The conversion from kittens to solid food from the 4th to 6th week should not be done too quickly. Choosing the right food is also extremely important. After all, you should get your cat used to high-quality, healthy cat food right from the start.Here you can find out:
What food is best for kittensFrom what age you can give her foodHow often you should feed a kitten a dayHow much food kittens need Feeding kittens – the most important things in a nutshell In the first few weeks, the Mother’s milk baby cats everything they need. In an emergency, special rearing milk can be fed. From the 6th week , cats can slowly become accustomed to cat food . Porridge is optimal for the transition A special kitten food is not required, baby cats should have high-quality wet food right from the start ) get fed Kitten need many small portions food distributed throughout the day You may eat as much as you want, your body weight must be checked regularly. The first few weeks – Breast milk or breeding milk for kittens
In the first A kitten’s digestive system is not yet capable of digesting solid food. In this phase, mother’s milk is the best food, which is sufficient as the sole food. If there is no milk or not enough milk, then you can give your kitten alternatively or additionally cat rearing milk give. This can happen if the litter is very large, the mom cat is ill, or refuses to breastfeed.
Regular milk, such as cow’s milk, is not sufficient due to the nutrient composition in kittens. In addition, there is too much lactose in cow’s milk. A high-quality rearing milk for cats has a low proportion of lactose, is starch-free and contains highly digestible raw materials. The protein and nutrient content is – in contrast to regular cat food – increased. At the same time, the fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid should be high in kitten milk . All information about kitten nutrition Accustoming kittens to cat food From the 6th week the milk production of the mother cat gradually begins to decrease. Now it makes sense to slowly switch the kitten’s diet towards cat food: Breast milk, rearing milk if required
Push for an easier transition The conversion can especially gently in the beginning with pap food for kittens take place. This is usually well accepted by small cats and can be offered in the first phase parallel to the mother’s milk Rearing milk is mixed with solid components such as oat or rice gruel. In addition, some shaved meat or chicken meat that has been cooked and strained can be added to this porridge. As an alternative to this porridge, a meat porridge can also be made by For example, well chopped wet cat food is mixed with a little warm water. If the porridge is not well tolerated, then it can help to increase the amount of water.
Usually you start with the porridge from the 6th week for cats. But even 4-week-old kittens can be fed with such a mash if you notice that the mother is not giving much milk. Special kitten food – is that really necessary? Many food manufacturers offer special kitten food. Here the energy density should be higher than in food for adult cats. In addition, some minerals and vitamins are contained in higher doses.
But do you really need kitten food?
Not in our opinion.On the one hand, the nutritional values and nutritional-physiological additives differ compared to normal food hardly or often not at all.On the other hand, in our opinion, a high-quality complete food for cats offers all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that a Kitten needs to be able to grow up healthy.Behind “Kittenfutter” there is probably more of a sales pitch of the manufacturers: artificially creating an alleged need and offering a suitable product.
You can find all sorts of advice pages from food manufacturers on the Internet on the subject of “feeding kittens”. Here it is emphasized again and again how important it is to feed special kitten food.
But honestly: How does the cat mom in the Nature? Does she bring her kittens very special mice that are particularly suitable for kittens? How could the species “cat” survive for thousands of years without man-made kitten food? Here, the cat mum examines carefully whether the mouse is a mouse that is especially suitable for kittens Feed kittens healthy from a young age
Any high-quality wet food is suitable for feeding kittens.
Note the following: High percentage of meat – Cats are carnivores . Lining with less than 81% of meat and offal is inferior. No grain, corn, soy – Here, vegetable proteins are intended to embellish the nutritional information. Unfortunately, the proteins from corn and co. are very difficult for cats to utilize. No additives – preservatives, dyes, artificial flavors, flavor enhancers and whatever else the chemistry kit has to offer. These substances can trigger allergies and metabolic diseases and do NOT belong in cat food, especially not in kitten food.
Your cat shall stay healthy for long? Bad cat food makes cats sick – give your cat something better – our test winner:
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10cat stuff Code Copied! Please no dry food for kittens! We have explained on this page many times why dry food is unhealthy for cats. Dry food is particularly unsuitable for kittens, who have an increased need for liquids compared to adult cats .
We can only shake our heads that dry food for kittens is made at all!
Please get used to it your baby cat prefers healthy, high-quality wet food right from the start!In kitten age, the so-called food imprinting takes place instead of. In adulthood, it is usually very difficult to change the diet of cats, especially from dry food to wet food. Much too little moisture Not enough meat, often < 53% Too much herbal ingredients Animal meal Preservatives and other additives Aside from that it is bad for your cat's teeth (The opposite is often advertised here!) and often leads to Overweight. Feed the kitten - how many times a day? Small cats need a lot of energy when they romp around and learn to hunt through play. And of course to grow. She needs high quality animal proteins and fats to grow into large adult cats. Kittens stomachs are still very small so she cannot eat a lot of food at once.In the wild, by the way, cats eat 10 until 15 eat small meals per day. Whenever they prey, they eat the prey. So it's actually in the nature of the cat not to eat too much at once and prefer to have lots of small snacks.How often should one so feed a kitten? 5 to 7 small meals throughout the day are optimal. From the age of about 6 months, you can gradually reduce the number of meals to 3. Of course, the amount of feed per meal increases. How much Do kittens need food a day? The question, how much to a Kittern must be fed is quickly answered: Kittens can eat as much as they want!
There is no need for a table with the amounts of food for kittens or feeding recommendations on food cans: kittens can eat as much as they want.
You have to note, however, that the kitten not much at once because their stomachs are still very small. That’s why, as already mentioned, you have to offer them food throughout the day.
If your kitten is always allowed to eat his fill during the imprinting phase , it also has a great educational effect: even as an adult, she will be much more relaxed about the subject of eating. This way, snares and jealousy about food will never be a problem for her. Particularly important: Weigh the kitten regularly In order to to check whether your kitten is getting enough breast milk or later food, you have to weigh her twice a day. It is best to do this at fixed times and then use the two values to calculate an average for the day. Up to the 9th week, cats should have at least 08 Increase grams per day, but also at least 133 grams per week. Thereafter, the weight gain proceeds in phases of varying intensity from 80 until 250 grams per week. There are also now larger differences in the gains between cats and tomcats. Your kitten’s weight gain can also stagnate for a day or two – but it is important that it never decreases . If your kitten is losing weight, you urgently need to have your veterinarian clarify the reason for this. Also diarrhea is very dangerous in kittens. Diarrhea can quickly become life-threatening due to the loss of water. Frequently asked questions about kitten nutrition What nutrients do kittens need? Cats are carnivores. Even small, growing cats only need animal proteins and animal fats. Carbohydrates are useless for cats because they can only use them poorly.Omega-3 and omega-6 are the most important fatty acids Fatty acids of great importance for a kitten’s healthy diet. What food do you recommend for kittens? As already mentioned, need In our opinion, kittens do not necessarily need special kitten food.
A high-quality complete cat food provides all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that a kitten needs to grow up required.Important: Feed your kitten only wet food! Dry food is very unhealthy for cats, if only because of the far too low moisture content.Our food recommendation for kittens: Anifit Power Potty
99% Food Grade MeatMade in Sweden, where there are particularly strict regulations on animal welfare: grazing is mandatory, the “precautionary” administration of antibiotics is prohibited and much more.Contains only muscle meat and innards valuable for catsWithout gaps 100% declarationContains all the minerals and vitamins a cat needs at every stage of lifeNo harmful additives (preservatives, artificial flavors, flavor enhancers, colorings, gelling agents, fillers, sugar etc.)Not tested on animals Can kittens have treats? Treats are basic a positive thing. The small rewards strengthen the bond between humans and cats.So it’s absolutely fine if your kitten gets a treat from time to time you get.However, you should take a closer look at what treats you give a kitten:
You should be able to crush the treats with the little milk teeth of the kittensThe treats should be healthy! Especially the latter is often the sticking point. Treats are usually equated with dry food. Cat treats often consist of low-quality ingredients such as meat flour, plant-based proteins and sugar. Advertising promises such as an “anti-hairball” effect or a tooth-cleaning effect should also be treated with caution.
Our treat tip: Freeze Dried Chicken Heart BitsThese consist of gently freeze-dried chicken heart muscle meat. The pieces are easy to chew even for small kittens and contain a lot of protein. How much do kittens need to drink? How adult cats too, kittens mostly cover their fluid needs with their food. Of course, this only works if you feed them wet food: with 75 until 80% moisture it beats dry food (5-08%) by far.Nevertheless, of course, you always have to provide kittens with fresh water. 2-3 ceramic bowls with tap water are sufficient. Always put the bowls in the same places and w change the water every 2 days (or as needed).Cats are naturally lazy about drinking – after all, they are descended from the wild cat, which lived in the desert. In general, however, it is healthy for the animals if they drink a little more water. A drinking fountain for cats encourages them to drink! Image sources: Featured image (top) : Nils Jacobi / Shutterstock.com2. from above: Esin Deniz / Shutterstock.com3. from above: ElectoneXSeries / Shutterstock.com4. from above: Four small kittens eat a milk porridge © Aleksandr Lobanov – 3264046Fotolia.com5. from Above: Etienne Outram / Shutterstock.com6. from Above: Impact Photography / Shutterstock.com7. from above: Cat-Bee / Shutterstock.com8. from above: Alla Nurgaleeva / Shutterstock.com 3264046
