Is it possible to feed kittens? How to feed a kitten to raise a healthy pet

To keep your kitten healthy, you need to choose the right diet. From birth, mother's milk is the source of nutrients, but what should you feed your kitten when he starts to grow up and homemade food is not quite suitable?

Now we will talk about how to feed newborn fluffies. If, for some reason, the mother cat refuses to feed the baby and rejects him, you need to find a milk formula to feed for the first two weeks, until the baby gets stronger. This mixture can be purchased at pet supply stores.

Feed one month old kittens milk given by a cow or goat's milk is strictly prohibited! His weak and fragile body simply cannot cope with the fat content and will not be able to digest it!

Usually kittens are watered and fed from a special bottle with a nipple, like for children. Sometimes they resort to using pipettes for ease of feeding if the kitten is unable to suck on its own. You can also give medications if you visited the veterinarian and were prescribed something.

Now you know what to feed newborn kittens up to one month. If something doesn't work out, try again and again. Persistence will prevail. If he refuses to suck the nipple on the bottle, wet his face with the mixture and as soon as he starts licking, try to place the nipple in the mouth and keep it there until he understands that he needs to suck food.

Feeding a one month old kitten

It is already possible to feed a one-month-old kitten without using a bottle. This age is considered a transition from breastfeeding to normal, coarser food that adults eat. The mother or you yourself took care of the kitten’s nutrition for 1 month. In the second month he must take steps towards food on his own.

Kittens' food can be poured into their dishes. For this you need bowls. Avoid store-bought foods and formulas as quickly as possible. Switch to natural nutrition. It will be much healthier and more nutritious. We'll look at feeding a little later.

Kittens 1 month old will love cooked semolina porridge. It is advisable to cook in water. Some owners use a milk replacer for cats. There should be milk in the bowl, as well as water. Change the sequence periodically. Milk is food for a cat, and water is a source of thirst quenching.

Below we have prepared a table for owners, looking at which you can understand what you can feed and what you should not feed. The picture enlarges by clicking if you are viewing from a tablet or mobile phone.

In the red zone is what is undesirable or generally prohibited, in the green zone is what the kitten can eat.

How to feed small kittens if it is not advisable to give milk? Instead of milk, formula or powdered milk is a good choice. You can add beaten yolk to this consistency, but no more than once a day!

It is forbidden to give rough food. May injure the jaw, esophagus and stomach. It is desirable that it be soft or liquid. What to feed a one-month-old kitten with all sorts of nonsense, in the form of food or borscht with bread crumbs, do not be too lazy to grate or use a blender to bring the prepared food to a pulp state.

This way you will feed him nutritious food that is healthy and safe. You need to feed no more than 5 times, but not less than three! So that he doesn't have time to get hungry. The kitten is 1 month old, it needs to be protected until it gets stronger. Otherwise, the trip to the veterinarian will be constant.

Feeding a one and a half month old kitten

At the age of one and a half months we are approaching substantial food. The diet includes cottage cheese and cheese, two types of milk: cow's and goat's, diluted 1 to 4. Cow's milk can also be diluted with water. Store-bought milk does not need to be diluted. The manufacturer has done everything for you.

Nutrition for kittens at one and a half months old includes: meat, raw fish, boiled fish (at this stage I would separate the fillet from the bone to protect it for up to 2-3 months), dairy and fermented milk products. Also, porridge and cereals are a very good addition to a complete diet.

Kittens can be given the yolk raw or boiled once, preferably raw. We fed our fold-eared kittens a whole raw egg, along with the yolk and white. They ran away for a sweet soul! A serving of food should not exceed 100 grams and be less than 60 grams. Within this framework, the optimal amount of food per meal. Feeding is carried out up to four times a day.

Feeding a two month old kitten

What to feed a 2 month old kitten? At this age, kittens completely abandon their mother's milk and switch to adult food. But there are still restrictions on what you can feed a kitten, especially with dry food and hard foods. They are starting to use premium dry and wet food, i.e. best wishes. It is not forbidden to feed what you were fed.

Veterinarians advise giving premium food to a kitten at 2 months, because they contain many useful enzymes and vitamins necessary for full development. Before purchasing food, consultation with a veterinarian is required.

Not every kitten will be suitable for every food. One vitamin group is suitable for the long-haired breed, and a completely different one for the short-haired breed. This is why consultation is needed. Nutrition of kittens is an important component of its development and growth! Buy food only from specialized pet stores. Don't be fooled by supermarket advertising. Take care of your pet.

When purchasing, carefully study the composition. Avoid labeling GMO or genetically modified products. Such components are simply unacceptable. Pay attention to the expiration date and packaging date of the food.

It is advisable to write a list of products that you are going to feed a 2-month-old kitten with natural food that you eat yourself. But you will have to cook in a separate pan, up to 1 liter in volume. If you cook broth, do not add salt to it. It is better to remove the skin from boiled chicken. Fry fresh meat without adding oil.

A 2-month-old kitten can be served on his royal table with fried veal liver or minced beef in a frying pan, without adding oil. It is not recommended to give pork liver. Most likely, your pet simply will not eat it. It is better to prepare him cereal porridge, boil eggs, make fermented milk porridge from sour cream or kefir, cottage cheese.

Regarding fish, the question is also sharp. Give, but very carefully, removing the bones completely, leaving only the fillet. Preferably on different days with milk consumption. But how much fish to give is up to you. We recommend a couple of small pieces of raw fish fillet, possibly from the salmon family. Fried - of course not!

Feeding occurs in several approaches. At this age, you should not limit your baby’s frequency of meals. Five to six times is quite good for a growing organism. Strive for a diet so that you don’t have to wonder what to feed your little kitten, since he just ate?

If you dig deeper, the nutrition of a one and a half month old and a two month old kitten is not much different. All the same safety and care in food, we just add natural food and wet food to find out how the fluffy will react to them.

carrot;
cabbage (very carefully);
pumpkin and zucchini;
greens that do not irritate the mucous membranes (lettuce, parsley, dill).

If you catastrophically do not have time to cook and rub, switch to dry and wet food. Make your diet a combination. Be sure to have water next to the bowl, as well as milk from time to time.

What to feed kittens at two months with different food, give him natural food. In this feeding regime, there should be no more than three approaches to food. Eating only food at this age will not lead to anything good.

Split up the food: give dry food in the morning, at other times canned wet food. To quickly replenish your kitten’s body with protein and satiate it, break an egg into a bowl, first separating it from the white. We'll give you a whole egg when we get a little older!

Feeding a three month old kitten

We figured out what to feed small kittens up to 2-3 months. Now we move on to the senior category, when there are slightly fewer restrictions. By three months, the teeth begin to take on a new shape and become stronger. More solid food can be given. At this age, it is recommended to undergo a deworming program.

You can give meat, but you need to be sure of its quality. Preferably in small pieces, raw or cooked. It is also advisable to separate the fish from the bone to avoid injury. Grate vegetables. We begin to add milk when cooking porridge. The porridge will taste better and your pet will be happy.

A 3 month old kitten does not need five meals a day. His portions are becoming larger, therefore, the number of meals should be reduced. The average portion reaches 100 grams or more. You can feed three times a day. Now you know how and what to feed a kitten for 3 months. We also leave the food that was connected at 2 months.

Feeding a four month old kitten

Four months are significant for a kitten. Most of the food we eat, he can eat too. Of course, not everything, but something can be given. Therefore, decide for yourself what to feed a kitten for 4 months. But again, based on your pet’s preferences.

You can buy him bones at a pet store, which will strengthen his teeth. The meat you give him may not be separated from the bone. The main thing is that the size of the bone is smaller than the kitten. What can you feed kittens at this age? Usually the diet is the same as at three months of his life. Only portions increase to 150g.

The diet may vary depending on what breed you have. For example, the British will not eat just anything. Feed them high-quality food, and save dry food for another breed. Sphynxes at this age love dietary meat, and Persian cats need a source of taurine.

The amount of meat products at this age is half of the entire diet. If you feed pasta, then add minced meat in a frying pan without fat, or boiled and chopped meat. But it’s better to cook vegetables than to feed a kitten 4 months of noodles and potatoes. It should be excluded altogether.

Feeding a five month old kitten

Growth and development at this age continues in full swing. Even though they look big, they are still small. How to feed a cat at 5 months of his full life? In this case, you don’t have to be too sophisticated. Regular food will do.

At this age, we add dry food (we’ll talk about proper feeding below), more and more natural products, and special green grass for cats. Vaccinations are a must at this age! Chicken can cause an allergic reaction. Be careful with her.

Fermented milk products, cottage cheese, boiled fish without bones, if chicken, then boiled, beef meat, preferably frozen. By-products (chicken liver, lung, liver, etc.), yolk. The kitten's diet should contain cereals. Add a little meat to the vegetable puree. Vitamin complexes and supplements. Giving fish and chicken bones is strictly prohibited.

Feeding a six-month-old kitten

Feeding a 6 month old kitten is quite simple. The main thing is to follow all the above recommendations. Meals are served three times a day. But it needs to be reduced to 2 times. Vitamin supplements, fiber, fats, proteins and carbohydrates must be contained in full.

You can mix boiled rice without salt, finely chopped boiled beef and canned sardines with the addition of vegetable oil. Don't forget about the constant availability of water. Food for kittens at this age should be accompanied by plenty of drinking, especially in hot weather. To avoid stomach upset, limit the amount of milk. Give it rarely. Focus on fermented milk products and cottage cheese.

Choosing food for a kitten

Everyone knows that animal feed contains a large amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals. Some of them are missing from regular food. To maintain the vitamin and mineral balance in the cat's body, dry and wet food was invented that your pet will like.

Some foods contain GMOs and chemical contaminants. Such foods should be avoided by carefully studying the packaging. But if you don’t know how to choose and don’t know what food to feed your kitten, then you can contact a veterinarian. He will select the best food option for your pet.

If it is not possible to go to the veterinarian, opt for premium food (premium food, the highest class). The food should contain no more than 50% natural and everyday food and water. You should not feed only one food, especially dry food.

It is advisable not to give dry food to kittens under 2 months of age at all. But there is always an option. The food can be soaked in milk diluted 4 to 1, as mentioned earlier. To avoid disturbing anything, you can buy milk in pet stores. Milk should contain low levels of lactose.

Decide for yourself how many times to feed the kitten this mixture, but no more than 4-5 times! Otherwise there will be overeating. You can mix finely chopped meat or minced meat into this mixture so that the kitten can chew without choking. Be sure to have a bowl of water nearby.

Remember that the kitten is small and its body is only gaining strength and strength. The gastric mucosa is very delicate and microtrauma can occur from rough food. They will lead to stomach upset and pain. In this case, a visit to the veterinarian is necessary.

If there is no special milk or meat, then pour the food into a bowl, fill it with warm boiled water and mash the lumps with a fork. Periodically give food that he will eat in the future so that he gets used to it. It is not recommended to feed kittens under one year of age with only one food. Alternate meals with boiled chicken and peeled fish.

How often should I feed my kitten dry food? It all depends on age. If your pet is one and a half months old, then feed it 3-4 times, the rest should be natural food, preferably non-rough. Each time, reduce the intensity of softening the feed with water. Smoothly transition from wet to dry.

After two months, the kitten can freely crunch on tasty and nutritious food. Taste habits are formed at this age. But, unfortunately, they do not feel full. You need to control the amount of food he eats. One serving no more than 70 grams, 3-4 times a day.

In the period from 3 to 6 months, teeth change, so we will talk further about how to properly feed a kitten at this age with dry food. Dry food will come in handy. With its help, teeth renewal will happen faster. There is no need to soak the food anymore. The chewing muscles are subject to stress. The strength of chewing increases.

Boiled chicken and meat will be an excellent addition to your pet's dry food diet. Curd products and lactic acid products should also be present. Add vegetables. You should not mix food with vegetables.

We have already talked about how to properly feed kittens at 6 months, but we have not mentioned dry food. At this age, dry food can be given more often, but it is better not to completely switch to dry food. Also maintain balance. Choose quality food for your pet's age.

We will not talk about feed compositions in this article. This is a topic for a separate conversation. The author of the next video will tell you about the composition and benefits!

But we will still tell you about premium food brands. Best quality feed:

1st Choice
Hills Science Plan
Royal Canin
Purina ProPlan
Josera

This is the most common choice of cat owners. Each of these foods has a unique structure, a balanced composition of the vitamin and mineral complex, and is intended for a specific age and breed. Therefore, you need to find out what food is best to feed your kitten from your veterinarian. Select a feeding program and food. What kind of food do you feed your furry?

When a furry pet appears in the house, a logical question arises: “What to feed a month-old kitten?” This is especially true for those people who have encountered a pet for the first time and have no experience caring for animals. Should I give meat, vegetables, dry food? We will try to answer all these questions below.

The first month of a pet's life

When buying a one-month-old kitten, remember: this is an important and responsible act. How you care for and feed the animal at an early age determines its immunity in the future. A strong immune system is the key to health. Of course, genes play a significant role in this matter, but diet and food are also important. The main rule is no food from the common table. Remember: the digestive system of animals is completely different from that of humans. There is no need to give the kitten whole milk, sour cream, sweets and other products.

A one-month-old kitten needs:

Completely exclude contact with other animals, even if they are pets and have vaccinations.

Don't let them go out into the yard to avoid picking up fleas, worms and various infections.

Try to remove shoes and clothes that a person wears on the street.

What to feed a one-month-old kitten?

This is a question that worries many. So, you brought your soft baby into your home. Emotions are overwhelming, he seems small and defenseless. For him, you become real parents. It is you who is responsible for the correct diet, education, and litter box training.

Feeding a one-month-old kitten is a complex process. Don’t think that you will get by with store-bought food - you will simply kill the animal. The best food for a kitten at this age is cat's milk. But if it happens that she is not around, then you will have to feed the fluffy yourself.

You can find another nursing cat: the animals accept foundlings well and feed them as if they were their own kittens. If this option is not possible, the first thing to do is contact an experienced veterinarian so that he describes in detail the diet and nutrition.

Is it possible to give milk?

Can kittens have milk? This is a question that worries many owners of furry pets. Veterinarians do not recommend giving it in its pure form, as it is difficult for the intestines. Regular milk may cause your kitten to vomit and become upset. Alternatively, you can buy baby formula. This product will not cause harm, but it will not be of great benefit either. Despite the fact that the composition contains nutrients and vitamins, they are not of particular value to the cat. It is better to purchase a milk replacer at a pet store. The price for such a product ranges from 300-500 rubles.

If you wish, you can prepare the mixture yourself. To do this, mix boiled milk with water (50:50), add half a fresh raw yolk and a teaspoon of corn oil. The prepared mixture must be served warm. If the product is cold, the kitten may refuse to eat.

If the animal cannot yet eat on its own, it must be fed from a pipette or syringe without a needle.

How to feed a kitten correctly?

When purchasing an animal, you need to know how to care for a month-old kitten, what to feed, and most importantly, what to do so that it does not refuse food. After all, at this age, kittens are still helpless and weak.

If the animal refuses to eat on its own, you can try feeding it with a baby bottle or syringe. After this, it is advisable to massage the stomach with smooth movements so that the food is better absorbed. This method should be used only in extreme cases.

Scientists have proven that after 20 days of life an animal can lick food independently. To do this, you need to dip the tip of your finger in the milk and touch the kitten’s nose. After he licks them, you should carefully push the cub towards the plate. If the kitten fails to lick the food on the first try, you need to repeat the procedure 2-3 times.

Healthy diet

What to feed a one-month-old kitten? This is perhaps the most popular question for people who have just acquired a small pet. Basic rules:

At this age, fermented milk products can be introduced into the animal’s diet: low-fat kefir, cottage cheese.

Fish can also be included in the diet. It must be well cooked, all bones must be removed.

Vegetables are a source of vitamins. Peas, canned corn, potatoes - this is what your pet might like.

At the pet store you can buy a special herb that cleanses the stomach of kittens. But this should only be done after consulting a veterinarian.

Starting from the age of one month, kittens' food can be diversified by gradually adding new foods. Carefully watch your pet's reaction, find out which dishes are his favorite, and then you and your animal will be in a good mood.

Choosing the best food for kittens

If you have firmly decided that you will buy ready-made food, you need to make the right choice. Remember: not all products are created equal, even with huge advertising campaigns and the wild popularity of some brands.

Once the animal is 2 months old, wet kitten food can be added to its diet. At the same time, you should not save money when choosing a manufacturer. Before purchasing, it is important to carefully study the composition. The food must contain at least 25% meat, vitamins and minerals. Expiration date is also an important detail. Expired food can cause poisoning to your pet.

Royal Canin is perhaps the best food for kittens. The company has proven itself well in the market for similar products and has only positive reviews from customers. The food contains the necessary nutritional elements and additives. You can't ignore Whiskas and Purina Van. They do not contain bone meal, by-products, various preservatives, or dyes.

Depending on the breed of kittens, the food may also differ. For sphinxes and lop-eared cats, it is necessary that vitamins A, C, and E are included in the composition. You should only choose premium-class food, despite their high price. They are truly healthy and completely balanced.

How many times should you feed a kitten?

Once your pet is one month old, its diet will change constantly. Food and frequency of feeding largely depend on the breed of kittens.

The growth period of a kitten is of particular importance. Right now all the foundations are being laid with which he will live for the rest of his life. Usually, babies spend up to 8-10 weeks with their mother, in their native nest, and only then begin to leave it and go to their new owners. That is why, when we are invited to a breeder, older kittens (2 months old) are waiting for us there. What to feed and how to care for them are the first two questions that arise for a new owner. Today we will try to cover the topics of feeding and vaccinating your baby as fully as possible.

Control of growth and development

Every loving owner should know how kittens develop (2 months). We'll figure out what to feed them a little later, but now let's determine how to assess normal growth rates and when to sound the alarm. It is very important to weigh your pet daily. Normal weight gain is 10-30 g per day. If your kitten has not gained weight or lost weight in a week, you need to urgently go to the veterinarian. Depending on the breed, the weight of a kitten at 2 months may vary, but on average it should be approximately 600 g. From 4 months, you can switch to weekly weighing.

Features of feeding

If the first complementary feedings were carried out mainly through baby food, now the time has come to introduce new foods. So, you have kittens (2 months old), what to feed them? Gradually you need to add solid food to your diet. This can be finely chopped meat, porridge, vegetables, mashed fish. It is very good if the food is natural. When you decide to switch your baby to ready-made food, be sure to pay attention to the brand. Only super-premium food can be rated as suitable for a fragile child's body. At the same time, dry food is not suitable for such babies - only canned food can be used.

What not to feed a kitten

How to change your diet correctly

(2 months) should be as natural as possible for his biological needs. In nature, a cat first feeds its children with milk, then begins to bring birds and rodents. This is exactly what should happen in captivity, but it is better to make dietary changes as smooth as possible. It will take the kitten about two weeks to get used to the “new things.” At this age, the baby is actively developing and growing, and he should receive 120-150 g of food per day. You should give him 30-40 g of meat per day. If the baby refuses to eat, he should be taken to the vet immediately.

Diet

Like all babies, kittens (2 months) eat little and often. What to feed them and how? You cannot organize feeding as if you were dealing with an adult cat. The daily portion of food set out in the morning is not a suitable option if we are dealing with a kitten. The baby should divide the daily amount of food five times. The menu should be as varied as possible. is built with an eye on the individual characteristics and size of your pet. The most important thing is that there is always clean water in the bowl for drinking. Kitten food should be fresh and at room temperature every time. During breaks, you can leave a small amount of food in the bowl, as the baby can approach the cup up to 20 times a day.

Kitten behavior after feeding

We have already mentioned how many times to feed a kitten (2 months). Only if you are very busy, you can immediately leave him food for the whole day, but it is advisable to give him fresh food every time (4-5 times a day). After eating, all babies need rest, and your kitten is no exception. Therefore, do not play with him immediately after a meal; digestion of food at this age is a very important process, and excess activity can only do harm.

What to feed (2 months)

Usually everyone considers milk to be a very healthy product for kittens, but this is not so. However, you can give low-fat kefir, fermented baked milk and sour cream. Cream is also perfect; your baby should definitely be pampered with it, but it should be introduced into the diet in small quantities. For full growth and development, grains are also necessary. Therefore, cook different cereals for your baby every day (rice, oatmeal, buckwheat). You can mix meat into the porridge to make the kitten eat more willingly. It would also be very good to prepare a vegetable mixture with meat. To do this, boil the cauliflower, carrots and green beans until soft and prepare the puree. Fish should be given only in exceptional cases, no more than once a month. In addition, do not forget to buy special vitamin and mineral complexes for kittens. Now you know what to feed your Scottish kitten (2 months old). Anyone can create the right diet for a baby. Even if you have never kept cats, you can easily cope with this. Let's find out now whether feeding kittens of other breeds is different.

How does a British kitten (2 months old) eat?

Milk is not a suitable food for all cat breeds, without exception. But British kids eat milk porridge with great pleasure. Rolled oats, semolina or buckwheat will do. Any fermented milk products are very useful; it is better to choose low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, fermented baked milk, and sometimes a little sour cream. Cream (10%) two to three times a week will be very beneficial. You can give an egg yolk once every two to three days.

Many experts advise feeding kittens boiled, low-fat fish. Prepare soups for your pet, to which you can add finely chopped meat, grated cheese, liver, and beef heart. Chicken meat, boiled and chopped, is also perfect. As you can see, there are no particular differences; any breed of cat can be fed approximately according to the same scheme. But if there is intolerance to foods by representatives of your particular breed, the breeder must warn about this. When feeding natural food, kittens are given vitamin supplements daily: “Beofar”, Kitzim, “Farmovit”, “Doctor Zoo”.

First vaccinations

Should kittens be vaccinated at 2 months or wait a little longer? This question often arises for owners. On the one hand, while the child’s body protects the maternal immunity. On the other hand, he is weakening every day, which means there is a high risk of contracting a dangerous disease. Many experts advise giving the first comprehensive vaccine a week after you take your baby home. This time is enough for him to survive the stress and cope with the procedure more easily.

Regardless of the breed, the kitten must receive a vaccine against a number of dangerous diseases. These are plague and leukemia, infectious peritonitis, panleukopenia, viral rhinotracheitis. At the same time, it is still too heavy for a fragile organism; it will be placed when he reaches the age of 6-8 months, after changing teeth.

Kittens should be vaccinated at 2 months only by a veterinarian. You can consider options in which the doctor comes to your home so that the baby does not experience unnecessary stress, but choosing a vaccine on your own is not recommended. After vaccination, a three-week quarantine is required. During this period, you need to provide the baby with a home regime and regularly monitor his condition. If the vaccination is tolerated normally, it is followed by revaccination. This scheme allows you to provide protection against serious diseases in 99% of cases. Separately, at the request of the owners, vaccinations against chlamydia and ringworm are given. Further, vaccination should be carried out annually to renew the body's defenses.

Things to remember

Before vaccination, you need to make sure that your pet is healthy. To do this, just watch him. He must be cheerful and active, have a good appetite. Body temperature should not exceed 38.5 degrees. Before vaccination, the kitten must be given antihelminthic drugs. After 10 days you can go to the doctor. After vaccination, the baby needs increased monitoring. Any deviation in behavior is a reason to immediately contact your doctor. This may include refusal to eat or lethargy, cramps, vomiting and much more. Do not forget that the choice of a veterinarian is often decisive, so pay attention to the status of the clinic and the doctor’s experience. It is better if you are assigned to one specialist and will be monitored by him for the rest of your life.

How and what to feed a kitten? The first months of any animal’s life are accompanied by intensive growth of the entire organism. Genetics determines the body’s capabilities, but the extent to which these capabilities will be realized directly depends on the adequacy of the diet during the period of active growth and maturation. Any breeder knows that what is lost in the first months of life is subsequently impossible to make up.

A complete diet ensures not only the proper development of all systems and organs of the kitten, but also a sufficient level of immunity to resist diseases to which young animals are susceptible.

Scientists zoologists involved in nutrition have calculated certain norms for the amount of energy and nutrients that an animal of a certain species, breed, age and sex should receive daily.

A complete diet is a diet that fully provides the animal’s body with all the substances necessary for life in the required quantity and ratio.

Based on knowledge about the nutritional needs of a kitten’s body, its physiological characteristics at a certain age and the chemical composition of food, approximate daily diet standards are calculated and a certain set of products is recommended for each age period of cats.

When should you start complementary feeding and how many times should you feed your kitten per day?

Experts recommend introducing complementary foods into the diet with
the appearance of the first milk teeth, at the age of 3-4 weeks.

In some cases, it is necessary to start complementary feeding earlier - the cat’s milk supply is low, mammary gland diseases, multiple births, when kittens do not have enough milk and they begin to lag in growth.

In order to know whether the kittens are getting enough essential nutrients, you need to weigh them regularly, and if they fall behind, start feeding the kittens.

When controlling your weight, take into account the following standards:

At birth, the average weight of a kitten is 100 g, plus or minus 20 g, which depends on heredity and breed.
After about 10 days, the weight doubles, and subsequently increases by an average of 100 g per week.
At two months, a large breed kitten should weigh on average 1100 g, plus or minus 200 g, while male cats weigh more than female cats.

It also happens that kittens are left without a mother and the owner has to take full charge of feeding.

Frequency of feeding kittens depending on age:

In the first 14 days of life - 10 meals;
From two weeks to one month, reduced to 8 meals;
By two months they switch to feeding 7 times a day;
From the 2nd to the 3rd month they feed 6 times;
From 4 to 5 – 5 times;
From 5 to 9 – 4 times;
From 9 to 12 – 3 times;
After a year they switch to two feedings a day.

In the case of artificial feeding, from birth to one months, kittens are fed at night. The above norms are approximate, just as the interval between feedings is approximate; small kittens themselves will let you know when it’s time to feed them, showing concern.

Can it be given to kittens?

What products can be used to feed kittens if the owner prefers natural feeding for his cat?

Many foods that are acceptable in the diet of an adult animal are not recommended for kittens. This is explained by the fact that some foods are heavy for a fragile digestive system or carry a large amount of energy without satisfying the basic needs of a growing body.

The kitten’s diet should include foods that are as healthy as possible; they should be well digestible and not contain harmful substances.

Is it possible to give kittens milk?

The question implies: is it possible to give kittens what is familiar to us and most used by humans - cow's milk?

Cow's milk is not the best choice for feeding an early kitten. The composition of the milk of each species of animal is ideal for feeding its own young, but not suitable for the young of another species.

Composition and ratio of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and other chemicals elements of cat's and cow's milk are different from each other. Cat's milk contains half the fat and 2.5 times more protein than cow's milk. It also differs in the ratio of proteins and the content of other organic and inorganic chemical elements per unit volume.

Milk can be used in small quantities for feeding older kittens and feeding adult cats, as long as it does not cause digestive upset in the pet.

For small kittens from birth to 1 month, artificial cat milk is ideal; it can be purchased at pet stores.

Baby food (formula)

Can be used for artificial feeding of newborns and feeding older kittens. When feeding with formulas, their concentration should be 2 times less than for children in the first week of life.

Dairy products:

Cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, fermented baked milk, and cream are used to feed kittens in addition to meat, as a source of protein and calcium. Fermented milk products also improve the composition of microflora. You need to choose dairy products with minimal fat content.

Is it possible to give cheese?

Cheese is a healthy product, but it can be used occasionally as a treat - it contains a lot of fat.

Raw meat

It is not advisable to feed minced fish to kittens; before feeding, the fish must be boiled, and the meat either frozen or scalded.

Meat products form the basis of a kitten’s diet; preference should be given to veal, beef and chicken. You can feed lamb, rabbit meat, horse meat. It is not advisable to feed pork - it is too fatty.

Veal and beef can be used for feeding daily, choosing pieces without fatty inclusions. Give in the form of minced meat or scrapes (from the beginning of complementary feeding to 7 weeks) and in the form of small pieces, no more than 1 cm, for older kittens.

If the meat is fresh, you can serve it raw, without any processing, or scald it with boiling water first.

It is better to give chicken meat boiled; raw meat may contain the causative agent of salmonellosis. You can feed it every other day.

Fish is given up to 2 times a week.

Liver

A valuable by-product, it is rich in B vitamins and iron. The liver contains a large amount of vitamin A. Kittens are given beef or chicken liver 2 times a month. In addition to the liver, it is also useful to feed other offal products - heart, kidneys, lungs. They are used more often - 2-3 times a week. Feed cats with spleen it is forbidden.

Raw or boiled egg

Use only the yolk, give it 1-2 times a week, adding it to cereals, vegetable purees or milk.

Cereals

Rice, oatmeal, semolina are used in the form of liquid porridges in milk without sugar (up to 3 months of age) or boiled in water, mixed with fish or meat: cereal - 1 part, meat - 2 parts.

Vegetables

They must be present in the diet in boiled or raw, pureed form. They are added to porridges, given mixed with yolk, meat or fish, several times a week.

Dry food

If you are an adherent of artificial nutrition, choose high-quality food for your kitten; experts do not recommend feeding kittens with food of classes lower than premium or super-premium. Start with food soaked in water. Monitor your kitten's water consumption - it should be of good quality and always available. Use dry food, alternating it with wet food from the same manufacturer, the ratio in the diet is 70% dry, 30% wet.

Food for adult cats should never be given to a kitten. Excessive doses of vitamins, macro- and microelements can lead to many negative consequences, from diseases of internal organs to poisoning with biologically active substances, which include vitamins.

What to feed newborn kittens without a cat?

The best option is a cat milk replacer. If for some reason this is not possible, you can prepare a mixture similar in composition to cat milk according to the following recipes:

Baby formulas. Milk is prepared twice as liquid as for a baby in the first week of life.
For 100 ml of cow's milk add one chicken yolk, 7 ml of 5% glucose and 3 drops of tetravit.
Dilute 5 ml of cream 10% fat with boiled water in a volume of 3 ml and add 2 ml of 5% glucose.
Goat milk mixed with water.

What to feed a one-month-old kitten?

Starting from 3-4 weeks of age, kittens are fed with formula milk, liquid porridge, well-ground ground beef, boiled fish, low-fat cottage cheese and yolk (boiled or raw).

All products are introduced gradually in small portions, allowing the digestive system to get used to the new type of food. When accustoming your kitten to each new product in the diet, carefully monitor the condition of the stool and the general condition of the pet.

Feeding a kitten at 2-4 months

During this period of intensive growth, diversify the kitten's menu by introducing new dairy and fermented milk products, different types of meat, raw and boiled, and introduce vegetables. The diet should be rich in protein foods high in calcium. Be sure to use vitamin and mineral supplements with calcium.

Feeding a kitten at 4-6 months

During this period, there is an active gain of muscle mass. You can introduce fermented baked milk and yoghurt into the dairy diet, and enrich the meat diet with various offal products. Meat products begin to be given not in crushed form, but cut into pieces about a centimeter in size.

Control your fat intake. All products must contain a minimum amount of fat.

Feeding kittens at 6-12 months

By this time, the period of intensive growth ends, the kitten slowly gains weight, taste preferences and preferences are formed and become noticeable.

You can introduce low-fat varieties of sea fish into your diet. By 12 months of age, the nutritional composition gradually approaches that of an adult cat.

Adjust your diet to prevent excess weight gain.

What should kittens not be given during their growth period?

Consequences of poor nutrition

Poor nutrition, especially during the growth period, is the cause of many diseases and disorders:

Stunted growth;
Incorrect formation of the skeleton;
Metabolic disorders;
Reduced immunity;
Allergic reactions;
Poisoning;
Worm infestations;
Reproductive dysfunction.

Without following the basic rules and norms of feeding, it is impossible to raise a healthy animal that meets all the characteristics of the breed.

Features of feeding kittens of different breeds

Is there a difference in feeding cats of different breeds? There is no fundamental difference, all cats are carnivores and are adapted to eating animal food, but when feeding, they take into account the propensity of a particular breed to certain diet-related diseases, such as Based on this, the diet is adjusted.

Feeding a British kitten

Cats of the British breed are not picky in their diet, but they love to eat, and therefore often suffer from obesity. The owner should pay attention to the kitten’s weight, starting from 6 months, when intensive growth ends; if the kitten becomes overweight, select a less high-calorie diet.

Accustom your kitten to less fatty foods from childhood and do not get carried away with carbohydrates (porridge). The diet should consist mainly of protein foods, with the presence of vegetables.

Cats of this breed have beautiful thick fur. To maintain it in good condition, use vitamins and microelements that contribute to the good condition of the coat.

British kittens have a tendency to constipation; for prevention, it is recommended to use 2 ml of petroleum jelly in the daily diet.

What to feed a Scottish kitten and what to feed a fold-eared kitten?

British, Scottish and Scottish Fold kittens differ little in appearance and their feeding habits are the same. Watch the calorie intake and do not overfeed the kitten.

What to feed a Maine Coon?

The diet should always contain meat and offal.

Occasionally you can give sea fish.

In addition, chicken or quail yolk and fermented milk products are given in small quantities and infrequently.

Don't forget about vegetables.

If you prefer to feed your kitten dry food, choose a high-quality food.

Maine Coon kittens should always have water in a deep and heavy bowl; they like to rake the surface of the water with their paw before drinking.

The increase in live weight per day should average 400 g.

Feeding the sphinx

Sphynx cats have very sensitive digestive systems. system. Changing food or introducing new products must be done very carefully; this is always fraught with indigestion with prolonged diarrhea. For the same reason, sphinxes often suffer from dysbacteriosis.

The rate of metabolic microbiological processes is very high, so they have high energy needs, that is, lack of appetite, this is not about the sphinx.

There is a tendency to allergic reactions to individual proteins in meat products.

You may get the impression that these cats are omnivores, because they are ready to taste anything that doesn’t fit well, including poorly edible objects. Therefore, the owner needs to keep an eye out and not leave all kinds of chemicals and detergents, garbage, food waste and small objects in the cat’s access area in order to avoid poisoning in the pet or ingestion.

Due to sensitive digestion, food selection must be careful. When feeding sphinxes, follow these rules:

no treats from the table;
If dry food is used for feeding, it should only be of high quality;
Do not use dairy products after 3 months of age;
The basis of the diet is a variety of lean meat products and all kinds of offal. Bones need to be removed;
Boiled sea fish is given occasionally and if there are no signs of metabolic disorders and urolithiasis, in these cases it is completely excluded;
Many breeders advise feeding cats of this breed only natural food.

The amount of feed and feeding regimen are individual and selected experimentally.

Feeding a Bengal kitten

Feeding kittens of this breed is no fundamentally different from feeding kittens of other breeds; follow the recommendations described above.

Ready-made food for kittens

Ready-made food is available in the form of dry food or wet food - jelly-like mousses, canned food and treats.

As already mentioned, if you do not want to risk your pet’s health, you need to choose premium and super premium food.

Cheaper feeds do not have high quality raw materials and may contain harmful preservatives and dyes, which, when used for a long time, affects the health of the animal.

To feed a kitten from 1 to 4 months, use wet mousses or dry croquettes, which are soaked in water. After 4 months, they switch to dry food; it is useful to combine it with wet food from the same manufacturer - mousses and canned food. Occasionally you can pamper an older kitten with treats.

Important! When feeding dry food, ensure the kitten has constant access to water.

Dry food for kittens

Deservedly popular among super premium dry food The following are used:

"Royal Canin", "Purina ProPlan", "Iams/Eukanuba".

Premium dry food:

“Hills” (Hills), “Eagle Pack” (Eagle Pak), “Pro Pak” (Pro Pak), “Nutro Natural Choice” (Nutro Natural Choice).

Characteristics that you should pay attention to when selecting high quality feed:

They do not contain soy, by-products, chemical dyes, preservatives, or odor imitators;
Meat comes first in the description of the food composition;
The number of additional ingredients is at least 4-5, usually 8 or more.

Wet food for kittens

High-quality super premium wet food for kittens must meet the following requirements:

The food must contain whole pieces of meat;
The food should not contain cheap fillers - soy, corn flour, wheat gluten, bones, by-products;
The presence of flour, bran, various grains, lactose and yeast in the feed is undesirable.

List of premium wet food for kittens:

BioMill (Bio Mil), Happy Cat (Happy Cat), Royal Canin (Russia), Pro Pac (Pro Pak), Doctor Alders (Doctor Alders), Flatazor (Flatazor). Nutro nuggets (Nutro Nugets).

Premium food is highly digestible, contains the optimal amount of essential nutrients, and has average price.

The disadvantage of these feeds is their high water content and minimal meat content.
composition.

List of super premium wet food:

Eukanuba, ProPlan, Royal Canin (France), Hills, Bosh Nutro, Choice Petreet.

Positive points: high meat content, minimum vegetable proteins, does not contain dyes or poorly digestible substances, variety of assortment.

The disadvantage is the high price.

It is better to buy food in specialized stores, where you can also get competent advice on feeding your kitten.

Interesting video

When getting a kitten, most owners feed it the food that adult cats eat. But the nutrition of babies is different, since their stomach is not the same as that of adults. It is necessary to give kittens food that will be digested favorably. Proper nutrition for a kitten involves providing it with healthy food. You also need to follow the eating regimen.

Mode

You need to know when to introduce complementary foods and how often to feed kittens. Usually they are guided by the hungry look of the animal. But it is better to feed the baby 3-4 weeks after birth. By 4 weeks there will be a stable eating schedule.

How many times a day you need to feed the animal depends on its age:

up to 2 weeks - 10 times a day;
up to a month - 8 times;
1-2 months - 7 times;
2-3 months - 6 times;
4-5 months - 5 times;
5-9 months - 4 times;
9-12 months - 3 times.

From 1 year you can switch to a kitten. In the future, this will be enough for the animal to have good health. The body must receive the necessary substances.

How much food is given?

The amount of food should be calculated based on weight:

1 week - 30 ml per 100 g of animal;
2 weeks - 38 ml;
3 weeks - 48 ml;
4 weeks - 53 ml.

It turns out that depending on what he receives, he needs the amount of food he needs for full development. Measurement is important in this.

Required Products

Not only high-quality kitten care is important. Food must be age appropriate. Do not give your pet hot or cold food. It is advisable that it be at room temperature. The consistency of the food should be taken into account: the first portions should be given in a mushy form. You can prepare food using a blender and a regular grater.

What does proper kitten nutrition include? The diet should consist of:

lean meat - raw, boiled, frozen, scalded;
liver - once a week;
porridge with meat and vegetables;
vegetables - fresh and boiled;
low-fat fermented milk products.

If the kitten is full, then it sleeps peacefully or sucks its mother's milk. But when animals around the mother squeak, this indicates that they need to be fed. You need to prepare a bottle with a nipple, a pipette and a special mixture.

What products are prohibited?

The kitten's diet should not include the following foods:

dry and wet food;
cow's milk;
fatty fermented milk products;
fish;
salt, spices;
sausage;
potato;
legumes;
pork;
sweets;
flour.

Nutrition principles by month

Nutrition may vary depending on the age of the animal:

2-4 months. The pet can eat on its own. At this time, he is actively growing and his skeleton is forming. Your diet should include foods rich in vitamins and protein.
4-6 months. At this time, you need products that increase muscle mass. You can give meat, offal, cut into pieces. You also need fermented baked milk or low-fat yogurt.
6-10 months. Growth at this time is not so intense. From time to time you can give low-fat sea fish.

Scottish fold kittens

There are animals that require special food. These include Scottish Fold kittens. Their care and nutrition are unique. Animals will benefit from meat that should be lean and slightly cooked. When preparing it, you should not add salt or spices. Chicken breast is great. Scottish kittens also eat liver.

Meals should not consist of fish. If the kitten likes it, then you need to choose low-fat types of it - hake, pike perch, sea bass. What else should be included Several times a week they can be given low-fat cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, kefir. Porridge with whole milk should be provided to pets for up to 5 months. Kittens definitely need egg yolk, which is mixed with cereals and vegetable purees.

It is important to adhere to these standards so that fold-eared kittens develop correctly. Care and nutrition must be appropriate for the breed. The diet may include porridge - oatmeal, buckwheat, rice. Vegetables are perfect for them - carrots, cauliflower, asparagus. The products are boiled and pureed.

Vitamins are also required for Scottish Fold kittens to feel normal. Care and nutrition should be carried out based on the recommendations of a veterinarian. He will recommend the best type of vitamins that can be bought in specialized stores. Pets love grass, so it is advisable to plant it in a pot at home.

There are also special foods that fold-eared kittens also eat. Care and nutrition must be complete, so you need to use dry food and canned food. These products contain the necessary components for proper development.

British breed

The British kitten also requires a special approach. His care and nutrition are unique. Owners can accustom their pet to a natural diet, but they will still need vitamin complexes that contain microelements. The type of supplement must be chosen by the veterinarian.

Animals of this breed eat lean boiled meat. Cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir, and fermented baked milk with a low fat content are good for them. Quail eggs and porridge are excellent. After birth, you can give porridge from semolina, oatmeal, and rice.

Only a varied diet will ensure that a British kitten is healthy. Care and nutrition are different from other breeds. The diet should include vegetables - spinach, kohlrabi, carrots, cauliflower. Chicken yolks are also good for them. Such nutrition will allow your pet to have good health.

Consequences of poor nutrition

A balanced diet is important. Due to an imbalance of beneficial components, serious health problems arise:

Diabetes mellitus. There are individuals who have a genetic predisposition to this disease. Therefore, the disease can appear due to improper nutrition.
Avitaminosis. With a lack of many components, health problems arise. For example, a lack of vitamin E causes deterioration in wool quality.
Allergy.
Poisoning.

Some foods (chocolate, onions, garlic) are considered poisonous for pets. They should only be given safe food.

Ready-made feed

There is a lot of controversy about what is better to choose for kittens - dry food or natural food. If the finished product contains all the minerals and vitamins, then it is perfect for your pet. This diet is beneficial, according to veterinarians.

Owners of kittens should consider the following rules:

Natural feeding should not be mixed with dry food, as these foods are digested differently. Otherwise, various diseases may appear.
If one food is present in the diet, then you should not change it to another, since each product has its own composition. There may be an imbalance when mixing.
You should not choose mass market food for your pet. Only specialized high quality feed is needed.

There is no need to salt the prepared product.
If raw meat is given, it should be frozen in advance.
Fish is prohibited for neutered pets.
You should not feed your animal large pieces of food.
Oil and fatty products are contraindicated.
Raw fish contains worms, so it must be treated in advance.
Canned foods are dangerous.
Meat and fish should not contain bones.
The diet should not contain pork.

Some owners, due to ignorance of the principles of feeding kittens, mix their food with industrial feed. But this cannot be done. If you can’t afford high-quality dry food, then it’s better not to use regular food. Cats need a balanced diet for good health and well-being.

What else do you need to know?

Kittens need 3 bowls: for water, dry and liquid food. The dishes should be comfortable and stable. Containers must be washed regularly. The animal should eat where it is most convenient for it.