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Food For Thought™ Technical Bulletin No. 95R
Innovative Research in Dog and Cat Nutrition™ |
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Kittens Have Special Nutritional Needs
Kittens’ nutritional needs change as their bodies develop through the stages of rapid growth and adolescence. Proper nutrition during these critical growth periods helps kittens mature into strong, healthy adult cats.
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Rapid Growth Stage 2 - 6 Months
After kittens are weaned, they enter a stage of rapid growth which lasts through the sixth month of life. They need a balanced diet to deliver the nutrients and energy to sustain such rapid development.
Kittens have twice the energy needs and nutrient requirements of adult cats on a pound-per-pound basis. But their smaller mouths, teeth, and stomachs limit the amount of food that they can digest during a single meal. Therefore, it may be best to divide their daily amount to be fed into three or four meals.
Because every bite must be packed with nutrition, kittens require a diet that is specifically formulated for growth. The best choice is an animal-protein-based food that is highly digestible, nutrient dense, and designed to meet kittens’ unique nutritional needs.
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Adolescence Stage 6 - 12 Months
As kittens approach adult size, nutritional requirements begin to change again. The rate of growth begins to slow, activity levels may decline, and they can eat fewer, larger meals each day. During this stage, kittens begin to look like adults, but they are still growing and need the special nutrition found in kitten food.
(Energy is expressed as kcal ME/lb body weight)
The adolescent growth stage is a time when many cat owners are tempted to change a kitten’s food for variety. Cats do not become bored with a consistent diet of high-quality dry food, which can be supplemented with a nutrient-dense canned food for a nutritious change of pace.
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Changing from Kitten to Adult Cat Food
When the cat is around 12 months of age, switch to a maintenance formula adult cat food. At this age, cats no longer need the extra calories and nutrients for growth supplied by kitten food. Remember to make this change, like any other change in a cat’s diet, a gradual one over a period of several days.
Monitor the cat’s weight and body condition during the transition, and adjust feeding portions if necessary. Because they will generally eat only what they need, free-choice feeding is adequate for most cats. However, some indoor cats that don't exercise much may overeat if fed free choice. In this situation, portion-controlled feeding twice a day is a good alternative.
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Avoid Feeding Human Foods
Giving a kitten “human food” and table scraps can lead to undesirable behaviors like begging or stealing food. Feeding homemade diets, or food formulated for adult cats (especially those designed for weight loss), or supplementing a complete and balanced diet with vitamins can cause nutritional disorders.
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What Every Kitten Needs
Kittens and cats are strict carnivores and need the nutrients found in animal protein sources. For example, sufficient amounts of taurine (an essential amino acid provided naturally through animal-based protein sources) help cats maintain healthy eyes, heart, and reproductive system.
Kittens and cats must have plenty of fresh, clean water available at all times. Regular visits to the veterinarian help to keep kittens and cats happy and healthy.
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