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What can you feed a baby kitten


Newborn Kittens: Care, Feeding, and More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Reviewed by Kathleen Claussen, DVM on February 16, 2021

In this Article

  • How Do I Feed a Newborn Kitten?
  • What Do Kittens Eat Besides Milk?
  • How Often Should a Kitten Eat?
  • How Do I Keep a Newborn Kitten Warm?
  • How Much Should a Newborn Kitten Weigh?
  • Can I Hold the Kitten?
  • How to Teach Your Kitten to Go to the Bathroom

How Do I Feed a Newborn Kitten?

Kittens under 4 weeks of age cannot eat solid food, whether it’s dry or canned. They can drink their mother’s milk to get the nutrients they need. The kitten will rely on you to survive if their mother isn’t around.

You can feed your newborn kitten a nutritional substitute that’s called kitten milk replacer. It’s essential that you avoid feeding a kitten the same milk that humans consume. Typical cow’s milk can make cats very sick. If you’re unsure of which kitten milk replacer to choose, talk to a veterinarian. They can help you select the right one.

For many dry milk replacers, refrigeration is not always required. But if extra milk is prepared, it should be stored in the fridge. To feed your kitten, follow these steps:

Prepare the formula. Warm the kitten formula to slightly above room temperature. Test the temperature of the formula right before you feed your kitten. Do this by placing a few drops of the formula on your wrist to ensure it’s not too hot.

Keep things clean. Before and after each feeding, you should wash your hands and the bottle that you used to feed your kitten. It’s also recommended that you use a “kitten gown.” This could be a robe or a shirt that you only wear when you’re handling or feeding your kitten. Using a kitten gown helps reduce the possibility of spreading germs.

Feed them gently. Handle your kitten with care. The kitten should be on their stomach lying next to you. This would be the same way they would nurse from their mom. Try holding your kitten in a warm towel while they sit on your lap. Find a position that feels comfortable for both of you.

Let them take the lead. Hold the bottle of formula to your kitten's mouth. Let the kitten suckle at their own pace. If the kitten doesn’t eat right away, gently stroke their forehead. The stroking stimulates how their mother would clean them and it encourages the kitten to eat.

Kittens need to eat every 3 hours, no matter what time it is. Many people set an alarm so that they don’t miss a feeding. This is especially helpful overnight. It’s important that you feed your kitten regularly. Skipping feedings or overfeeding can cause your kitten to have diarrhea or develop severe dehydration.

Burp them. Kittens need to be burped the same that way babies do after feeding. Lay your kitten down on their stomach and gently pat their back until you hear a little burp. You may need to do this a few times throughout each feeding.

If for any reason you can’t get your kitten to eat, contact your veterinarian immediately. 

What Do Kittens Eat Besides Milk?

Once your kitten is about 3.5 to 4 weeks old, you can start weaning them off of the bottle. This is a gradual process that takes time and practice. The process usually looks something like this:

  • Begin by offering your kitten formula on a spoon.
  • Later, start offering your kitten formula in a saucer.
  • Gradually add canned food to the kitten formula in the saucer.
  • Increase the canned food in the saucer, adding less and less kitten formula.

If your kitten doesn’t take to the spoon or the saucer right away, you can continue to offer the bottle.

As you progress through the weaning process, monitor your kitten and their stool to ensure that they digest everything well. If your kitten is doing well and isn’t experiencing digestive issues (like loose stool or diarrhea), then you can gradually introduce more and more food.

At this stage, it’s also important to offer your kitten a bowl of fresh water to make sure that they’re staying hydrated.

How Often Should a Kitten Eat?

The frequency that your kitten eats normally depends on how old they are:

  • Up to 1 week old: every 2-3 hours
  • 2 weeks old: every 3-4 hours
  • 3 weeks old: every 4-6 hours.
  • 6 weeks old: three or more feedings of canned food spaced out evenly throughout the day
  • 12 weeks old: three feedings of canned food spaced out evenly throughout the day

If you have questions or need additional guidance about how often or what kind of food to give to your kitten, contact your veterinarian for help. 

How Do I Keep a Newborn Kitten Warm?

Kittens should be kept in a cat carrier wrapped in a few layers of towels. Using a heating pad or heat disc (often the safer option) for pets alongside a soft fleece blanket can also help keep them warm. Ensure that the carrier is large enough for your kitten to move away from the heater when they want to.

It is very important to keep your cat carrier in a safe, warm room away from other pets. It’s helpful to go and check on your kitten throughout the day. If your kitten feels cold, you need to warm them up as soon as possible.

How Much Should a Newborn Kitten Weigh?

Newborn kittens usually weigh about 3.5 ounces, depending on their breed and the litter’s size. A healthy kitten should gain at least 10 grams per day. If you don’t see growth in their body size, this is often a sign of illness.

It’s essential to track and write down your kitten’s weight and how much they're eating every day. You can use a gram scale for accuracy in weighing animals this small. If your kitten isn’t eating or growing as expected, contact your veterinarian right away.

Can I Hold the Kitten?

Vets recommend not touching kittens unless you have to while their eyes are still closed. You can check on them to make sure they’re healthy and gaining weight, but try to limit direct physical contact.  

The kitten’s mother will also let you know how comfortable she is with you handling her babies. It’s important to take it slow, especially at first. If the mother cat seems anxious or stressed, give her and her babies some space.

How to Teach Your Kitten to Go to the Bathroom

Young kittens can't go to the bathroom by themselves. Usually, a mother cat will clean her kittens to stimulate urination and a bowel movement. If the mother isn't present, the kitten will rely on you.

To help your kitten go to the bathroom, use a clean, warm, wet cotton ball and gently rub your kitten's belly and genital and anal area. Your kitten should go to the bathroom in less than a minute. After your kitten is done, clean them carefully with a soft wet cloth.

Once your kitten is 3 to 4 weeks old, you can introduce them to their litter box. Add a cotton ball to the process in a similar way that you used one on them when they were younger. This will help them to understand what to do.

Gently place your kitten in their litter box and let them get used to it. Keep practicing with them. Ensure that their bathroom is in a safe area away from other people and pets so that they feel comfortable.

Healthy Cats Guide

  1. Diet & Nutrition
  2. Cat Behavior
  3. Kitten Care
  4. Preventive Care
  5. Common Conditions

Kitten Feeding Week by Week

Feeding orphaned kittens can feel like a full-time job, especially in the beginning when they need to be fed the most. But it’s also incredibly rewarding, and before you know it, your kittens will be eating on their own and soon ready to find homes. The feeding protocols below are provided by the Kitten Nursery of Salt Lake County Animal Services, in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society–Utah.

Kittens one week old or less: Bottle-feeding

  • Food type: Formula
  • Frequency: Every 2 – 3 hours (8 – 12 times per day)
  • Amount: 3 – 4 cc per feeding

Two-week-old kittens: Bottle-feeding

  • Food type: Formula
  • Frequency: Every 3 hours (8 times per day)
  • Amount: 5 – 6 cc per feeding

Three- to four-week-old kittens: Bottle-feeding

  • Food type: Formula
  • Frequency: Every 4 hours (6 times per day)
  • Amount: 13 – 17 cc per feeding

Four-week-old kittens: Begin feeding gruel – Weaning stage

  • Food type: 1/2 can per kitten of gruel (gruel instructions below) in a dish and dry kitten food in a dish, and dish full of water at all times. Plus formula three times per day.
  • Frequency: Keep kibble, water and gruel in cage at all times.
  • Give 13 – 17 cc of formula every 8 hours (3 times per day).
  • During bottle-feeding sessions, try to get the kittens to also eat gruel off a spoon or tongue depressor and from a dish (see instructions on making gruel for more tips). It is important to start getting small amounts of gruel into their stomachs.
  • Note: At this time, also introduce litter box; kittens can eliminate on their own at this age and do not need to be stimulated to go anymore.

How to mix gruel

Small batch (for one kitten): ½ can of wet kitten food mixed with ¼ can of formula (use an empty food can as a measuring cup).

Large batch: Whisk 8 cans wet kitten food with 4 cans of fresh, warm formula (use the empty food can as a measuring cup). At this age, kittens like their food a little lumpy so they can chew.

Note: Substitute the warm water for formula in gruel for kittens 5 weeks and older.

Helpful tips when using gruel:

  • When introducing kittens to gruel, put gruel in a flat dish and place kittens near the dish. If they do not start to eat on their own after a few minutes, use tongue depressor or spoon to scoop gruel into kitten’s mouth. You may have to open their mouth and put a little in. You can also put a little gruel on their nose and see if they will lick it off. Sometimes the kittens need to adjust to the new taste.
  • Once kitten starts to eat gruel off the spoon or tongue depressor (may take a few feedings for them to figure this step out), slowly start to lower it towards the dish of gruel. The kittens should easily transition from the spoon or depressor to the dish (may take a day for them to start eating out of the dish regularly).
  • During the weaning process, kittens still need to be bottle-fed three times per day (about every 8 hours) to ensure they are receiving proper nutrients.

Five- to eight-week-old kittens: Solid food

Food type: ½ can per kitten of kibble in a dish and wet food in a dish at all times, and a dish full of water at all times

  • Kittens 3 to 5 weeks should be given baby cat kibble.
  • Kittens 5 to 6 weeks should be given kitten kibble and kibble should be mixed into the wet food.
  • Kittens 7 weeks and older should eat mainly dry kibble.
  • Weeks 5 and 6 are transition weeks where the two foods (what they were eating and what they will be eating) should be mixed together so their tummies do not get upset by the change in diet. Gradually decrease the amount of food they were eating while increasing what they will be eating over the course of 7 days.

Spay or neuter and adoption

Eight-week-old healthy kittens are fully weaned and should soon be ready to be spayed or neutered and to find their new forever homes. It is much easier to find homes for eight-week old kittens than it is if you wait longer, so start setting a plan early on. Sharing photos of the kittens with friends and family as they grow, and telling everyone you know that you’ll be looking for homes for the kittens is a great way to find homes. For more advice on finding homes for the kittens, see this guide on finding homes for homeless pets.

It is also important to ensure that all the kittens are spayed or neutered, so they don’t accidentally add to the thousands of unplanned litters of kittens that enter shelters each year. Find a low-cost spay/neuter clinic near you.

While caring for orphaned kittens is a lot of work, it’s also a lot of fun. The most rewarding part is watching your charges grow up and go into new homes. And the best part is that you can feel good knowing that you helped keep kittens — the most at-risk animals to enter shelters — safe and sound.

More about abandoned baby kitten care

Note: This article is the last in a four-part series on caring for baby kittens who are abandoned.

Photos by Sarah Ause Kichas

 

Categories:

CatCaring for Pets

What is better to feed a kitten 1,2,3,4,5,6 months

A small kitten is a big responsibility. After all, it depends on the conditions in which it will grow, on the attitude of the owners, what kind of cat it will become. Nutrition plays an important role in raising a child. The diet must be composed correctly, contain minerals and vitamins necessary for proper growth and development.

Principles of proper feeding of kittens

In order for a kitten to turn into a big, strong, beautiful pet, and also to be satisfied and happy, it is important to understand what can and cannot be fed to small kittens. The basic principles of proper feeding include the following:

Balance. Cats are predators, which means that protein foods should prevail in the diet. On average, this is 50% of the total nutrition. The rest is carbohydrates and fats. It is also important that the growing body receives minerals and vitamins in sufficient quantities. If there are few of them in food, it is worth buying ready-made complexes and adding them to the diet.

Fresh. You can not feed the baby with something that is already stale or, moreover, has begun to deteriorate. Store-bought food should be fresh from the pack, natural food cooked today.

Correct temperature. Food should be warm, at a pleasant temperature. Hot freshly brewed must be pre-cooled, and taken from the refrigerator - warmed up.

Gradual introduction into the diet. A kitten should be accustomed to any new product gradually so that there is no poisoning or problems with the tummy. For the first time, you should give quite a bit to get acquainted with the taste. If the baby likes it, and the body does not have negative reactions, the amount of the product can be gradually increased.

Access to water. In addition to fresh warm food, the kitten should always have clean water at room temperature. You need to change every day.

Age tracking. What to feed a kitten at 5 months and 4 weeks is fundamentally different.

If you have any doubts about how to properly formulate a kitten's diet, you should consult your veterinarian.

Common mistakes

Usually the owners face the main question: what can be fed to little kittens, what food format to teach? The choice is between store-bought food and natural food. In both cases, you can make mistakes that will be detrimental to the baby.

In the case of a straight woman, some owners believe that it is possible and necessary to give everything that they eat themselves. And they literally feed the kittens from the table: whether it's fried potatoes, dumplings or pastries. Such nutrition will be not only not useful, but also harmful for an adult cat, and even more so for a growing organism. It is even worse when pets are fed with waste from the table - that which has already begun to deteriorate, leftovers, bones.

In fact, natural nutrition means that you will cook fresh different foods every day for the kitten from those products that are allowed and healthy for him.

Buying cheap kitten food, especially very young ones, is one of the biggest mistakes. It is prepared mainly from offal, fat, bone and vegetable flour with flavoring additives that are addictive. There is practically nothing useful for a kitten there.

It is also a mistake to feed babies food for adult animals. In different periods, the need for nutrients and their ratio vary. For example, what you can feed a kitten at 4 months and at six months is somewhat different. This must be taken into account.

Natural or prepared food? What to choose

Natural nutrition means that you have to stand at the stove longer and more often. After all, you will have to cook not only for yourself, but also for the cat. You will have to buy personally for him products. This is a troublesome business. Feeding ready-made food is easier. But then there is the question of costs. Cheap packaged food is not good for anyone, especially for kittens. And the expensive one often hits the pocket. Natural is better in this regard.

On the other hand, a ready-made diet for a pet is more beneficial from the point of view that it is balanced. Contains the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals necessary for a kitten of a certain age. With natural nutrition, you will have to independently calculate how much meat you need, and how much cereals, and additionally buy vitamin complexes.

The golden mean is the approach in which the cat eats both prepared food and natural food. For example, in the morning and in the evening - a dish prepared especially for him, and during the day, while the owners are at work, he regales himself with dry granules.

Which foods are best?

Any brand of ready-made complete food includes a line of things that can be fed to small kittens. These include both dry and wet foods. Choosing which is better, you need to focus on the following recommendations:

  • Wet food is recommended especially for small kittens up to 3 months. It is more easily absorbed and digested by a weak digestive system. In addition, liquid food for a kitten aged 1-2 months is preferable, because the teeth are still milk.
  • Dry food recommended for older kittens. It should be introduced gradually, first you can soak the granules in water or broth.
  • The gastrointestinal tract of a cat is oriented, first of all, to fairly hard food that requires a long digestion. And as the animal grows older, it needs more of this food. The older the kitten, the more solid food should be in the diet, and vice versa.
  • It is necessary to accustom to any food gradually - from small portions. The same is true if the kitten is on one brand and you decide to switch it to another. Do not change food abruptly, introduce gradually.
  • It is necessary to adhere to the characteristics of the breed and the development of the animal. There are specialized foods for long-haired and short-haired kittens, Maine Coons, animals with chronic diseases, etc.

As for the manufacturer, the main criterion here will be the orientation on the composition of the product and its cost. Frankly cheap food for small kittens does not contain anything useful. However, this does not mean that the most expensive trade names are the most useful. There are many worthy representatives in the middle price category. For example, Monge Cat, Royal Canin, Hill's and others.

As a rule, a quality complete food for kittens contains everything that is needed for the full growth and development of a pet. Additionally, the animal can be pampered with chewable and fortified treats, observing the recommended dosage.

Recommended and prohibited natural products

Protein foods should form the basis of the diet of the little predator. Then there are carbohydrates and fats. But saturated animal fats can harm a growing body. Therefore, the meat should be dietary - veal, lean beef, turkey, chicken. Pork and lamb should be avoided.

Cats love fish, but small kittens under 3 months old should not be fed. Then - no more than 2 times a week. Preference is given to marine fish. There are a lot of helminths in the river, which the animal can become infected with improper preparation of the product.

Kittens should also be given dairy products. This is cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt - the main thing is that they are low-fat, natural, unsweetened, without additives. In small quantities, you can give sour cream. As for cow's milk, it can cause intestinal problems. Serum is useful for kittens. But cheese is too heavy and fatty for a baby's diet.

Another recommended addition to the menu for kittens is eggs. Quail are considered the most useful - they can be given raw. Chicken is better to cook, if we are not talking about products from our own domestic chickens.

Kittens should receive carbohydrates mainly from cereals. The most useful, easily digestible - oatmeal, buckwheat, wheat and barley porridge. Barley - practically not absorbed by the body of cats, it should not be given, like corn porridge. Vegetables are also a good source of carbohydrates and nutrients. Well suited pumpkin, carrots, cabbage, both fresh and boiled.

It is optimal to combine different products in one dish. For example, wipe cottage cheese with egg yolk. Boil oatmeal with chopped meat and carrots.

Here's what you can't feed a little kitten:

  • legumes in any form;
  • bread, pastries, sweets - homemade and store-bought;
  • carbonated drinks;
  • tea, coffee;
  • chips, crackers and other snacks;
  • food with the addition of hot spices, seasonings;
  • salted and smoked fish, meat;
  • chocolate.

All of the above restrictions apply to adult animals. Even if a pet begs for some product, he likes it and it's tasty - this does not mean that you need to indulge whims. For example, chocolate for cats is deadly and can lead to the death of the animal.

Rules for feeding kittens at different ages

Until the age of one month, kittens are breastfed. From the age of one month, kittens gradually begin to accustom themselves to additional products, they are taught to eat from a bowl on their own.

How to feed kittens of different ages:

  • 1 month. Until this age, the baby ate only mother's milk, so do not immediately give him hard food. Supplements to the diet should have a delicate, light texture. Suitable liquid cereals, dairy products, meat, boiled vegetables, chopped in a blender in a puree. Feeding - 6-7 times a day.
  • 2 months. All the same can no longer be crushed in a blender. Boiled vegetables, meat enough to cut into small pieces. You can also start giving ready-made food. Feed 6 times a day.
  • 3 months. Now it is no longer necessary to cut into small pieces - you can also give large ones so that the kitten learns to chew food properly and strengthens its teeth. From this age, you can also gradually introduce raw meat and poultry into the diet. It is important to be sure of its quality in order to avoid infection with helminths. Also, a three-month-old kitten is already ready to eat dry food. Meals 5 times a day.
  • 4-6 months. This is the period of the main set of muscle mass. Therefore, when wondering how to feed a kitten at 4-5-6 months old, you should pay attention first of all to meat and poultry. Give food 4 times a day.

After six months, the kitten's diet is the same as that of an adult animal. Only up to a year kittens are fed three times a day. In a year, a pet is considered fully grown. And his feeding is carried out twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.

The most important role in shaping the health of a kitten is played by its feeding in the first six months of life. The balance and correctness of the diet determines how beautiful, healthy, active an adult cat or cat will be.

What to feed small newborn kittens

A kitten grows and develops very quickly - its immunity and digestive system have an increased load. A kitten needs a complete balanced diet that takes into account the needs of an emerging and not yet strong organism. It must contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins in the right amount and ratio for healthy growth and development. All these qualities are possessed by industrial feeds of a super-premium class.

The best option is a special diet for kittens. A combination of dry and wet food in the daily ration will be correct, taking into account the pet's needs for nutrients and energy. This diet is varied and has significant health benefits for your pet:

  • wet food provides more than 70% of the required daily fluid intake;
  • chewing dry food pellets maintains dental hygiene with a toothbrush effect;
  • dry food can stay in the bowl all day and allows the kitten to eat small meals throughout the day, following her natural instinct.

Do not place dry and wet food in the same bowl. In one feeding should be one of the options. It is desirable that the feed be of the same brand and one line, selected according to the age characteristics of the animal and the needs of its body.

When should complementary foods be started and what should they contain?

In the natural environment, a kitten consumes only mother's milk until about 3 weeks of age. During this period, his body is not yet ready to digest solid food. The transition to "adult" food should occur gradually, over several weeks, in small portions.

A kitten grows very quickly: on average, starting from the third week of life, he gains about 100 g of weight every week. It is important to provide the body of the animal with all the necessary resources during the period of intensive growth. For complementary foods, both wet food (canned food) at room temperature and dry croquettes soaked in water are used. The main thing is that the food is high-calorie, with a balanced mineral composition and a protein content of 35%. Also, the kitten's food should be saturated with omega-3 fatty acids for the development of vision. Excellent options that meet all of the above requirements are PRO PLAN Junior NUTRISAVOUR wet kitten food and PROPLAN Original kitten dry food. The composition of the feed includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals that ensure the full feeding of babies, their healthy growth and development. The OPTISTART® complex includes elements important for a growing organism: minerals and vitamins that contribute to normal digestion, support of immune defense, development of the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system, as well as sources with a high content of protein, fats and carbohydrates.

Don't forget that a portion of food should be new each time so that it does not become weathered and does not spoil. Dishes - clean, otherwise there is a risk of reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. A bowl of fresh water is available - the cat needs to receive approximately 60 ml of water per 1 kg of body weight per day.

By the age of 2 months, the kitten already manages without mother's milk and completely switches to independent nutrition. The daily food intake is indicated on the food packaging. It is calculated according to the age and weight of the animal.

What should not be fed to a kitten?

There are foods that should not be given to a cat. Their use in food leads to acute and chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system. For small kittens and for adult cats, this list is approximately the same:

  • fried, salty and fatty foods,
  • meat with bones,
  • sweets and chocolates,
  • whole cow's milk,
  • raisins and grapes,
  • sausage and canned food from your table,
  • smoked meats,
  • muffin,
  • legumes (only in very limited quantities, e.g. in a balanced prepared food),
  • potatoes,
  • river fish.

What to feed kittens?

If you took a kitten not immediately from a cat, but from other owners, be sure to ask what the baby is used to eating. A sudden change in food can lead to digestive disorders. If necessary, change your pet's eating habits gradually. To do this, gradually mix the new food with the usual one, increasing its proportion within 5-7 days.

It is extremely difficult to create a balanced diet for an animal without being a professional. After all, you need to consider what nutrients, and most importantly, in what quantity, should be supplied to the cat's body for healthy development and life. In addition, home food has a number of significant drawbacks:

  • Expensive. A healthy diet should always include fresh, high quality foods that are suitable for a particular animal. Essential vitamins and minerals must be purchased separately. For example, a kitten definitely needs: taurine (maintaining the functioning of internal organs, vision and skeleton formation) and biotin (hair quality), Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, the amino acid Arginine and much more.
  • Not stored for a long time. You will have to cook constantly, because eating stale food will lead to poisoning. Also, for example, when traveling, you will need to find a time and place for cooking a four-legged friend.
  • Does not take into account the changing needs of the animal. Ready-made feeds are produced taking into account age characteristics and health status. Keeping track of all the nuances yourself is quite difficult.

Therefore, a ready-to-eat, balanced food is best. At the same time, you should not independently select vitamins and mineral supplements for a kitten - be sure to consult a veterinarian. Ready meals already include all the necessary substances, and their excess in the body is as harmful as the lack.

Monitor your pet's condition and behavior at all times. With proper feeding, the kitten is active, curious, cheerful and playful. A healthy animal is moderately well-fed, has a beautiful shiny coat. The kitten's stool should be well shaped and light to dark brown in color. If all these indicators are normal, then everything is in order - you have chosen the right nutrition for the kitten.

Kittens have their own dietary habits at every age. Let's consider them step by step.

Newborn kitten

Diet

10 times a day, including at night, evenly distributed throughout the day. Night feeding is a must.

What to feed?

Milk feeding by a cat lasts up to 60 days, sometimes longer. The first portions are colostrum, which contains all the useful substances and antibodies to protect the cubs from various diseases.

Motherless babies need special food. It is necessary to buy artificial mixtures that replace milk at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy. It is convenient to feed a kitten with a medical pipette. There is also milk. It is convenient to feed a kitten with a medical pipette. There are also special kits for feeding kittens, which already include all the necessary equipment. Please note that not only the mixture itself, but also the bottle should be warm in order to more resemble a mother-cat kitten.

Monthly kitten

Diet

8-9 times a day, also at night. But now you can say goodbye to one night feeding.

What to feed?

During this period, the kitten's eyes open - the baby begins to take an interest in the outside world. At the age of 15-20 days and up to 2 months, kittens are teething. The amount of milk decreases in a cat - babies may not eat up and squeak. Milk feeding must be continued, as its use is important for the formation of immunity. But it's time to feed your pet with other food. At first, it should be wet food, diluted with warm water to the consistency of low-fat sour cream, or dry food, well soaked in warm water. You need to give complementary foods in very small portions, a teaspoonful, while carefully monitoring the well-being and stool of the pet.

When choosing complementary foods for cats, keep in mind that taste preferences are formed early in life. What kind of food you teach a small pet to, he will eat like that in adulthood. It is recommended to choose super-premium-class feeds, since they are made only from natural products, they contain all the necessary nutrients, and super-premium class, since they are made only from natural products, they contain all the necessary nutrients, and harmful there are no additives.

A great food option for little kittens, already in the right consistency, PRO PLAN® BABY KITTEN chicken mousse for the first feeding:

  • tastes great and will satisfy even the most capricious fluffy babies,
  • contains milk proteins that are easily digestible by a fragile body: A-lactoalbumin and B-lactoglobulin,
  • is rich in milk protein with essential amino acids that promote healthy muscle growth and development.

Contains a complex of useful substances:

  • vitamins A and B,
  • iron,
  • iodine,
  • copper,
  • manganese,
  • zinc.

Kitten at 2-3 months

Diet

From 1 month to 2 months - 7-8 times a day. From 2 months to 3 months - 5-6 times a day or the daily allowance of food should be constantly available.

What to feed?

By the age of 2 months, the kitten should completely give up mother's milk or artificial formula, and switch to canned food or dry food. For a variety of food, it is good to combine different types of feed in approximately equal proportions. Dry granules can no longer be soaked. Do not forget only that the kitten should always have access to clean water. A good example of a suitable dry food for kittens is PROPLAN Original Kitten dry food. The product was developed with the participation of nutrition scientists. It contains all the necessary ingredients to keep kittens healthy: protein, essential nutrients, including vitamins C and D, and omega-3 fatty acids. The OPTISTART formula supports the kitten's natural immunity thanks to colostrum in the composition. The food is suitable for sterilized and neutered kittens. Promotes a healthy brain and vision with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Supports healthy growth of bones and muscles.

Kitten at 4-7 months

Diet

at least 3-4 times a day or the daily allowance of food must be constantly available.

What to feed?

During this period of life, kittens grow and gain weight very quickly - it is necessary to provide the most balanced nutrition. Dry food PROPLAN Original, which we talked about above, is just right for a growing organism. It can also be combined with wet kitten food such as PRO PLAN® original kitten with chicken.

Kitten at 8-12 months old

Diet

During the period of 8-12 months, the body has already finished forming, and the kitten switches to the “buffet type of food”: the animal 10-20 times a day is suitable to a bowl and eat in small portions, as needed‎. It is worth remembering that frequent approaches to the bowl is the norm for a cat, and this behavior can be observed in very young kittens. It is important that the animal receives the recommended amount of food indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.

What to feed?

Already at the age of six months, a kitten has almost the same body weight as an adult cat. Active growth begins to slow down from 6 months. Meals become less frequent, and milk is no longer present in the diet. The animal plays less and expends energy. Until the age of one year, you can continue to feed the kitten with specialized kitten food. From the year you need to transfer it to adult nutrition. It is better if an adult cat also eats super premium food, as they provide a healthy life and support the immune system. All PRO PLAN foods are developed in cooperation with scientists and taking into account the characteristics of different cats. You can learn more about feed options by going to our website.

Peculiarities of feeding kittens of different breeds

Many owners wonder what to feed a thoroughbred kitten. A breed is a stable combination of phenotype (appearance) and genotype (a set of genes obtained by targeted selection). That is, there are 2 significant differences between breeds: appearance and origin. These differences practically do not affect the nutritional habits.

Individuals with special health needs are more likely to need specialized feed. PRO PLAN products include lines for sterilized and neutered cats and cats, as well as for cats with sensitive digestion. For example, PRO PLAN® DELICATE KITTEN dry food is formulated for kittens with sensitive digestion or special eating habits. Prebiotics and specially selected protein sources support digestive health and food tolerance. The high calcium content promotes healthy bone and muscle growth. Wonderful taste qualities will appeal to even the most capricious kittens. It is possible to transfer a kitten to such food at the age of 3-4 weeks. In order for the animal's body to adapt more easily to new food, the food should be mixed with water. As the kitten becomes accustomed to dry food, the amount of water for soaking decreases.

PRO PLAN® STERILISED KITTEN is formulated for castrated and neutered kittens. In addition to the above properties of PRO PLAN food, specially developed for cats and cats by a team of scientists, this food has additional qualities: it helps maintain healthy growth and weight due to its high protein content, it helps maintain a healthy urinary system, because neutered animals may be at risk of developing urolithiasis. illness.

Kitten food

There are several types of prepared feed:

  • Economy class

Everyday food for cats and dogs, designed for average data, without taking into account the special needs of different groups of animals. May contain dyes and preservatives allowed in food. As a rule, they contain different sources of protein, including vegetable proteins, meat and bone meal. Daily feeding rates are high (more feed is required per day than in the medium and premium segments), feed digestibility is lower than in diets of higher classes.

  • Medium and Premium

The most widely represented segment in pet stores. In different classifications, they may differ from each other or be combined into one class. These are feeds that take into account the different needs of animals and contain ingredients allowed in food products. The digestibility of rations is high, food for pets with special health conditions (a tendency to cystitis and urolithiasis, castrated animals, a tendency to gain weight, etc.) can be allocated.

  • Super and Premium

These are diets with specially selected animal protein sources free of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives. They are clearly divided according to the special needs of pets in different age groups, health status, hormonal status, and so on. Differ in high digestibility. As a rule, they are sold in pet stores and veterinary clinics.

  • Holistic

Relatively young diet group. Clear criteria have not yet been spelled out. The main trends in this food group are grain-free, with specially selected protein sources, highly digestible, taking into account the individual needs of pets. It is not allowed to use ingredients not permitted in food products, artificial preservatives, flavors, dyes. may not take into account the vital status and / or special needs of the animal, not suitable for everyone.

  • Therapeutic diets

This is a separate class of food prescribed by a veterinarian as part of the treatment of various diseases. They can be used for a long time, sometimes for life. Completely cover the pet's need for various nutrients and contribute to the healing and recovery after illnesses.

Now you know how and what to feed a kitten.

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