How Can I Prevent My Kitten From Eating My Older Cats Food
When you have an older cat, raising a kitten presents a number of obstacles, one of which is the feeding process. Use the method below if you want to prevent a kitten from eating an older cats food:
- Establish a Feeding Routine
Having a regular mealtime routine is essential whether youre feeding an adult cat, a kitten, or both. While a predictable life with a daily routine may not be your ideal situation, it is ideal for cats. Knowing when theyll be fed gives them a sense of security.
Meals become the days central event, around which other activities are built. A feeding regimen helps your cat survive when there are changes in the home.
A routine may be adequate to keep the hungry kitten under control for some, but if the kitten likes the older cats food, separating them is the best option.
Also keep older cats alone in a separate room with their bowl for much longer. This is a fantastic opportunity for both cats to eat without fear of food theft, fighting, or stress.
Keep a watch on them until the younger cat has matured enough to eat the same kibble and wet food as your older feline friend!
- Organize a Feeding Station
This is an excellent solution for kittens and cats who are shy about feeding, particularly strays who may need to feel entirely safe in order to eat.
Opt to use the Kittens carrier place to feed them, so they can have their meal without the fear of theft by an older cat.
How To Feed Your Little Kitty
Kitten food is specially formulated with high levels of protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and iron to help build strong bones and teeth. It also contains more of the vitamins C and E to support your kittys immune systems.
When youre on the hunt to find the best kitten food, look for options that have been certified by the Association of American Feed Control Officials . This means your kittens food is formulated to meet the organizations standards. And it will include the appropriate nutrients for their age.
Best For Weaning Kittens: Royal Canin Mother & Babycat Canned Wet Cat Food
Amazon
Ingredients: Water sufficient for processing, chicken, chicken liver, pork by-products, wheat gluten, powdered cellulose, modified corn starch | Calories: 133 kcal/can | Protein: 9% min.
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Come in different can and case sizes
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Higher calories per can
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Contains corn, wheat, yeast, and rice ingredients that may not be suitable for all kittens
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Usually over $1.50/can
Kittens who are weaning are new to the experience of chewing their food, so youll want to offer something that doesnt take much effort. Royal Canins Mother & Babycat formula is a mousse that is super soft and designed specifically for weaning kittens. Royal Canin has a long history of making high-quality pet foods, and this wet food is also well-accepted by tiny kittens. Since the only other experience they have with food is sucking milk from their mother or a bottle, kittens can be messy eaters when they start eating something else.
Because of this, Dr. Blackburn recommends feeding weaning kittens in a large, easily cleaned area and offering the canned food on a very large, shallow plate/flat surface. “They tend to be messy eaters and explore foods by walking in them and grooming said food off their paws, etc, she says.
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How Much Wet Food To Feed Your New Kitten
Once kittens are weaned, wet food may be more appropriate than dry food for a while, as their teeth may not be ready for kibble yet, according to WebMD. The ASPCA says you can start feeding kittens kibble as supplemental to their mothers milk as early as five to six weeks old. Both wet food and dry food are appropriate for older kittens and adult cats.
The fact that its wet food is a giveaway, but wet food has more hydration properties than dry food. If you feed your adult cat dry food, youll want to make sure they have plenty of access to a regularly refreshed and refilled water bowl.
As far as how much wet food to feet your new kitten, youll need to read the label on your kitten food. For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as theyll eat in three or four daily feedings until theyre 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks. And from 31-52 weeks, about ¼ can of food per pound of body weight. After that, you can start looking at adult foods.
Switching different flavored foods is useful when your pet is still a kitten, so cats dont develop an unshakeable preference for one flavor. WebMd vet suggests swapping foods regularly when your cat is still a kitten, but being careful not to mix the old food and new food. If your cat doesnt like the new food and theyre mixed, they could end up not liking either food.
How To Mix Gruel
Small batch : ½ can of wet kitten food mixed with ¼ can of formula .
Large batch: Whisk 8 cans wet kitten food with 4 cans of fresh, warm formula . At this age, kittens like their food a little lumpy so they can chew.
Note: Substitute the warm water for formula in gruel for kittens 5 weeks and older.
Helpful tips when using gruel:
- When introducing kittens to gruel, put gruel in a flat dish and place kittens near the dish. If they do not start to eat on their own after a few minutes, use tongue depressor or spoon to scoop gruel into kittens mouth. You may have to open their mouth and put a little in. You can also put a little gruel on their nose and see if they will lick it off. Sometimes the kittens need to adjust to the new taste.
- Once kitten starts to eat gruel off the spoon or tongue depressor , slowly start to lower it towards the dish of gruel. The kittens should easily transition from the spoon or depressor to the dish .
- During the weaning process, kittens still need to be bottle-fed three times per day to ensure they are receiving proper nutrients.
Recommended Reading: When Do Kittens Eat Cat Food
The Best Of Both Worlds
To avoid picky eating habits later in life, offer kittens both dry food and wet food.
If youre torn about whether to feed your cat dry food or wet food, consider offering both. You might serve one meal of dry food in the morning before you leave for work, then offer wet food in the evening once you return home. Or, if your cat tends to eat her food all at once, mix the two types together. Any amount of wet food can boost your cats overall diet with extra water and protein.
If you have a kitten, offer dry and wet food early on. Cats usually develop preferences for taste and texture early in kittenhood. If your kitten eats only dry food, she might turn her nose up at wet food in the future .
Also Read: The 8 Best Kitten Foods
For all cats, always offer plenty of fresh, clean water.
Ask your veterinarian for advice if you are still wondering about the best food for your cat, especially if your cat has specific health issues like kidney disease or diabetes.
Dry Cat Food Drawbacks
Studies have shown a correlation between obesity and feeding dry cat food. This could be because a lot of cats that eat dry food are often free-fed, and owners do not realize how much their cats are actually eating in a day.
It can also cause the opposite problem because its hard to notice that your cat is not eating when they are free-fed. The amount your cat eats in a day should be monitored or measured out for both reasons.
Older cats with dental disease or those who have had some of their teeth removed may also have a harder time chewing dry food.
Recommended Reading: How To Keep Cats Off Counters
What To Feed Kittens
Choosing the right foods for kittens is essential for promoting healthy growth and development. Kittens should have a different diet from adult and senior cats because they have specific nutritional requirements. Providing a nutritious, tailored diet for your kitten will maximize the chances of them developing into a healthy, active adult.
Chicken And Cranberry Cat Treats
Cranberries are thought to help reduce the risk of UTIs by lowering the urinary pH levels and preventing bacteria from sticking to the system. Hence, adding some cranberries to a cat treat recipe can not only brighten your cats day but may also help to keep UTI at bay!
Prep time: 20 minutes
- 1 heaping tablespoon dried catnip
- 1 large egg
Recipe Instructions:
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Getting On A Schedule With Your Kitten
Whether this is your first kitten or one of many youve had in a lifetime, teaching your kitten that meals are always coming is a vital part of good eating habits. Your kitten is doing a lot in those first few years, so a regular feeding schedule is going to do a lot of good.
Work with your veterinarian to watch your cats growth and weight closely in those first few months. Early nutrition develops into a lifetime of health and well-being, so ensure that your cat has what he needs to be healthy and strong from the beginning.
Adapt to your growing kittens nutritional needs and be consistent. The most critical piece of this puzzle is a continual dedication to your kittens health. With that in place, your kitten should grow up happy.
Editors’ Recommendations
Why Should You Switch To Adult Cat Food Once The Kitten Grows Up
Kittens have a fast rate of growth and development, as well as being lively and energetic. Kitten food has additional calories, protein, and fat to sustain active, developing kittens.
It also contains DHA, which aids with brain and visual development, as well as vitamins and minerals for their growing immune systems.
Cats dont require the same amounts of those nutrients until they reach adulthood. Furthermore, because cats are frequently less energetic, feeding them high-calorie kitten food may result in weight gain.
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Is It Bad If My Cat Won’t Eat Wet Food
Wet and dry food have different pros and cons, so many people opt for a mixture of both. Many cats live long, healthy lives eating solely dry food. Dry food is convenient, useful for cats that graze, and can prevent boredom when fed through puzzle feeders. It also tends to be higher in calories, so can be useful for underweight cats, or cats who need higher calories.
Wet food is great for increasing water intake, making it beneficial for cats prone to urinary issues or constipation. It is also a good option for overweight cats. If you think your cat would benefit from a wet food diet but they wont eat it, and youve tried our tips below, then speak with your veterinary team for advice.
Do Kittens Need Wet And Dry Food
Both wet food and dry food are suitable for kittens. However, if youre feeding a wet food diet, youll need to feed your kittens small meals throughout the day to ensure their needs are met. Free-feeding your kittens dry food allows them to eat as often as they want during the day, making it more likely theyll receive adequate nutrition. Dry food also helps maintain the health of your kittens teeth and gums. Whether you feed your kittens a combination of wet and dry food, or you decide to stick with dry food only, its important to feed your new fur babies a specially formulated diet just for kittens.
Kitten food is packed with essential nutrients and minerals to help your little ones grow up healthy and strong. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they require meat to survive. Kittens need even more protein than adult cats. They also require amino acids like lysine, methionine, and arginine during the early stages of development. While adult cats require fat, they dont require as much as young kittens. Fatty acids are essential to support your kittens during the numerous growth spurts theyll have in the first year of life.
Read Also: How To Tell Male Or Female Cat
What Do Kittens Need To Eat
Once kittens are weaned off milk by their mothers, they start to enjoy a more varied diet. If youre wondering what to feed kittens or what kittens eat, its wise to search for products that are specially formulated for young cats and to opt for high-quality foods that are packed with essential nutrients. Kittens need a balanced diet rich in protein for growth and development and increasing energy levels, calcium to develop healthy, strong teeth and bones and DHA to promote brain development and vision.
How Much Wet Food Should You Feed Your New Kitten
- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Kittens are too sweet for words. We love their little meows, their playfulness, the way their tiny little claws cling to us when we scratch their bellies. Speaking of their belliesits important to feed our kittens right, and that can feel complicated to do. Especially when it comes to wet food.
How much wet food should you feed your new kitten? We set out to answer that question and give you some other important knowledge when it comes to keeping your kitty healthy.
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Healthy Kitten Growth Rate
A general rule of thumb in kittens is that they typically gain about 1 pound per month.
Often, a kittens weight is about 1 pound at 1 month , 2 pounds at 2 months , and so on until about 4-5 months.
Kittens do most of their growing within the first year and then stabilize from there. Many of the growth plates of the bones in the kitten skeleton close by about one year old.
At this time, after much of the growth is finished, your vet will typically switch your kitten to an adult diet.
Getting The Right Kitten Food
Kittens have very different nutritional needs compared to adult or senior cats. With that in mind, its important to purchase food that has been specially formulated for a kitten .
In particular, kitten food should have everything they need to help them grow well, including of course plenty of meat. Canned food also has the advantage of being lower on carbohydrates compared to dry food which means your kitten will have less risk of becoming obese.
If you are trying out a kitten food, monitor your kitten for a few days to make sure that he isnt going to have an allergic reaction to it. Sometimes you have to juggle brands and flavor to find ones that your kitten likes and can handle and will eat. And dont fall prey to assumptions!
The cat I had when I was growing up was allergic to all brands of food except for one or two and they couldnt have any fish in them and my current cat loathes seafood and doesnt care for chicken and so will only eat beef wet food and dry food that is of the grilled flavor variety!
What sort of ingredients should you look for in high-quality kitten food?
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Podcast: Why Cats Should Eat Wet Food
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There is no shortage of cat food options to choose from, but plenty of reasons to choose one over another.
On today’s show, Dr. J and I discuss why feeding wet food to your cats and male cats in particular is so important.
Summary
Wet food is great for all cats, but is especially great for male cats due to their increased risk of developing a urinary obstruction, which is the condition that actually lead Dr. J to start Preventive Vet!
Obstructions are incredibly painful, and extremely life-threatening if not taken care of immediately, so any steps that you can take to prevent it from happening in the first place like giving your cat wet food is highly recommended.
Instead of using wet food as a “treat” or as a supplement to your cat’s dry food, it should really be the other way around.
Use a little bit of dry food as a treat, or put it in an interactive toy for your cat to hunt throughout the day, and let the majority of most cats’ daily caloric intake come from a high protein, low carbohydrate canned cat food.
And why is this so important?