How to feed a kitten? What to feed a kitten? These two questions are essential because the diet of a kitten is fundamental for its good health and its development.
And even if your kitten is not picky, that's no reason to give her anything to eat ...
In fact, if you want your little tomcat to grow without health problems, to be full of vitality and resilience, it is essential to give him a healthy and balanced diet.
Now remains to be seen what is meant by healthy and balanced food?
- What to feed my kitten?
- What diet at 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months and more?
- Pâtés, BARF food, homemade food or kitten food ?
- When to feed a kitten
- How Much Food to Give a Kitten?
- How many times to feed a kitten during the day?
If you are asking yourself all these questions, then my article below will interest you !!!
What to feed my kitten?
It all depends on the age of your kitten. Indeed, the diet that we must give to a kitten must correspond to its needs. However, his nutritional needs change with his age and kitten weight gain. Here's how to feed your kitten based on her age:
Kitten feeding less than 1 month
For a 2 or 3 week old kitten, check out my detailed article: How to feed a 2 week old baby cat.
1 month kitten diet
If your kitten has less than 6 weeks, you must give it some special kitten formula (see in more detail How to feed a 1 month old kitten). Never give him cow's milk because he will not tolerate it. See milk recommended for kittens under 6 weeks old.
When not separated from the mother, a kitten heads every 3 hours. So, to properly feed your kitten for a few weeks, you will need to give it the bottle every 3 hours in order to respect its natural rhythm. Then gradually his meals will be less frequent and given every 4 or 5 hours.
2 month kitten diet
Your kitten is growing and has very important needs for energy, proteins, calcium, vitamins ... So, after 6 weeks of age, the quantity of milk must decrease in order to introduce solid food. At this age, the kitten will start to eat special kitten food.
It will gradually be necessary to replace the milk with croquettes and thus wean your kitten. A kitten over one month old is ready for gradual weaning.
If your kitten has trouble eating kibble, you can moisten it with hot water to soften it a bit.
For more information on feeding a 2 month old kitten, read my more comprehensive article: What does a 2 month old kitten eat? et At what age does a kitten drink water?
Kitten feeding 3 months to 4 months
If your kitten is 2 to 4 months old, you can feed it with food in wet form such as mash, bites in sauces in special kitten sachets.
But, at this age, you can also get your kitten used to eating dry food. It is more practical because the quantities of the daily rations to give to your kitten are indicated on the bag of dry food. See Weight of a 3 month old kitten to know if it is well fed...
Feeding a kitten 4 months and older
If your kitten is over 4 months old, you can feed him 3 different ways:
- BARF kitten food;
- Household food or homemade food;
- Food in the form of kibbles or mash for kittens.
But to choose the best, most balanced, and healthiest diet for your kitten, you will first need to know the pros and cons of each (see below).
How to feed a kitten from 4 months old - BARF
The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet consists of giving your kitten food consisting mainly of raw meat and assorted pasta, rice and other starches or vegetables. Cats being carnivorous animals, according to feline specialists, meat is the food best suited to their organism, their physique but also their behavioral balance.
BARF kitten food
The BARF program recommends a daily portion of 40 to 50 grams per kilogram of the cat's weight depending on its level of physical activity. For example, for a young cat weighing 4 kg, the daily portion will be 200 grams while the daily portion for an older, less active cat will be only 150 g. The meals will be able to be divided into three times during the day.
More for kittens, the menus I recommend that you follow all the steps of the introduction to the BARF diet as described in the BARF guide below: https://barf-raw-feeding.fr/premiers-cru-chaton/
BARF for kittens - Disadvantages
Even if this type of food certainly has advantages, you should know that it is not without danger as a kitten. Indeed, a kitten which feeds on raw meat can have bacteriological problems if the quality of the supplied meat is not irreproachable (poisoning, salmonellosis or others…). In addition, this type of diet is rather difficult to adapt to the needs of kittens. Indeed, the nutritional balance is complicated to define in the meals that you are going to prepare for your kitten (quality of fatty, bony, lean, white, red meat… and portions of vegetables and food supplements).
To sum up, I think BARF feeding for a kitten is difficult to manage, quite expensive, and takes quite a long time to prepare.
How to feed a kitten naturally?
The principle of household food also called homemade food consists of cooking menus for your kitten with products or leftovers from your own diet (fish, vegetables, meat, etc.). See my article: How to feed a cat naturally?
Cooking meals for your kitten with good quality, natural food is the best way to feed a kitten naturally and healthily.
Homemade kitten meals
If you decide to feed your kitten with your own everyday food, it is necessary to respect a daily amount and a nutritional balance which will vary according to the age and weight of your kitten.
This is what is the most complicated is knowing precisely the needs of your kitten. However, you will need to know how to compose meals with the right proportion of proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins, minerals… and above all the right amount. As a result, you will need to weigh each ingredient and cook them appropriately to retain all their nutritional qualities.
Finally, do not forget that if you have accustomed your kitten to eat only homemade food, the day when you will not be able to feed it like this, if you will present it with kibble, it will not tolerate them… Think about it if one day you have to keep him during holidays or put him in boarding school for a few days ...
To prepare meals for your kitten with homemade food, you therefore need a good knowledge of diet and solid information on the needs of kittens. In addition, it is a mode of diet that is quite expensive and takes time ...
How to feed a kitten with croquettes?
Because in general, we don't have a lot of time or motivation to cook a full meal every day with meat, vegetables, cereals ... for your kitten, the croquettes are ideal because there is only dose the ration or pour into the kibble dispenser and the meal is served for the whole day (or more)!
Feeding your kitten with kibble allows to respect the good nutritional balance and the quantity adapted to its needs.
In addition, this type of food is the best guarantee for your kitten of the sanitary quality (no germs or bacteria).
Finally, the croquettes are practical because they are easy to store and keep well. In addition, it is indisputably the least expensive food of all!
The kibbles combine the practical, quick and easy side of meals with the requirements of rationing, balance and nutritional qualities that a kitten needs.
What kitten food?
To be sure to select quality kibble, best suited to your kitten's requirements, I advise you to prefer the veterinary brands or the mentioned Premium kibbles.
When you find the kibble for your kitten will love and tolerate well, it is better to avoid changing brands to avoid causing digestive problems. If you still have to change the kibble, you have to do it gradually by gradually introducing your new kibbles (mix 50% of the old + 50% of the new for 2 or 3 days).
Kittens do not eat just anything… In addition to the nutritional qualities that the kibble should have, it is better that their consistency and taste be appreciated by your kitten. Because yes, kittens must enjoy eating otherwise they will not hesitate to refuse food!
Personally, my little Mistee really appreciated the Advance brand below but it is not certain that these kibbles are appreciated by all kittens (it is according to the tastes…). It's up to you to check if they are suitable for your little cat!
How many times to feed a kitten?
Kittens enjoy and need to eat many times during the day. They have a tiny stomach but a big appetite!
If you opt for a kibble diet, you can feed your kitten at will. It will suffice to prepare for your kitten the daily portion recommended on the bag of kibble according to her age and put it in a kibble dispenser for the whole day. Remember to also leave fresh water available for the day.
If you opt for another diet (pâtés, BARF or homemade food), if you can, your best will be to give your kitten small amounts of food but several times a day.
Then gradually, try to go from 4 meals a day at a rate of 3 times a day.
And to continue, here is how do i know if my kitten is sick?
Your kitten is disturbed ... Here's how find out if your kitten has a fever.
Does he refuse to eat? Here is My kitten is not eating anymore, what to do?
Potty training, here is: Your cat urinates everywhere, what to do?
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