The appearance of a small kitten in the house is a big responsibility for his “parents”. Now it’s up to you, and not the cat-mother, to make sure that the baby grows strong and healthy. The fastest and most convenient feeding method is dry granules. It is enough just to pour them into a bowl - and your kitten will be full throughout the day.
Today we will talk about whether the kitten can be “dried” and at what age it is possible to feed the kitten with dry food. Are all feeds suitable for kittens and how to choose the best?
Can kittens dry food
Today, shelves of pet stores are simply clogged with a variety of feeds. Here you can find options for every taste and budget. A separate line is dry food for kittens. At what age should fluffies offer such a product? How safe is it?
Many veterinarians claim that kittens should not be "dried" for up to 1.5–2 months. The ventricle of a cat child is simply not able to cope with such a load. Therefore, "crackers" baby can be given no earlier than three months of age.
Regarding the age at which a kitten can dry food, there are other opinions. If you believe these experts, it turns out that you can give such food as soon as the baby learns to eat independently. As an argument, the fact is given that a special food is developed for small kittens. Firstly, it is very small. And secondly, it contains a large number of useful substances. To get the same amount of “usefulness” from natural food, the kitten will have to eat a lot. And this is just physically impossible.
Therefore, whether you buy dry food for kittens, and at what age to do this, you have to decide for yourself.
How to prepare a kitten's stomach
If you nevertheless decided that you cannot do without “crackers,” you will have to spend a little time on your pet. The stomach of a kitten at such a young age is simply not able to cope with such a load. Therefore, it must be trained.
Buy special low-lactose milk for kittens in a specialty store and soak a little dry food for babies in it. If no milk is found, a non-greasy broth, kefir and just boiled water are suitable. Add a little ground meat to the resulting mixture. Just a teaspoon is enough.
Food should not just be poured with liquid until a “soup” is obtained. It is necessary to wait until the pieces swell. Using a fork, grind the contents of the bowl into a smoothie. The kitten’s stomach is very tender and the sharp edges of the granules can injure him.
Already closer to two months, the proportions of the mixture must be changed. Add less and less fluids every week. Yes and softer foods, such as chicken paste, you can add a little.
Kittens 3-5 months
And at what age are kittens given dry food in its purest form? It is worth starting to do this no earlier than the fluffy turns 3–3.5 months. Choosing for feeding is necessary exclusively dry food for kittens. From what age you can give "crackers" of a particular brand, most often it is written on the package.
In order not to conduct experiments on a delicate cat’s stomach, try to immediately determine what kind of food you are going to acquire later. It is with this brand and start complementary foods.
A kitten of this age is not yet able to independently determine the degree of saturation. Therefore, do not exceed the feeding standards specified by the manufacturer. Be sure to ensure free access to clean drinking water.
At the age of six months, the teeth of a grown up baby change. Therefore, "crackers" in this short time can be especially useful. Toddlers will gnaw hard, dry pieces, and temporary teeth will fall out faster.
Together with granules, a kitten at this time is very useful to give cottage cheese, boiled chicken and lean meat. Note! “Together” does not mean “at the same time”! Each meal should contain one thing: either “crackers,” or natural food.
From six months to a year
Kittens from six months to a year still continue to grow. And for them it is no longer necessary to purchase special dry food for kittens. At what age should I switch to the usual "adult" counterparts? Not earlier than a kitten all teeth will change. That is, at least from 6-7 months.
Feline teens can be fed the same way as adult cats. But until the animal is one year old, not only dry food should be present in the diet. It is very important to feed the cat meat, fish, cottage cheese, vegetables and fruits. But to give whole milk is not recommended. This may result in an upset stomach.
Rules for feeding kittens
At what age are kittens given dry food? Reviews and opinions on this difficult issue are so diverse that you can not imagine who to believe. If we assume that a conscientious manufacturer put everything that is mentioned in the advertisement into a tin or bag of ready-made food, there is nothing terrible in “drying”. On the contrary, it is incredibly convenient. But are you sure you believe advertising?
If you decide to feed the kitten with “crackers,” pay attention to a few simple but mandatory rules.
Remember, either-or! This means that you can’t mix natural food and dry pieces. Never, under any circumstances! Store food and bag food are digested in different ways. The stomach copes with the first itself, and a large amount of liquid is needed to digest the second. The kitten’s stomach and intestines simply won’t know how to work. As a result, you run the risk of getting coprostasis or gastroenteritis. Before giving a kitten a dry food, make sure that he ate the “natural” at least 3 hours ago.
Do not feed your animal with mass-market products. These are cheap feeds that are sold at the nearest supermarket. This is the same as if you constantly fed your own child hot dogs and hamburgers. Get feed of the highest class. Such food is unlikely to save your money, but it will protect your pet's health from various diseases.
Do not experiment with your furry friend. Choose your feed brand once and for all. Mixing the feed of different brands, you will get an unimaginable “blend”. Using this method of feeding, you run the risk of imbalance in the body of the animal. Exceeding the norm of calcium or, for example, amino acids, will not bring your pet anything good.
How to choose dry food for a “cat”
There is only one option when you can feed a kitten with dry food. Products must be extra premium. If you think that feeding your pussy with “crackers” is cheap and not particularly troublesome, you are mistaken. Good food is very expensive. Even if you purchase not too budgetary turkey poultry for feeding an animal, it will still come out cheaper.
To determine the quality of the purchased feed, look at the label. The first five ingredients indicated in the composition should be natural products. Even feeds such as the well-known Royal Canin are not preferred. Of course, there will be no harm from them. But your kitten will not receive proper nutrition.
There is an opinion that feeding a kitten with natural products takes too much time. This is completely wrong. Perhaps at first it will really be difficult for you. But by the end of the first month, everything will surely improve and ensuring proper nutrition for your pet will not take so much time.
Have you decided to focus on packaged feed? Try these:
- Hill`s Science Plan Puppy & Kitten.
- Orijen Cat-Kitten Formula.
- Eukanuba Puppy & Junior Small Breed.
- Chicken Soup Kitten Formula.
- Royal Canin Size nutrition Mini Junior.
Most of the ingredients in these feeds are truly natural. Your kitten will receive all the necessary minerals and vitamins.
There is also a list of “crackers,” which kittens should never be fed. Undesirable trademarks include:
- "Whiskas."
- Katinka.
- Kitty Cat.
- Friskas and some others.
Acana
This food belongs to the super-premium class. An excellent, fully balanced diet for your pet. The granules include meat components, fresh chicken eggs, seaweed, fruits, vegetables, proteins, polyunsaturated fats and proteins.
Pros:
- a complete rejection of various dyes and harmful additives;
- no grain and corn;
- balanced diet.
Minuses:
- not too much variety of taste options (chicken, lamb, fish);
- there are no preventive formulations in the lineup.
Royal canin
The products of this company are a good and not too expensive substitute for the natural feeding of a kitten. We can say that this is a good option. The most popular "medical" line. The granules are well balanced, able to take into account the nutritional characteristics of some diseases. Can be used for kittens from 4 months.
Advantages of feed:
- quite affordable cost;
- wide selection of flavors;
- the presence of a veterinary line;
- often found on sale.
Negative properties:
- not perfect quality;
- controversial composition.
Whether or not to feed the kitten with dry food is up to you. The main thing in this matter is to approach the choice responsibly. Do not skimp, because the health and longevity of your pet depend on this!