	Cat Breeds
	Cat Names
	Mating and Pregnancy
	Raising A Kitten
	Cat Food and Nutrition
	Cat Health
	Cat Care
	Cat Humor
	Cat Gallery
	Cat Horoscopes
	History and Famous Cats
	Cat Links

Kitten's Food

Kittens grow rapidly and require higher levels of energy and nutrients, up to 3 - 4 times the amount needed by an adult cat. They need extra protein and just the right amount of vitamins and minerals for strong bones and teeth.

Kittens should be offered as much food as they like at each meal to ensure they have an adequate intake of nutrients - they are unlikely to overeat at this stage in their life. Kittens vary in their individual requirements and some grow at a faster than others. They will generally eat enough to satisfy their needs within 20 minutes or so - after this remove any uneaten portions and replace with fresh food at the next meal.

Premium growth diets are specifically designed for kittens and are the best way to ensure your kitten receives the right amount of protein, fat, vitamins and minerals in the correct proportions for growth. Dry and canned varieties are available and kittens can be fed a mixture according to feeding guidelines on the label. Kittens can be started on canned food or moistened biscuits from 3 - 4 weeks of age while still on their mother and should be fully weaned by 6 - 8 weeks old. Kittens need be fed at least 3 times day until they are 4 - 5 months old, then gradually reduce to 2 feeds a day by the time they are 8 - 9 months old.

While a newborn kitten has a digestive tract suited to the digestion of milk, her digestive capacities will evolve to a state where she can no longer digest lactose (milk sugar) when adult. For proper growth, she needs balanced quantities of proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the form of a type of food that suits the physiological and digestive characteristics of the feline species.

Quality of Food

-	Cat	Man	Effect on the cat's behaviour
Number of olfactory cells	60 to 65 millions	5 to 20 millions	Very senesitive to smells
Number of taste buds	500	9 000	Fairly insensitive to diffferent tastes
Weight ratio of the digestive system	2,8 to 3,5 %	10%	Low digestive capacity

Kittens have very special feeding needs to consider. For their growth and health they need a diet of high-energy cat food. Because kittens grow and develop at a fast rate, it is essential to provide them with adequate nutrients to ensure that this development occurs. By paying close attention to your kitten's nutrient intake, you have a better chance of raising a healthy and happy kitten.

Kittens should be monitored during feeding. If you have more than one, it may be necessary to feed them separately to ensure that they all get enough to eat. Kittens' smaller mouths, teeth and stomachs limit the amount of cat food that they can digest during a single meal. It may be best to divide their daily amount to be fed into three or four meals.
So when do you switch to adult cat food? Your kitten enters adolescence around six months, yet is still growing and needs the special nutrition found in kitten food. However, as the rate of growth begins to decline, your kitten is able to eat fewer, larger meals each day. Around 12 months, you may switch to adult cat food. You can help ease the transition by gradually introducing the adult food.

Home-made food

This is food prepared from home-cooked ingredients such as meat, rice and vegetables. While you can easily control the quality of ingredients, you can never be entirely sure of its nutritional balance, nor provide sufficient quantities of all the nutriments that your kitten needs for growth, such as minerals and vitamins.

Never just meat alone

Although it is a strict carnivore, a cat living wild does not just eat the muscles, flesh or liver of its prey. She also ingests bones and entrails, and as the prey animals are often herbivores or omnivores, her diet is fairly balanced as a result. Home prepared food is also far more expensive on a daily basis than commercially manufactured food, highly perishable and time consuming to prepare.

Commercial food

The main advantage of these foods is the certainty of giving your kitten all the elements necessary for harmonious, steady, growth and development. They are prepared carefully, using the same ingredients and complying with the same health rules as human food, and tend to be very much appreciated by kittens. There are two other key benefits of a high quality commercial food, firstly the far lower cost per meal than with home made foods, and secondly the convenience factor.

Food transition

Any sudden change in the type of food may provoke digestive problems (eg soft stools, diarrhoea). Change the food gradually over a week, mixing the new food with the old until and increasing the proportion of the new until it reaches 100%.

Feeding table scraps must be avoided if you want to maintain your kitten's good health. Another side effect is that your cat will then identify your meals with her own food and will beg continually while you are cooking or eating.

Wet foods (cans or packs)

Containing on average 80 % water, wet foods are given in rations of 300 to 400 grammes a day.

Dry foods (kibbles)

Dry foods contain less than 14 % water, usually 8 to 10 %. With highly concentrated nutritious ingredients, they are very economical and extremely practical. 40 to 90 grammes a day are enough for your growing kitten. Kittens like dry foods, because they like to nibble and eat their meals in several small helpings throughout the day. Kibbles are ideal for this eating behaviour, as they remain fresh and crunchy in the bowl all day. Dry foods are also easy to store (no need to put them in the fridge, a cool dry place is ideal) and simple to measure out. You are advised to comply with the daily quantities recommended on bags in order to avoid any possibility of over or under feeding which could affect the kitten's proper development.

Tips on feeding your kitten

Serve cat food at room temperature - warm food smells better
Any changes in diet need to be made gradually over 3 - 4 days to avoid digestive upsets
Don't disturb your kitten while feeding
Place feeding and drinking bowls in a quiet place and keep them clean
Always have a fresh supply of water available
Use a high quality food designed for kittens - supplements won't be required
All-meat diets are inappropriate for kittens and cause bone deformities
Dog or puppy food is not suitable for kittens - they have different requirements
Milk can be fed but dilute with water first - some cats are lactose intolerant
Train your kitten to chew on bones to help keep the teeth clean as an adult cat - start with raw chicken wing tips, and progress to the whole wing and chicken necks