Food for kittens should take into account the formation of bone tissue, muscles, and fur of the animal. Therefore, it is important to know which kitten food is the best and to provide your baby with adequate nutrition.
All baby food is divided by age category. You should start with food intended for age group 1. It includes the age of fluffies up to 4 months. The second category is from 4 to 8 months, the third is from 8 months. up to 1 year.
Experts do not recommend feeding kittens the usual food that the family eats. For the growing body of the mustache, it is especially important to receive all the necessary substances that will have a beneficial effect on the development of the animal - the formation of the skeleton, the normal functioning of all internal organs, muscle tissue, and hair growth. Therefore, it is important to choose high-quality food for kittens.
Veterinarians recommend feeding growing babies special foods that are produced by all companies that produce food for cats.
Just like for adult cats, we produce a line of dry, wet food, and canned food.
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Why is it so important to choose the right diet for a kitten?
The growing body of a kitten needs an increased content of vitamins and minerals, which must be present in the diet.
A balanced diet is the main condition for the full development of the growing body.
Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as a vitamin and mineral complex are necessary for the functioning of vital organs and systems. But not only their content is important, but also their quantity, as well as the correct combination in the food composition.
For a growing baby, the ratio of phosphorus, vitamin D3 and potassium is most important, since a deficiency of these components in the diet negatively affects the formation and functionality of bone tissue and joints.
The digestive system develops as the animal grows. Therefore, until the 5th week, he does not produce an enzyme that helps break down starch. An excess of this component provokes the development of diarrhea.
The health of the baby depends on a properly formulated diet. In this case, the choice of nutritional mixtures should be made depending on the age and needs of the growing animal.
Orijen
Canadian-made food is suitable for kittens and adult cats. The diet satisfies all the biological needs of a growing organism. 85% of it consists of proteins obtained from poultry meat raised free-range in environmental conditions. In addition, the composition contains fish meat and whole eggs, flounder, sardines, herring, fruits and vegetables, and various phyto-components. No odor enhancers or preservatives. Omega-3 fatty acids are an excellent source of nutrients for your pet's healthy skin and beautiful coat. The balance of minerals, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus strengthens the immune and nervous systems. The composition also contains dried lavender flowers - they improve the blood circulation of kittens, act as an anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant component, and act as a diuretic. Vitamin P stabilizes intestinal function, and marshmallow root fights gastrointestinal problems. Calcium, phosphorus and carbohydrate levels are balanced.
ADVANTAGES: Phyto-components help remove toxins from the body of kittens and improve metabolism. There are only good reviews about the food.
DISADVANTAGES: High price. Some kittens, due to individual preferences, refuse food.
What to feed a kitten up to 1 month?
Ideal food for pets up to 1 month old. is mother's milk, but in the absence of a nursing cat, you need to choose a diet that replaces it as much as possible in terms of nutritional value.
To feed kittens of this age, you should use ingredients similar to milk. They are sold in veterinarians and pet stores.
You can prepare them yourself; to do this, you need to combine the following components:
- goat or cow's milk - 4 parts;
- egg white - 1 part.
It is allowed to use infant formula for feeding, but reduce its concentration by 2 times from that indicated on the package.
At the age of 2 weeks, the pet should be accustomed to an adult diet. In this case, the consistency of the food should be made liquid.
Important! The introduction of new components does not cancel the use of formula, which replaces mother's milk.
The principle of adding new components to the diet depends on the further nutritional option. When choosing natural ingredients, it is allowed to feed children with canned meat and beef pate, depending on age. It is also recommended to introduce low-fat cottage cheese, egg whites, ground boiled buckwheat, and oatmeal.
Be sure to read:
The best cat foods according to veterinarians for 2022
In the case of further use of industrial nutritional mixtures, complementary feeding should be carried out with mousse, pate or dry food for kittens, having previously diluted them to a liquid consistency.
What is the best food for kittens?
When choosing, you should carefully study the label of the proposed product. It must contain components for the full development of the animal.
The first line should indicate the protein content - at least 25%, as well as its source (fish, liver, type of meat), and not just a general phrase. The presence of vitamins A, C, E, taurine, fatty acids and arachidonic acid is important.
Attention! It is recommended to purchase food for a sick animal only on the recommendation of a veterinarian and depending on the type of disease.
Nutrient mixtures are available for sale in a wide range and different classes, differing in composition, beneficial properties and cost. To decide which food product is better, you need to consider all types separately.
Economy class
The digestibility of such food is 30-50%, which is not enough for a growing animal. This type of food is a kind of cat “fast food”, which is suitable for a light snack and satisfying the primary feeling of hunger, but it should not be used as the main food.
This class contains beneficial substances in minimal quantities. Its basis is by-products, grains, soybeans, flavor enhancers, food additives, and dyes. There is no meat or fish in economy class.
At the same time, you should not focus on the pet’s taste, since animals often willingly eat it. This can be explained by the presence of flavor enhancers that mask harmful qualities. Regular use of economy class formulations leads to serious health complications.
Main manufacturers:
- Whiskas;
- Friskies;
- Felix;
- Doctor Zoo;
- Kitiket;
- Darling.
Cost - from 115 rubles per 1 kg.
Premium class
Premium food for cats
This category of food contains meat and fish, but in combination with offal, cartilage and vegetable protein. Manufacturers also use vitamin and mineral complexes, which significantly improves quality compared to economy class.
In this case, the harm to the baby’s growing body is insignificant, so products of this class are in high demand among consumers. Their use allows you to reduce the daily requirement due to increased nutritional value.
The quality depends on the presence of wheat, corn grits, and rice in the composition, which impair the functionality of the digestive organs. When purchasing, you should choose a manufacturer who does not use them in production.
Cost - from 430 rubles per 1 kg.
Be sure to read:
Proplan or Royal Canin: which food is better for cats, comparison, how to choose the best
Manufacturers:
- Royal Canin;
- Bozita;
- Nutra Gold;
- Cimiao;
- Pro Plan;
- Hill's.
Super premium class
This category is characterized by a completely balanced composition of the product. It contains meat, fish and the whole range of useful components for the full development of a small pet.
Super premium food
The production does not use soy, dangerous carcinogens, grains or vegetable protein. Thanks to this, this product helps strengthen the immune system and improve the coat.
The composition also contains substances that help remove hair that enters the stomach during hygiene procedures.
In super-premium mixtures you cannot find components not listed in the composition, since the manufacturer strictly monitors the quality and reputation of the brand.
Having spent money, a person knows for sure that his pet will receive high-quality food that will contribute to its full development.
Cost - from 520 rubles per 1 kg.
Manufacturers:
- Nutram;
- Brit Care;
- Summit;
- Leonardo.
Holistics
Holistics for cats
This is a professional line of products that has the highest rating. It is characterized by the naturalness of all ingredients, the balance of the vitamin and mineral complex in ideal proportions depending on the age of the animal.
Due to the complete absence of preservatives, taste and smell enhancers, your pet may not immediately get used to this diet. It is necessary to gradually introduce holistic into the diet, replacing it with cheaper analogues.
Important! Due to the high cost, holistic is mainly used for show cats and when breeding purebred kittens in a professional nursery.
Digestibility is 80-90%, which allows you to compensate for the money spent by reducing the daily dosage.
Cost - from 730 rubles per 1 kg.
Manufacturers:
- Go Natural;
- Grandorf;
- Farmina N&D;
- Acana;
- Carnilove.
It is not always possible to find a holistic product on the market, but by purchasing it, you can be sure that the baby will receive all the necessary substances for its development in an accessible form.
Owners' opinion
Which food for kittens is best suited and provides complete nutrition depends on the financial capabilities of the owner and the characteristics of the baby. Many owners advocate premium and super-premium products. This food is enriched with essential elements and minerals for the kitten’s health.
Economy options can also have a high-quality composition, but it is not always complete.
Important! When choosing cheaper food, you need to buy vitamins separately for it.
Premium food is the most common category today. When choosing, you should rely on the composition, on which the cat’s future health depends. The fewer artificial components it contains, the better for your pet.
Can a kitten eat adult cat food?
The division of feed into age categories is not without reason. This is due to different needs at different stages of development. Formulas for adults are absolutely not suitable for babies, because they do not contain the necessary complex of minerals and vitamins for the formation of bones and the development of internal organs.
Be sure to read:
Comparison of cat food of different classes: what should be included, analysis of dry and wet food,
There is also no sufficient amount of carbohydrates that affect activity. This results in the kitten not getting the required amount of calories.
You need to start introducing foods for adults from 4 months , doing this gradually in small portions. Earlier administration can harm the functionality of the digestive organs, which will negatively affect the pet’s well-being.
Pros and cons of natural food
Natural foods are considered more common, but this does not mean that your pet should only eat raw meat. His diet should also include vegetables, grains, fish, dairy products, and eggs.
You need to prepare food daily. Natural food that is healthy for humans is not always suitable for a pet, so before switching to such food, you should familiarize yourself with its pros and cons.
The main advantages of “natural”:
- only fresh natural ingredients are used;
- the high moisture content of food prevents thirst;
- it is as close as possible to the pet’s natural food.
This type of nutrition also has disadvantages:
- the complexity of the preparation process;
- you should create a menu, calculating the amount of healthy ingredients;
- irregular bowel movements in cats;
- a properly balanced natural mixture costs much more than an industrial one;
- the need for daily preparation;
- You need to additionally introduce a vitamin-mineral complex, depending on the time of year.
Let's sum it up
Each owner chooses food independently, based on the needs of the pet. Therefore, you should follow these recommendations when providing a complete diet to your kitten:
- Mother's milk. This is the main component of the diet of a baby up to 3 months. In addition to proteins, it contains bacteria necessary for the digestion of “adult” food.
- Lure. It is introduced at 1 month; you can gradually switch to adult food starting from six months.
- Feed. It is better to choose high-quality balanced food with a high meat content (for example, holistic or super-premium).
- Age and breed. You need to carefully read the age recommendations and instructions on the number of feedings per day on the packaging. There are special diets for individual breeds.
It is better to place the bowl on a low stand so that the baby does not mistakenly use it as a toilet or toy. There should always be clean, fresh water in a separate container, which should be changed daily.
