittens. From now on, you can add dry food to your little pet's diet. At this time, it serves only as an addition to the main diet, so that the kittens get used to solid food. It is not necessary to soak the food in water or milk, even the milk teeth of a kitten will perfectly cope with this food.
The only important point is the size of the croquettes. Dry food should be just for kittens. You can not give the kitten food for adult cats, because it can simply choke on large granules. Not to mention, the nutritional needs of kittens and adult cats are different.
If the kittens show no interest in dry food, you may need to wait a little longer. The decisive signal will be the moment when the kittens begin to gnaw on the surrounding objects. This is a natural reflex that helps kittens explore the world. From this period, you can definitely start the transition to a new, dry kitten food.
Choosing the right dry food for a kitten
In every pet store you can find lines for adult cats and lines for kittens. The rulers are divided among themselves for good reasons: the size of the granules and the energy value.
Despite their modest size, a kitten needs more energy than an adult cat. Up to a year, a kitten's skeleton is formed, muscle mass grows, teeth are renewed and immunity is established.
Babies are generally more active and mobile. All this requires energy, which the little fidget receives from the feed. On average, a kitten needs 25% more calories than an adult cat. If you feed a kitten with adult cat food, he may experience a lack of energy. As a result, problems with the formation of the skeleton, teeth, immunity or muscle mass. Therefore, in the first months of life, the kitten should eat special food.
However, there are exceptions - Super Premium and Holistic. Many of these diets can be included in the diet from 2-3 months. So, for example, GO food can be given to a kitten from 2 months of age. A lower calorie content in this case is solved by increasing the portion for the kitten, according to the feeding norms. But why not do this with economy and premium food? It's all about the calorie sources. In premium feeds, meat occupies up to 20% of the composition. The rest of the feed can be vegetables and cereals. With an increase in the volume of a portion of the economy segment feed, the pet will eat more cereals, and only a little more meat.
Such a diet is contraindicated for a baby whose body is just being formed. At the same time, Akana feeds contain up to 60% meat, and legumes serve as a source of carbohydrates in them. This food is biologically compatible with the cat's natural diet.
The composition will help you determine if a given food is right for your kitten. Earlier we wrote about what modern feeds consist of and how they are produced. The principles for selecting ingredients in kitten food are the same as for adult cats. The special needs of a kitten include an increased protein content. Make sure that the meat in the composition goes on the first line. It is also recommended to avoid foods that contain by-products and meat ingredients, indicated in general terms, without a percentage. For example, the line "meat and offal of animal origin" should alert the responsible owner. If the manufacturer included lamb fillet in the feed, he would openly write about it. The silence of the ingredients suggests that the meat in the feed is far from being of the highest quality.
If for an adult cat such a diet can be called acceptable, then the kitten's weak digestive system may not be able to cope with the digestion of offal. From here, the kitten may have vomiting and problems with the stool.
When choosing a dry diet for a kitten, it is better to immediately think about what brand of food you want to feed your pet in the future. Indeed, upon reaching one year, the kitten will have to switch to food for adult cats. Lines of 90% of manufacturers have food for both adults and kittens. The transition between two lines is easier if they are the same brand of food.
How to accustom a kitten to new food
The basic principle is simple - you need to smoothly introduce dry food into the kitten's diet, observe the results and increase the amount of dry food in the diet. Carefully monitor the reaction of the kitten's body and adjust the diet in accordance with it. So the pet can easily switch to dry food.
What happens if you completely replace the diet with dry food?
A kitten can completely switch to dry food only after reaching a certain age. As a rule, it is 2-3 months. The food itself, to which the pet passes, is also important. It must be complete.
It is not recommended to transfer a kitten under 2 months to dry food, even if you soak it with water. It's all about the needs of the kitten during this period. Until 2 months old, a kitten needs a lot of energy from food. He can get it from his mother's milk or kitten formula. Both those and others contain much more protein and fat as a source of energy. If the kitten switches to dry food before the end of the feeding period, he may have developmental problems.
A kitten that has reached the age of two months can be safely transferred to a complete dry food diet. It contains enough nutrients for a full life and growth. The main thing is that the food is formulated specifically for kittens, or, in the case of holistics, shown to kittens from two months of age.
Also, you can not transfer the kitten to dry food in one day. This process requires attention and should be carried out for at least a week. It is necessary to gradually introduce dry food into the feed ration and reduce the number of milk intakes.
“There is an opinion that ready-made diets, in particular dry food, somehow stimulate the appearance of urolithiasis. Actually it is not. On the contrary, ready-made diets are balanced in terms of the content of proteins, fats, minerals, microelements and are aimed at preventing urolithiasis,” Vasily Shilov, Candidate of Veterinary Sciences.
Modern dry food does not cause dehydration or digestive problems. They don't need to be soaked. The main thing is that the cat has constant access to a bowl of water. Therefore, after reaching two months, you can safely switch to only dry food.
« High-quality dry food contains a lot of meat or fish, a balanced complex of vitamins and minerals, taking into account the age and health of the animal.
This food is suitable as a permanent diet, and there is no need to add canned food to it”,
– Vastab PetCity clinic veterinarian Rannamõisa Marja Roosileht.
However, to diversify the diet, you can periodically include wet food in his diet. It's great if the brands of your dry and wet food are the same. If the manufacturer that produces the line of dry food does not have a wet food, look towards super-premium and holistic wet food. As a rule, they are 60-80% meat and will not harm the pet.
PlanetaZOO recommends
The choice of dry food for a kitten depends on its growth and further development. A small organism is sensitive to nutrition, and therefore the choice of food should be approached with all responsibility. A selection from Planet ZOO will help you navigate among manufacturers and not get confused when choosing food in pet stores.
1.
Mr. Buffalo
Premium complete food. The main source of protein in the feed is chicken meat (36%), and carbohydrates - whole grain rice. The food strengthens the immunity of babies, increases resistance to diseases. B Due to the high meat content, the food is easy to digest and assimilate, has excellent taste and is suitable even for picky pets.
2. Brooksfield
Super premium food from sunny Italy. As part of 57% of meat ingredients, hypoallergenic rice acts as a source of carbohydrates. The food is rich in vitamins due to the addition of fruits and vegetables. Suitable for both pregnant cats and kittens from one month old. It turns out that by buying a large pack you can feed both mother and kitten. A good option in terms of price - quality.
3. Royal Canin
Premium food with the widest range for babies. Babycat Milk is a milk that can be given to a kitten from birth up to 2 months. Mother & Babycat (mousse) wet food, 2 to 4 months.
Dry food of the Kitten series, for feeding kittens up to a year. Thanks to a wide range of products, you will be able to smoothly transfer a kitten from a wet type of food to a dry one. This is the brand of food recommended by most breeders.
4. Karmy
Premium food from Russia. Promotes a healthy and improved digestive system, allowing your kitten to grow up strong, active and healthy.
Can kittens be fed dry food?
Contents
one At what age can kittens be fed dry food? 2 Dry food for kittens: which is better?
2 minutes
estimated reading time
Kittens feed on mother's milk up to 2 (and sometimes more) months.
However, already at this age, babies are recommended to introduce other foods into the diet. This is done in order to smoothly prepare the body for independent nutrition and specific food, and also to contribute to the proper development of the baby and strengthen its immunity due to the beneficial components of the feed. But what foods are the first in the diet? Can kittens eat dry food?
Dry food is not only suitable for the first independent food in the life of small pets, but also the best option. But there is one amendment: the product must be of high quality, balanced and designed specifically for kittens. Why is it so important?
The fact is that babies grow very quickly, they have an accelerated metabolism and for proper development they need nutritious food containing a full range of vitamins and minerals. High-quality feeds are developed taking into account the needs of the body during a period of rapid growth and development and daily saturate it with all the substances necessary for this.
It is impossible to achieve the same result with natural feeding. That is why, with this type of feeding, pets are also given additional vitamin and mineral supplements. In addition, it should be borne in mind that kittens have sensitive digestion. Incorrectly selected or insufficiently high-quality products can lead to serious digestive disorders or even poisoning, so you need to be careful in this matter. In addition, do not forget that sudden changes in food deal a blow to the body of even an adult healthy cat, and you need to be much more careful with fragile babies.
At what age can kittens be fed dry food?
When pets are only 3 weeks old, they are already trying to lap water from a saucer. Kittens mature even earlier than puppies, and upon reaching 1 month they can already be transferred to special dry food. At the same time, it is not necessary to soak the granules with water. Even at such an early age, they can easily cope with them. In addition, such food will be an excellent helper during the period of changing milk teeth.
Initially, the food is offered to kittens with cat's milk. That is, babies continue to drink mother's milk, and they are reinforced. When the animals are 2 months old and it is time to completely transition them to dry food, they will accept full replacement with ease, as they will already be familiar with it. In this case, the body will avoid stress.
It is very important to gradually introduce into the diet exactly the food that you are going to feed in the future. Remember that it is recommended to change feed lines only if necessary.
Dry food for kittens: which is better?
When choosing a ready-made diet, be sure to familiarize yourself with its composition. Kitten food should be complete and balanced.
Quality meat as Ingredient #1, high protein and fat content, balanced calcium and phosphorus levels, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, xylooligosaccharides and antioxidants (such as vitamin E) in the composition will be a great advantage.
