How to feed kittens. We feed the cat correctly with natural food: what to feed at home, advice from veterinarians and menus How to feed very young kittens
If you become the happy owner of a kitten, be sure to read this article. It will help you provide proper nutrition to your pet and your little furry miracle will grow strong and healthy.
It is worth remembering a few basic nutrition rules:
1. We feed an eight-month-old kitten 2-3 times a day;
2. Water should always be available (keep it clean);
3. Do not overfeed your child;
4. Do not overuse dry food;
5. Do not mix canned food with natural products;
6. Do not give at all: milk, pork, all types of fats, butter.
Only balanced feeding will allow the kitten to develop correctly and fully. Learn more about what you can and should feed.
1. Lean meat. It is better to scald it with boiling water or first freeze it. Avoid pork completely!
Kittens can experience protein poisoning. Its first sign is convulsions.
2. Porridge is healthy. Cook rice with half and half buckwheat and pieces of lean meat. Or just with meat broth.
3. Chicken or beef liver can be given no more than once a week.
How to feed cats correctly
4. You can give turkey or chicken without bones. In general, we do not give bones under any circumstances to avoid perforation of the stomach or intestines! It is better to mince boiled chicken breast.
5. By-products (hearts, ventricles, kidneys, lungs), both beef and chicken, are best given boiled. This way you will avoid upset of the kitten’s fragile stomach.
6. It is worth using boiled vegetables. But don't feed too many potatoes. Avoid legumes and corn! You can grind boiled vegetables and meat in a meat grinder and put them in the refrigerator. This will provide your baby with food for a couple of days.
7. Eggs. Only the yolk once a week. We do not boil it, as it will not be digested when boiled.
8. Use cottage cheese. You can sweeten it a little and add sour cream. You can take cottage cheese from baby food series. It is better if the fat content is 0%.
9. Don't neglect kefir. He is very useful and kittens love him.
10. You shouldn’t get carried away with cheese, but as a source of calcium, it is sometimes appropriate in the diet (a couple of times a week).
11. Choose dry food especially carefully. It should be introduced very carefully and gradually. Choose only high-quality food from well-established manufacturers. It is better to give preference to canned food.
12. In general, it’s cheaper for you to feed your kitten meat and it will be much healthier. There is evidence that Whiskas canned and dry food led to liver disease and death of animals. If you are forced to feed your kitten dry food, then soak it first in broth or warm water.
13. Buy weed from pet stores or sprout your own wheat or rice.
14. Baby meat food in jars would also be appropriate.
A little advice. If the kitten is afraid to eat from a bowl, feed it from your hands. Good luck to you and a healthy pet!
The first half of a kitten’s life is a very important period in its life. After all, it is at this time that the foundations of health and education are laid. But if after three months the new owners of the kitten take care of this, then the most important first three months are the main headache for breeders.
In the first 3-4 weeks there are no problems with the kittens’ nutrition – the cat feeds them herself. The owners can only feed the mother well, watching with pleasure how rapidly their pets grow. But after one and a half months, the kittens no longer have enough nutrients obtained from mother’s milk, and the cat is exhausted from feeding such a horde. The time has come to gradually switch to adult food, and since then all the care of feeding the kittens falls on the shoulders of the owners.
It is very important to take care of fresh drinking water, which should always be in a different bowl and at a certain distance from the food cup. This is necessary so that the kitten does not bring food residues there on its fur, otherwise it may turn sour, which can lead to intestinal troubles.
The water you give your kitten to drink must be purified and not in a plastic bowl, but in an iron or porcelain bowl. An excellent option would be to install a special drinking fountain, the water in which will always be fresh and oxygenated. If there is no fountain, then simply place bowls of water throughout the room so that the kitten comes across water while playing and does not forget to drink it. Lack of fluid in the body of cats leads to severe diseases of the kidneys and ureters.
We are starting the first feeding.
So, the kittens are already a month old.
They become more and more active and inquisitive. And although at this age they still need mother’s milk or formula, it’s time to switch to adult food. At this age, it is best to feed kittens 5-6 times a day, in small portions, warm. Food should be liquid or semi-liquid.
It could be:
- baby food: first meat purees, later meat purees with vegetables,
- liquid semolina porridge with milk, and always without sugar.
From two months
Kittens can now eat more solid food. They still need to be fed 5-6 times a day, in small portions. At this time, you can add minced meat or fish, hard cheese, porridge (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat), vegetables and even fruits to the menu. Many cats enjoy eating vegetables and fruits, having become accustomed to this from early childhood. From two months, kittens can be given boiled vegetables (carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, zucchini) in the form of puree or finely chopped, with vegetable oil.
At the same time, kittens should definitely be fed kefir, cream and yogurt (always natural, without sugar or additives).
A little later, you can give finely chopped scalded or boiled meat. The best meat for kittens at this age is lean beef, veal, rabbit, chicken, and turkey. No more than once a week, you can give offal: beef or chicken liver, heart. They are fed finely chopped or ground, with porridge.
If you plan to switch kittens to wet or dry, then this should be done after 2 months. Please note that this must be high-quality special food for kittens.
If you decide to continue feeding your babies natural food, then three months is the age when it’s time to finally switch them to adult food. The number of feedings is reduced to 4 times a day.
From three months You can introduce fish into the kittens’ diet – always sea fish and no more than 2 times a month. Another product that is very useful for small pets at this age is finely chopped herbs (dill, parsley) with oil. A little later, you can offer the kittens grass.
Thus, the approximate diet of kittens from the first to the third month should look like this:
First month:
- Milk (formula)
- Liquid semolina porridge
- Egg yolk
- Meat puree
- Scalded or boiled meat
- Liquid porridge (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal)
- Cottage cheese (best for children)
- Egg yolk
- Boiled vegetables (mashed potatoes with vegetable oil.)
- Unsalted cheese.
- Milk
- Kefir
- Cream
- Natural yogurt.
- Finely chopped meat
- By-products (liver, heart)
- Porridge (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, millet)
- Boiled sea fish
- Cottage cheese
- Mashed yolk
- Grated vegetables
- Kefir, cream
- Natural yogurt.
- Finely chopped greens with vegetable oil.
- animal fats (especially rendered),
- pork,
- fried, fatty and smoked foods,
- sugar,
- salt.
Advice: If you decide to feed kittens only natural food, it is advisable to accustom your pets to eating a variety of foods from the first month. You should not succumb to the tricks of little fluffy manipulators and make one, especially favorite product, the main one in their diet. Thus, you are doing a disservice to the future owners of your pets by raising little capricious creatures who are picky about food.
Pay attention to the kitten’s fur as often as possible: if it is shiny and smooth, then rejoice - your pet is healthy. If you don’t like something about his appearance, then, after consulting with a veterinarian, buy him a special vitamin complex. But remember that in good industrial food all nutrients and microelements are already balanced.
A great danger to a kitten’s health is posed by an owner’s mistake such as feeding the pet food from their table in combination with industrial food. It is also not recommended to mix expensive dry food with cheap wet food. It is better to leave only dry food, since low-quality wet food will still do nothing but harm the kitten.
Once a little funny fluffy ball has appeared in the house, all responsibility for its life falls entirely on its owners. Particular attention should be paid to the regime and diet. Therefore, we will consider what to feed a kitten at 2 months, what foods are healthy and what can be given to a fluffy with a natural diet.
Many veterinarians and breeders agree that it is best to keep kittens and adult animals on natural products, since the diet has many advantages over ready-made food.
Benefits of a natural diet for kittens:
- You can create a varied and healthy menu for your furry pet. A large selection and variety of products will help you choose the optimal nutrition even for picky-eating kittens.
- freshly prepared food does not contain chemical compounds or additives harmful to the growing body.
- a natural diet is not addictive and, if necessary, without harm to health, you can switch the kitten to ready-made food.
If you plan to feed your kitten homemade food so as not to weaken its resistance and immune potential, it is very important that the food and diet can replace cat milk and ready-made formulas for newborn animals.
Advice! As soon as the kitten is four to five weeks old, its basic diet can be gradually supplemented with new foods, giving them in small quantities. During this period, the body is able to absorb food other than mother's milk.
For complementary feeding, easily digestible food rich in protein, minerals and vitamins is used. For example, you can give your kitten meat or half-meat puree. At the initial stage, you can add kefir, low-fat milk, and calcined cottage cheese to your food. A smooth transition to an adult diet will not become stressful and will not cause disruption in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract. Add new products to your pet’s menu gradually. Monitor the stool and the condition of the little kitten.
To avoid disturbances in the functioning of internal organs, to raise an active healthy pet, the natural type of nutrition of the British, Scottish Fold, Persian, Sphynx, and other breeds of kittens must be approached with all responsibility.
Homemade food for 2 month old kittens
Given that cats are carnivores, the basis of their diet should be animal products. But this does not mean that with a natural type of feeding, a small pet should receive exclusively meat and offal.
A growing body also needs plant foods rich in fiber and vitamins, essential amino acids, minerals, fats contained in fermented milk and other foods.
Products for the natural diet of a 2-month-old kitten:
- Meat, poultry. The diet of kittens should consist of meat products and poultry. At the same time, you can give your baby only lean meats (veal, rabbit) or poultry (chicken, turkey) that have undergone mechanical or heat treatment (boiling, stewing). After weaning from the mother cat, you can give the mustache beef, minced chicken, finely chopped boiled chicken fillet, rabbit meat or veal.
- Offal. Liver, heart, spleen, veal, chicken stomachs contain iron, phosphorus, magnesium and B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), which are necessary for normal digestion, metabolism, and development. Therefore, offal can be given to a 2-month-old kitten, but not more than once a week and only after heat treatment. Unlike meat, they have lower nutritional value and calorie content.
- Fermented milk. They are the main source of calcium, phosphorus, essential amino acids, and other microelements to strengthen the bones, skeleton, and teeth. Cottage cheese, kefir, natural yoghurts without any additives, skim milk, whey, low-fat, low-fat sour cream, cream should be present daily in the diet of two-month-old kittens. However, their fat content should not exceed 8-10%. You can also feed kittens with curd mixtures for infants and small children.
- Fish. Since fish is a source of fatty acids and phosphorus, it should also be present in the menu of small pets. Two-month-old kittens are given stewed, boiled, low-fat sea and ocean fish without bones, but not more than three times every seven to eight days. It is better to introduce river fish into the diet of cats only after five to six months.
- , cereals. Feed kittens only well-cooked buckwheat, oatmeal, and rice in meat, vegetable, and fish broth. You can offer a mix of several cereals. For better absorption, add a few drops of vegetable oil or a small amount of low-fat sour cream to the porridge.
- Vegetables fruits. It is mandatory to add boiled, raw, stewed vegetables and herbs to the kittens’ diet. You can give zucchini, beets, pumpkin, carrots. Before adding them to the porridge, grate them or cut them into strips and small cubes. You can also feed kittens vegetable and fruit mixtures for infants.
- Eggs. Kittens at two months of age can be fed raw quail or boiled chicken eggs. A whole, hard-boiled egg should not be given to your pet right away. Add the crushed, mashed yolk of one egg to the porridge. Mix quail eggs with vegetables, cereals, and minced meat. It is permissible to give kittens three quail eggs and two chicken eggs per week.
Sprouted grains (oats, wheat) are also beneficial for a growing body, as they contain fiber, organic acids, vitamins, and macro-microelements. You can grow your own grass for cats from seeds.
Supplement your pet’s diet with brewer’s yeast and fish oil two or three times every seven to nine days. Once every three days, the kitten should receive 15-20 g of vegetable oil, which contains saturated fatty acids (omega-6, omega-3) and other useful components.
Food should always be fresh and at room temperature. Make sure there is always drinking water in the bowl. The animal should not feel thirsty, much less drink water from the sink or other places. Use non-carbonated drinking bottled or filtered water. After each feeding, be sure to wash the bowls well with running water.
What not to feed kittens
Regardless of the type of food that the owner chooses for his small pet (natural, ready-made food), in order to raise a healthy, energetic cat, the diet must be completely balanced, nutritious, varied, healthy, and fortified.
Poor quality products and an unbalanced diet will cause growth retardation. Allergies, disturbances in the digestive tract, and other serious complications that can appear in an animal at an early or older age are possible.
For two-month-old kittens, as well as older pets and adult cats, the following is prohibited:
Kittens should absolutely not be given salted, peppered, spicy foods, marinades, fatty cheeses, smoked foods, flour products, or any other products from our table that are seasoned with spices or have a high percentage of fat content.
You should not feed kittens chocolate. It contains theobromine, a substance that is highly toxic to the cat's body. Even a piece of dark chocolate can cause severe poisoning, coma and death.
Feeding regimen and norms
In order not to provoke disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract, it is equally important to monitor the feeding regime. Two-month-old kittens should be given food in small portions at the same time. Kittens at two months old should receive food 5-7 times a day. As the animal grows older, the number of daily feedings is gradually reduced and from the age of four months the animal can be switched to three or four feedings a day.
Up to 3-4 months, it is necessary to develop a diet and a stable meal schedule, observing it in the future. Kittens at two months old should receive food 5-8 times a day.
The daily norm for 2-month-old kittens, depending on the breed, is 120-135 g. When preparing a natural diet, take into account the level of activity, breed, individual characteristics of the kitten, and its state of health.
Well, a small mustache has appeared in your house, and you naturally face the question of what to feed the kitten at home so that it grows up healthy. And if you can somehow figure out the nuances of care on your own, and in terms of health you can contact a veterinary clinic, then the issue of feeding small kittens must be approached with all responsibility. After all, feeding a small kitten the same foods as adult animals is impossible, just like eating food from the table. Therefore, if you don’t know what to feed kittens at home, study as carefully as possible the recommendations from experienced cat breeders collected in this article, and you will find out what you can and cannot feed, how many times a day you need to feed a kitten, the list of prohibited foods, as well as the rating ready-made food for kittens.
First, let's look at a line of products that are not advisable and, on the contrary, desirable to give to pets of any age:
| Can't give | Recommended for use |
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Keep in mind that there is a difference between what to feed a one-week-old kitten and what to give to a 5-month-old pet. Also, do not forget about the individual preferences of animals. For example, raw potatoes are harmful to a pet’s body, but there are many cases where cats happily gnaw on raw potatoes and wag their tails contentedly. There are also many cases when animals refuse generally approved diets and feel unwell from completely normal food. Therefore, do not take all recommendations as a call to action; only you yourself can practically find out what your little pet likes. If you see that the baby is not feeling well from any food, do not delay - take him to the veterinarian.
Feeding kittens at different stages of life
Feeding a small kitten at home can vary greatly depending on how old the baby is.
What to feed a newborn kitten
If kittens are only a week old, what should you feed them at home? Newborn kittens are usually fed by their mother. But a cat can abandon the cub, die or get sick; in general, the cases are different. If you find yourself in this situation, don't despair. There are many DIY methods at home. So, the kittens are a week old, you don’t know what to feed, let’s start in order.
The best option for a kitten up to a month old is a wet nurse. To do this, you will need to find another cat that has recently given birth, who will become the baby’s foster mother for a while. If you live in a metropolis, then, thanks to the capabilities of social networks, there should not be any major obstacles to the implementation of this plan. But, of course, this is not always possible. In any case, a week-old kitten needs maternal colostrum to start life and this leads us to the second possible option.
A kitten can be fed for up to a month with a special mixture that imitates cat's milk. You can find the mixture at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy. If this point does not suit you, then you will have to feed kittens at home using products that are on hand. Recipe: In a ratio of 4 to 1, take boiled milk and egg white. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and the resulting mixture is fed to the kitten.
Also in this situation, infant formula (human) can help out. Only the mixture will need to be diluted two times thinner than what is written in the recommendations for using the product.
Rules for feeding a kitten 1 month
What to feed kittens at 2 months
The rules for feeding two-month-old kittens are not very different from the principles for feeding one-and-a-half-month-old animals. The main change can be considered the introduction of dry food into the diet. Also, by this time, you can feed the animal not just puree, but give it more solid food, that is, do not grind or grind the food. The amount of food consumed increases as the kitten grows, so you can feed it with a large amount of cottage cheese, offer your pet greens, try giving grated vegetables - cabbage, pumpkin, carrots.
What to feed kittens at 3 months
The issue of feeding a three-month-old kitten must be approached with great attention. The point is this: three months is the age at which a kitten’s teeth begin to change, and in order for the teeth to grow normally, the pet needs food on a solid basis.
This is the right age to include raw meat in an animal's diet. Keep in mind that meat is one of the main sources of helminth infection. Therefore, three months of age is also the time to worm a kitten.
It is already easier to feed a grown animal than a small kitten. He can already chew small bones; he no longer has to chop up the meat and remove every vein. In addition, from 3 months the animals begin to monitor the amount of food they consume and this issue should no longer bother you so much. What is the best way to feed a kitten for 3 months:
- raw grated vegetables (soft ones can be cut into pieces);
- raw, cooked meat;
- boiled lean fish without bones;
- milk porridge.
- yogurt, cottage cheese.
What to feed a kitten 5 months and older
By this age, the kitten becomes almost an adult. Of course, he still continues to grow and develop, but you can feed a five-month-old kitten with food that adult animals eat, and this is much easier than feeding a dairy kitten. The only thing is, try to choose food, taking into account the pet’s preferences, which should already have formed by this time. If it is possible to sprout grass for cats, do it. For your pet, this will be a good, additional source of useful minerals and vitamins.
- Food for kittens must be fresh. As an exception, kefir can be distinguished; before feeding the pet, it is usually kept in a cool place for several days.
- Delicious sausage, smoked meats and other aromatic delights that can make a cat salivate, but a cat can’t, there are a lot of spices that are harmful to the animal. Therefore, do not give in to the persuasion of the mustachioed muzzle, because the health of the animal is higher than satisfying a momentary desire.
- There is no need to heat up your kitten's food, but you also shouldn't feed your kitten food that is too cold. The most optimal food temperature is room temperature.
- Change your kitten's water every day, and don't forget to wash the cup. It is better not to use detergents; running water is more than enough in this case.
- Even if the pet is already quite old (4-5 months), it can still grind especially large and coarse pieces of food.
In order for a kitten to live with you easily and carefree, it needs to be fed properly - this is one of the important components of the health and longevity of the animal.
Natural food
If you are going to accustom your kitten to homemade food, you must adhere to certain conditions. From a very young age, you need to add as many different foods as possible to your pet’s diet. If you don’t teach your child about certain foods in childhood, then most likely it will be very difficult to retrain him as he gets older. Therefore, try to offer different types of products. Otherwise, you risk turning your pet into a picky eater and thus not being able to give him adequate nutrition.
Basic Rules
Basic rules for feeding kittens with homemade food. It is better not to accustom your animal to handouts from the table.
- Firstly, we add a lot of spices to our food, but they only harm animals.
- Secondly, you will have an annoying beggar who will also steal from the table.
Don’t forget to buy your kitten healthy grass that stimulates digestion, serves as an additional source of vitamins and minerals, and promotes effective hair regurgitation. And if you wish, you can not buy anything at all and germinate wheat at home. In any case, do not forget about vitamins. If you have chosen natural food for your kitten, then supplements will definitely be needed.
Food basket for kittens
Let's look at the cat's “food basket” - what you can feed kittens from homemade food, that is, “natural food”. The first thing is meat, namely beef. A bird would also work. It is better to avoid pork; a kitten can easily overeat it out of habit; on top of everything else, it is a source of helminthiasis infection. If we talk about fish, there is nothing better than sea fish. You can get a lot of things from river fish. But even sea fish should be given infrequently - a couple of times a week is more than enough. For young creatures, the meat must be boiled, but older pets can eat it raw, but only in moderation.
What better way to feed a kitten than with milk; there is simply no dearer food for it. However, not every cat will drink cow's milk. In some animals, the stomach simply cannot tolerate it. In such cases, the baby can be given yogurt or other fermented milk product. The main thing is that its fat content is not too high. Another good product for a growing animal is cottage cheese. Small pets are given cottage cheese puree with yolk, milk, or all together. Few people will refuse such “mogol-mogol” and usually the kitten devolves it with great pleasure. You can also pamper your pet with rennet cheese and sour cream.
In order for an animal to develop fully, it requires fiber contained in products of plant origin - these are vegetables and cereals. To compensate for this need, the kitten needs to cook porridge. For the smallest kittens, on a milk basis, and for older animals on meat, chicken, and fish broths. Only legumes should be avoided, since it has already been mentioned that feeding legumes leads to bloating and constipation, and they are also poorly absorbed by the body. Meat and vegetables are added to porridges made with meat broths.
Don't forget that your baby should have 24/7 access to fresh water. This aspect is especially important when feeding dry food. After all, cats that consume store-bought food drink almost four times more water than animals that eat natural products. Change the water regularly, and wash the container underneath and scald it with hot water.
Ready-made feed
What ready-made food should I feed small kittens? And at what age can you do this? The popularity of ready-made pet food is increasing every day. But this is actually a convenient opportunity to feed kittens at home. The composition of purchased food includes important elements necessary for the kitten to grow fully. Each manufacturer offers food with its own specific characteristics. Some take the consumer at a price, others guarantee the quality of the product, while others offer a combined product with vitamins and minerals.
Since we are talking about small creatures, in this case you should choose a special direction of food - specifically for kittens. This is the food you need to start accustoming your pet to store-bought products. First of all, offer your pet canned food; you can gradually add dry food to it. And if desired, by gradually increasing the percentage of food to canned food, you can completely switch your pet to dry food. Let's talk about specific manufacturers of canned food for kittens and cats.
Bosch Sanabelle wet food
The product in this category belongs to super-premium food. They bring it to us from Germany. The distinctive features of the product are its perfectly balanced composition. Of the entire volume of the product, protein alone accounts for 35% and almost all protein is of animal origin. Bosch Sanabelle also contains almost 7% mineral additives.
Among the advantageous features we highlight:
- decent quality;
- no artificial additives;
- easy purchase option.
Disadvantages include the presence of maize and cellulose in the product, to which some kittens have an allergic reaction.
Hills food for kittens
Hills is another representative of the premium brand line.
Product advantages:
- vitamins and minerals included;
- ease of purchase.
Cons of Hills:
- the product contains a high content of carbohydrates, which are poorly absorbed by the kittens’ body;
- the composition is dominated by vegetable protein;
- allergenic food;
- a lot of liquid in the package.
ProPlan Junior
Proplan is a common type of premium kitten food. Pro Plan is a fairly common type of food for cats, so you can buy it in most stores that sell pet supplies.
The food has a lot of advantages:
- variety of species;
- the presence of natural meat in the recipe;
- there are prebiotics;
- balanced diet for kittens.
Among the minuses we highlight:
- the presence of preservatives in the product;
- the feed contains soy and corn;
- Vegetable protein predominates in the composition.
In any case, the choice of nutrition method is yours. The main thing is to immediately decide what and how much to feed the kitten, and what to give preference to – price or quality.
If we remember the good old cartoons, then all a noble and self-loving cat needs is sausages and milk. But we all understand that in reality everything looks different. And for a cat to be cheerful and healthy, it needs proper and balanced nutrition, this point is especially important for kittens.
We have already looked at what is liked and useful for babies of different ages, now it’s the turn of foods that should not be fed to kittens, or at least not recommended at all.
Products undesirable for kittens
This food cannot be called poisonous in itself, but if you feed it to your baby for a long time, this can, to one degree or another, negatively affect the pet’s health.
- Liver. If an animal is often fed liver, this will inevitably lead to an oversaturation of vitamin A and D, although if you pamper your pet with it from time to time, this will only benefit the animal.
- Economy class dry food. If we take a quality brand as a basis, then dry food is almost a panacea in the field of feeding an animal under certain conditions: on the road, when there is no free time, etc. But it is advisable to avoid low-quality products if possible.
- Bean porridge. It has already been mentioned about them - they provoke bloating and constipation. It’s worth mentioning potatoes right away, or rather the starch in potatoes – the cat’s body does not absorb it well.
- Fish – if you feed your pet only fish, it can contribute to the development of urolithiasis. Sometimes you can give fish, but sea fish is better. It is advisable not to feed small kittens under 1 month fish at all.
Dangerous foods for kittens
Food from this point can cause serious damage to the health of the baby, so feeding these products is strictly not recommended. What not to feed kittens:
- Smoked meats, pickles and other spicy and fatty foods. This food should not be in a kitten’s diet; there are many seasonings that can disrupt the baby’s intestinal flora and cause inflammation of the stomach.
- Raw meat. Raw meat can be given to adult kittens - from 5 months; for younger age groups, the meat needs to be boiled, and the smallest ones must also be twisted. The danger of raw meat is that it carries harmful microflora and helminths (worms).
Extremely dangerous products
If food from the previous category can cause trouble for the kitten, then at least you can deal with it at home, or with the help of a veterinarian. But the products listed below can lead to fatal consequences. Not always and not for everyone, but still.
- Sweets, especially chocolates. This is poison for a small kitten; the animal’s body is so unadapted to chocolate that it is dangerous even for an adult cat.
- It is dangerous to give bones to a small kitten, especially from fish or poultry. The structure of these bones is such that when chewed they split into sharp fragments. The baby’s teeth are still too weak to fully chew such a “gift.” And these fragments end up in the stomach. They can damage the esophagus and lead to bleeding.
- Medicines prescribed for people. Yes, there are probably several practical recommendations for caring for a kitten, in which the use of any medicine has a positive effect. But before using medicines for people in practice, consult your veterinarian about this.
- Expired products. Any food that has become unusable is a haven for myriads of pathogenic and putrefactive microorganisms. Believe me, such food will not lead to anything good.
In addition to the above-mentioned lists of products that can harm a pet, you need to make a small digression towards specific cat breeds. Genetic changes have resulted in the intolerance of a particular breed to a specific product. For example, the “Sphynx” cannot eat fatty foods at all, and the “Maine Coon” will not be happy with fish. In general, if you have a purebred kitten, then before you start feeding it at home, find out more about the culinary preferences of the breed.
Kitten feeding regimen
How many times a day should a kitten be fed at different stages of its life?
The baby you remember at 1 month is no longer there by the time you are a year old. This is a full-fledged adult animal and needs to be fed twice a day. The first time is better in the morning, closer to 9 am, and the second time at 6-9 pm.
Feeding standards
The easiest way to calculate the feeding rate is taking into account the initial weight of the kitten - this is up to 250 grams per kilogram of live weight. As an example, a kitten weighs one and a half kilos, which means it needs up to 375 grams of food per day. Moreover, if we talk about proper nutrition for kittens, then this standard should be divided into several subsections, where space is reserved for certain products: meat, vegetables, dairy products, etc. You should also find this kitten feeding chart useful.
Basic rules of care
Of course, you no longer notice the features of your home, but a new, unknown world, full of fears and smells, opens up for your kitten. Therefore, many kittens experience a real stressful feeling when moving to a new place of residence. And your task is to brighten up the first minutes and days in which the kitten will settle into the house.
There is no need to force your friendship on the kitten or introduce it to other family members. Believe me, when the time comes, the pet will take a step forward. The only thing you need to do is introduce the baby to the bowl, tray and bed.
At first, the bed will become the only stronghold in the kitten’s life, so try to make it as comfortable as possible. You can buy a bed for a kitten in an online store or in a specialized market, and if you don’t want to spend money, you can set up a mini den yourself. The most ordinary cardboard box is suitable for this purpose. Lay a few warm clothes inside it, and for the first time this will be enough. Place the box in a warm, draft-free place. Happy parenting!
When getting a kitten, most owners feed it the food that adult cats eat. But the nutrition of babies is different, since their stomach is not the same as that of adults. It is necessary to give kittens food that will be digested favorably. Proper nutrition for a kitten involves providing it with healthy food. You also need to follow the eating regimen.
Mode
You need to know when to introduce complementary foods and how often to feed kittens. Usually they are guided by the hungry look of the animal. But it is better to feed the baby 3-4 weeks after birth. By 4 weeks there will be a stable eating schedule.
How many times a day you need to feed the animal depends on its age:
- up to 2 weeks - 10 times a day;
- up to a month - 8 times;
- 1-2 months - 7 times;
- 2-3 months - 6 times;
- 4-5 months - 5 times;
- 5-9 months - 4 times;
- 9-12 months - 3 times.
From 1 year you can switch to a kitten. In the future, this will be enough for the animal to have good health. The body must receive the necessary substances.
How much food is given?
The amount of food should be calculated based on weight:
- 1 week - 30 ml per 100 g of animal;
- 2 weeks - 38 ml;
- 3 weeks - 48 ml;
- 4 weeks - 53 ml.
It turns out that depending on what he receives, he needs the amount of food he needs for full development. Measurement is important in this.
Required Products
Not only high-quality kitten care is important. Food must be age appropriate. Do not give your pet hot or cold food. It is advisable that it be at room temperature. The consistency of the food should be taken into account: the first portions should be given in a mushy form. You can prepare food using a blender and a regular grater.
What does proper kitten nutrition include? The diet should consist of:
- lean meat - raw, boiled, frozen, scalded;
- liver - once a week;
- porridge with meat and vegetables;
- vegetables - fresh and boiled;
- low-fat fermented milk products.
If the kitten is full, then it sleeps peacefully or sucks its mother's milk. But when animals around the mother squeak, this indicates that they need to be fed. You need to prepare a bottle with a nipple, a pipette and a special mixture.
What products are prohibited?
The kitten's diet should not include the following foods:
- dry and wet food;
- cow's milk;
- fatty fermented milk products;
- fish;
- salt, spices;
- sausage;
- potato;
- legumes;
- pork;
- sweets;
- flour.
Nutrition principles by month
Nutrition may vary depending on the age of the animal:
- 2-4 months. The pet can eat on its own. At this time, he is actively growing and his skeleton is forming. Your diet should include foods rich in vitamins and protein.
- 4-6 months. At this time, you need products that increase muscle mass. You can give meat, offal, cut into pieces. You also need fermented baked milk or low-fat yogurt.
- 6-10 months. Growth at this time is not so intense. From time to time you can give low-fat sea fish.
Scottish fold kittens
There are animals that require special food. These include Scottish Fold kittens. Their care and nutrition are unique. Animals will benefit from meat that should be lean and slightly cooked. When preparing it, you should not add salt or spices. Chicken breast is great. Scottish kittens also eat liver.
Meals should not consist of fish. If the kitten likes it, then you need to choose low-fat types of it - hake, pike perch, sea bass. What else should be included Several times a week they can be given low-fat cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir. Porridge with whole milk should be provided to pets for up to 5 months. Kittens definitely need egg yolk, which is mixed with cereals and vegetable purees.
It is important to adhere to these standards so that fold-eared kittens develop correctly. Care and nutrition must be appropriate for the breed. The diet may include porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat, rice. Vegetables are perfect for them - carrots, cauliflower, asparagus. The products are boiled and pureed.
Vitamins are also required for Scottish Fold kittens to feel normal. Care and nutrition should be carried out based on the recommendations of a veterinarian. He will recommend the best type of vitamins that can be bought in specialized stores. Pets love grass, so it is advisable to plant it in a pot at home.
There are also special foods that fold-eared kittens also eat. Care and nutrition must be complete, so you need to use dry food and canned food. These products contain the necessary components for proper development.
British breed
The British kitten also requires a special approach. His care and nutrition are unique. Owners can accustom their pet to a natural diet, but they will still need vitamin complexes that contain microelements. The type of supplement must be chosen by the veterinarian.
Animals of this breed eat lean boiled meat. Cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, and fermented baked milk with a low fat content are useful for them. Quail eggs and porridge are excellent. After birth, you can give porridge from semolina, oatmeal, and rice.
Only a varied diet will ensure that a British kitten is healthy. Care and nutrition are different from other breeds. The diet should include vegetables - spinach, kohlrabi, carrots, cauliflower. Chicken yolks are also good for them. Such nutrition will allow your pet to have good health.
Consequences of poor nutrition
A balanced diet is important. Due to an imbalance of beneficial components, serious health problems arise:
- Diabetes. There are individuals who have a genetic predisposition to this disease. Therefore, the disease can appear due to improper nutrition.
- Avitaminosis. With a lack of many components, health problems arise. For example, a lack of vitamin E causes deterioration in wool quality.
- Allergy.
- Poisoning.
Some foods (chocolate, onions, garlic) are considered poisonous for pets. They should only be given safe food.
Ready-made feed
There is a lot of controversy about what is better to choose for kittens - dry food or natural food. If the finished product contains all the minerals and vitamins, then it is perfect for your pet. This diet is beneficial, according to veterinarians.
Owners of kittens should consider the following rules:
- Natural feeding should not be mixed with dry food, as these foods are digested differently. Otherwise, various diseases may appear.
- If one food is present in the diet, then you should not change it to another, since each product has its own composition. There may be an imbalance when mixing.
- You should not choose mass market food for your pet. Only specialized high quality feed is needed.
- There is no need to salt the prepared product.
- If raw meat is given, it should be frozen in advance.
- Fish is prohibited for neutered pets.
- You should not feed your animal large pieces of food.
- Oil and fatty products are contraindicated.
- Raw fish contains worms, so it must be treated in advance.
- Canned foods are dangerous.
- Meat and fish should not contain bones.
- The diet should not contain pork.
Some owners, due to ignorance of the principles of feeding kittens, mix their food with industrial feed. But this cannot be done. If you can’t afford high-quality dry food, then it’s better not to use regular food. Cats need a balanced diet for good health and well-being.
What else do you need to know?
Kittens need 3 bowls: for water, dry and liquid food. The dishes should be comfortable and stable. Containers must be washed regularly. The animal should eat where it is most convenient for it.
