Scottish fold kittens feeding. How to feed a Scottish kitten

The appearance of a small kitten in the house is not only a joy for all household members, but also a great responsibility for a small defenseless creature. When looking at a fluffy baby, several questions arise at once: what can I feed a kitten at 1.5 months? What should be given to a mustachioed baby?

Usually kittens at the age of 1.5-2 months already eat on their own. After 2 months, they are weaned from the cat and given to other owners. Therefore, before taking a pet into the house, ask the former owners what they fed him. A new home, a strange environment - all this is stress for the baby. It will be good if he receives the usual menu for the first 7 days.

Kitten nutrition

Proper nutrition is essential for a healthy body. It is important to know that new foods should be introduced gradually, depending on age.

Kittens up to one month old should be given liquid food. Experts advise using baby food for babies.

In no case do not give the crumbs whole, undiluted cow's milk! Fatty milk is difficult to digest, constipation may occur, and for some kittens it is contraindicated. Replace mother's milk with 10% cream.

At the age of one month, you can slowly begin to give kefir and cottage cheese, but in small quantities, thus moving from liquid to more solid food.

What foods can be given in a month and a half

Food for a kitten for 1.5 months is already much more varied than for a month. The meat is gradually introduced. It is advisable to start feeding a young predator with lean meats: chicken, beef.

All solid food must be grinded, because it is still difficult for a kitten to bite off a piece and chew it. Professionals advise giving kittens meat purees designed for babies, they are made from natural products.

The yolk of a chicken or quail egg is rich in vitamin E, very useful for animals. But don't give them protein unless the kittens have diarrhea.

Feeding for a kitten for 1.5 months should be moderate, without overeating, so that later the baby does not suffer from obesity. It should not be supplemented either: lack of vitamins, depletion of the body can adversely affect the further development of the animal.

Features of feeding a British kitten

All thoroughbred animals have weak immunity and they absolutely do not like much of what yard cats can eat without any consequences. Therefore, you need to pay special attention to how to feed a British kitten at 1.5 months.

British kittens should be fed from the age of three weeks, without weaning from their mother. The longer she breastfeeds, the better and stronger the immunity of the baby.

If at the beginning of feeding a mustachioed pet does not seek to eat other food, then he has enough mother's milk. You can try to give a new food after a few days.

So when you first introduce a new product? Let's try to answer this question.

It is advisable to start with milk for kittens. Introduce cottage cheese without fruit additives, 10% cream, kefir, baby milk porridge into the diet.

You can give the yolk, boiled or raw, mixed with sour cream or kefir

Do not forget that a pet is also a predator, and he needs to eat meat. In a month and a half, you need to gradually begin to give him beef meat, twisted in a meat grinder or scraped (required - frozen in the freezer or scalded with boiling water).

Complementary foods are given 3 to 6 times a day. It depends on how often the cat feeds her kittens. So the crumbs gradually refuse natural breastfeeding.

Scottish breed

The best option is if the kitten feeds on mother's milk for up to 2 months until it gets stronger. Otherwise, he will have weak immunity, poor resistance to disease and difficulties in further development. At 1.5-2 months, they gradually begin to introduce complementary foods. At this age, the baby eats 6 times a day.

How to feed a Scottish kitten at 1.5 months? Let's try to figure it out. Complementary foods are best to start with milk porridge for babies. A young predator needs to eat meat every day, so it must be introduced into the diet. Experts advise starting with mashed meat for babies. For Scottish Fold breeds, meat is the main product, so it should be given daily. Do not forget that it cannot be given raw - only scalded, boiled, twisted in a meat grinder and without bones. Raw egg yolk is given once a week

Nutritious cereals for Scottish kittens - buckwheat and rice. You can add chicken and beef meat. Cute fluffy animals will love this menu.

It is useful to give beef or chicken liver once a week.

Vegetables and fruits: pros and cons

From an early age, it is necessary to teach kittens to eat vegetables, boiled and raw. When a kitten nibbles on a whole apple, a head of cabbage, raw carrots, in this way he cleans his teeth from plaque. Boiled pumpkin is given for prevention, from worms. Experts advise giving grated carrots with the addition of vegetable or animal fat, it is rich in vitamin A, which is very useful for pets.

Potatoes are given boiled, in small quantities.

You can't give onions.

Useful Supplements

For the healthy development of the body of mustachioed babies, they need to consume eggshells, crushed in a coffee grinder, every day.

Sprouted wheat, oats are rich in vitamins B and C and are very useful for fluffy crumbs.

It is advisable that a bowl of white chalk stand next to the plate of food.

Do not forget that there should be a container with drinking water near the bowl with food.

Dry food for kittens

In any pet store, it is not a problem to buy expensive, as well as cheap dry food. So a kitten at 1.5 months is better to feed: dry or natural food? Opinions were divided on this matter.

Some experts believe that dry food for babies aged 1.5 months is undesirable. The ventricle of the crumbs will not be able to digest it. If in the future preference is given to dry food, it is worth accustoming to it no earlier than 3 months.

Others argue that there is a high-quality dry food specially designed for small kittens that contains a large amount of vitamins and nutrients. But before use, it must be soaked in warm water. Do not soak a large amount of feed; leftovers should be refrigerated or discarded. The soaked food is stored in the refrigerator for 1 day.

And yet, how to feed a kitten for 1.5 months, dry or natural food, you will have to decide on your own. Experts advise not to buy cheap food, but to use premium food purchased in specialized stores so as not to harm the baby.

Prohibited foods for a kitten

Pay attention to foods that absolutely must be excluded from the diet of crumbs. This applies to any, purebred and non-pedigreed cats (with the exception of neutered and sterilized individuals, there are special instructions for them).

What should not be fed to a kitten at 1.5 months? Here is a list of our products:

harmful to any cat breeds.
It is dangerous to give pork to cats - this meat is too fatty and hard to digest. In addition, it contains a lot of bacteria that are harmful to the cat family.
You can not give food from the table to small kittens, it contains spices and a lot of salt.
In no case do not give the kids salted, smoked foods, sausages.
Do not give bird or fish bones.
Onions for cats are very toxic
Low-grade dry food, canned food - all this is very harmful food for kittens and adult cats.
Dry and wet dog food does not meet the needs of the cat's body.
Sweets and snacks are prohibited.
You can not give kittens a mixed diet - combine natural food and dry food.

It is necessary to give the baby to drink, even if he is still breastfeeding. Be sure to change the water every day.

Do not feed the kitten as soon as you wake up. Cats have a good memory. The pet can immediately understand that he will receive food as soon as the owner wakes up, and in the future will wake him up in the morning.

Decide on a feeding place where the cat will have a bowl of food and water so that it is comfortable and easily accessible to both the pet and the owners.

Do not feed your cat from your table, so that he does not get into the habit of disturbing the owners during meals.

Any creature, after it has eaten, needs rest, time to digest food. This is especially true for babies. You should not immediately start playing with the kitten after eating, hugging him, squeezing, so as not to harm the baby.

Conclusion

Summing up, we can say that small fluffy creatures, like small children, require attention and affection. Good nutrition, good care, love and affection of their owners - this is what is necessary for the healthy development of the baby.

Veterinarians do not advise using the mixed version, citing the fact that in this case it is difficult to avoid an overdose of vitamin products. An imbalance of vitamins and minerals in the body causes disturbances in the functioning of the body.

The choice of food depends on the employment of the owners, their financial capabilities, and the taste preferences of the pet. It should be remembered that the diet should be varied, but at the same time balanced. Obesity is dangerous for the health of any cat.

It is best to feed the animals according to a schedule and a pre-compiled menu. Neutered cats usually face the problem of overweight, so their diet is given special attention.

Many pet owners argue about the correct choice of feed. Some insist on a natural diet, while others say that industrial feed is much healthier and tastier. It is difficult to prove someone is right in this situation.

In addition, in fresh meat and fish delicacies there may be worm larvae, which is fraught with the development of helminthiasis. To avoid infection, you will need to boil or bake a dish for cats, because fried food is harmful not only to the human body, but also the cat's stomach suffers from it.

Ready food does not take much time to feed. It is enough to pour a certain portion in order to clearly know that the pet will not starve until the evening.

What to feed at 2 months and at an older age?

After a month and a half, portions are gradually increased, but the number of feedings is reduced to 4-5 times. At the age of 4 - 5 months, feeding should be done 4 times a day, at 6 - 7 months - 3 times a day, and after 12 - 14 months, the Scottish cat is already fed twice a day.

At home, you can also use the continuous method of feeding Scottish Fold kittens: in this case, food is not removed from the bowl and the kitten can approach it whenever it wants. The food needs to be changed as often, depending on what you are feeding your lop-eared kitten.

For example, dry food may be present in the bowl all the time, while canned food and natural food are changed 4 times a day.

It is important not only to properly feed, but also to water the Scottish Fold kitten. Water should be in a separate vessel (metal or plastic). If you decide to purchase a plastic bowl, buy it in a specialized store so as not to get a fake: poor quality plastic may contain harmful substances.

Change the water 2 times a day and make sure that no pieces of food get into it.

Food for pregnant and lactating cats

During pregnancy, the Scottish cat should be fed in small portions. Calcium-rich foods (cottage cheese, cheese, fermented baked milk) or nutritional supplements should appear in the diet. Liver and greens best meet the needs of the expectant mother. Lactating cats begin to eat more, because it takes a lot of calories to produce milk.

When asked how to feed a cat after childbirth, veterinarians answer that the same as for kittens, then the milk will be absorbed in the best way. But in the diet of a nursing mother there should be enough protein - 30%.

But what to feed a lactating Scottish Fold cat? In general, the diet for recently born lop-eared beauties does not change much. However, it is worth adding a spoonful of bone meal to a single serving, and pouring a few drops of fish oil on food once a week. Do not forget about vitamins: during this period, animals need additional support with microelements.

Representatives of the Scottish Fold breed are very peaceful and unpretentious creatures. Their diet includes a wide selection of products, but it is worth considering a few features, which will be discussed below. The optimal food for Scottish Fold cats is industrial food, both dry and canned. In addition to specialized cat food, selected based on the age (kitten, adult cat) and the level of activity of the cat (calm, moderate, active), representatives of the breed can be fed with the following products, which will be discussed below.

A cat with an "average" level of activity should receive a basic amount of calories. For a calm pet who is mostly at home and does not expend much energy, you may need ten percent less food than recommended on food packages. At the same time, an active pet that plays all day may require 20-40 percent more than the base amount of food.

Your cat should always have free access to fresh, clean water. The water bowl should be washed every day.

Cats require taurine, an amino acid that is essential for normal heart function, vision, and reproduction. While most mammals can synthesize taurine from other amino acids in the body, cats cannot. Since taurine is found only in animal protein foods, cats need a meat-based diet to meet their body's needs.

Like humans, too hot or cold weather can increase a cat's energy requirements. Extra energy is required to keep warm or cool, so you may want to consult your veterinarian about a feeding schedule in such cases. If the pet is recovering from surgery or is suffering from an illness, there may also be an increase in nutritional requirements to speed up the healing process. Discuss with your veterinarian how to adjust your cat's diet during illness or recovery.

As a general rule, it is recommended to feed cats twice a day. Measure out the recommended daily amount as indicated on the cat food package and divide it into two meals. The interval between doses is from eight to twelve hours. Try to adjust to your cat's needs by observing her behavior: whether she eats all the food, how often she goes to the bowl, and so on.

Some cat owners work to a strict schedule that does not allow them to feed their pet twice a day. Don't worry - cats can be safely fed in other ways that meet the needs of both the pet and the owner. It is perfectly acceptable to give food in small portions more than twice a day, or put in a bowl at a time the daily portion of food. However, in this case, you need to ensure that the animal does not overeat and the food remains fresh. If there are difficulties with this, then special devices are sold that give out certain amounts of food at the appointed time - so the animal will not be tempted to eat everything at once.

Feeding Scottish Fold kittens at the age of 1-2 months

If you need to take care of kittens in their first few months of life, prepare to gradually transition them from milk to regular cat food.

Newborn lop-eared kittens receive good nutrition from their mother's milk during the first four weeks of life. Mother's milk is 100 percent suitable for their needs, so you don't have to feed them anything extra.

In the event that the mother cat is ill, unable to produce enough milk, or if the kittens were found without a mother, a milk replacer may be needed. If you have this situation, contact your veterinarian for food selection and feeding recommendations.

During the first weeks of life, a kitten's weight can double or even triple. This rapid growth will continue, but gradually the rate will decrease. Large amounts of energy and nutrients are needed to support this impressive growth.

Make sure the food you choose is formulated specifically for kittens. Your pet should be fed this food until it reaches maturity, at about one year of age.

By the time the Scottish Fold kittens are 1 month old, they should be given a small amount of specialized dry kitten food, although milk is still the main food. This gradual introduction process is important in transitioning kittens to adult cat food. Most cats breastfeed their kittens for about two months. By this time, 80 percent of the kitten's total nutrient intake should come from solid food.

Babies separated from their mothers can be fed moistened food at three weeks of age. Use formulated milk substitutes to wet kitten food and gradually reduce the amount of milk.

You can use the free method of feeding - this means that the kitten has access to food at any time he wants. In this way, dry food is mainly given, since it does not disappear and does not dry out during the day. If you have a dog at home, then make sure that he does not eat cat food (dogs love it very much).

Also make sure that there is always fresh water in the kitten's access area. At first, curious kittens will likely play with their food more than eat it, but eventually they will get used to eating it instead of throwing it around the bowl. At the age of 2 months and beyond, the main diet should be dry food in order to support the growth and development of a small Scottish fold kitten!

In order for a Scottish fold or straight-eared cat, cat or kitten to be healthy, strong and beautiful, you need to take care of the right diet, as well as the feeding scheme.

Varieties of food

For any breed of cat, and the Scots are no exception, there are three types of food:

The variety of species can be puzzling with the question: what is the best food for a Scottish cat? Each of the listed types of food will be correct, so you need to focus on the taste preferences of the pet and your free time, because natural feeding takes much more time than feeding with ready-made offers.

Let's take a closer look at each type of food.

Natural nutrition of Scottish fold or straight-eared kittens and adult animals

This type of feeding is not easy and requires a certain amount of time for cooking, which is not always convenient and possible.

List of basic products that are allowed for Scottish cats:

The main percentage of products in the natural feeding of a Scottish cat should be meat products, because they contain protein, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the body: heart muscle, good vision, reproduction of offspring, etc.

Microelements, vitamins and supplements.

Biologically active additives must be included in the diet of pets throughout the entire time of feeding with natural products. Kittens up to 6 months old need a source of vitamins D and A, that is, fish oil. In addition, the networks of veterinary pharmacies offer a huge selection of multivitamin preparations for cats and kittens of the Scottish breed and just as a species of animal.

The pet must always have fresh, clean water. Ideally, you need to change the water 2 times a day. You can let your pet drink tap water, the Scottish breed especially loves it.

Approximate nutrition menu per 1 kg of body weight of a Scottish fold or straight-eared cat.

Recipe 1:

low-fat fresh beef (dip in boiling water) - 25 gr.;
lungs - 5 gr.;
pure water - 10 gr.;
vegetable oil - 2 gr.;
dry ordinary shiver - 0.2 gr.;
plain oatmeal flakes - 4 gr.

Recipe 2:

fresh liver - 10 gr.;
lean fish - 25 gr.;
buckwheat - 4 gr.;
plain water - 7 gr.;
ordinary dry yeast - 0.1 gr.;
low-fat cottage cheese - 3 gr.

After preparing food according to a recipe, it can be divided into portions and frozen for the future. So at any time, having previously defrosted, it will be possible to quickly feed the pet with natural food.

Prohibited products for Scottish fold and straight-eared cats:

pork, smoked, salted, peppered, dried, fresh meat;
fats;
floury, sweet.

Ready food or a quick and balanced way to feed Scots

What to feed a Scottish Fold or Piam-eared cat if it is not possible to cook fresh food for her daily? The answer is simple - ready-made high-quality feeds that contain all the necessary proteins, carbohydrates and fats, as well as multivitamins. They will form the main diet of your pet.

Ready-made food for kittens and cats differs in the amount of water contained in it: semi-moist, dry and wet food. However, with any type of food, it is necessary to ensure that the animal has constant access to water.

You can combine wet and dry food when feeding if they are produced by the same manufacturer and are given at different meals. For example: in the morning - wet food, in the afternoon - dry and in the evening again wet or dry.

When choosing food, it is better to give preference to well-known brands, since budget options are not so high quality and they do not include enough minerals and vitamins in their composition. In addition, attention should be paid to the recommendations indicated by the manufacturer regarding age, breed and health status.

Royal Canin;
matisse;
advance;
Hills;
and other brands of premium and super-premium classes.

Cheap options that should not be fed to a Scottish cat or kitten are the following:

Darling;
Kitiket;
Whiskas.

When switching from natural food to dry food or when changing manufacturers, it is better to buy a small amount, because. a pet may be allergic to this type of food or it may simply not like it. It is also important to consider that you need to translate gradually. It is better to start adding new food from 30%.

Features of nutrition with ready-made food for adults

The diet of grown-up pets should contain the necessary amount of high-quality, nutritious food that can support muscle tissue and satisfy energy needs, because they spend a lot of energy on games and on communicating with you.

The amount of food depends on the lifestyle of an adult and is directly related to the size of the cat. Each pet has its own level of activity - this should be reflected in the calorie intake. For a pet with an average level of mobility, a basic amount of calories is needed, and for calm pets, which mostly sleep and look bored out the window, the diet should be 10% less than recommended by the manufacturers on the feed packaging. At the same time, a bully who plays throughout the day should eat 40% more than the base level.

The weather also affects the appetite of cats, in the warm season the need for food decreases somewhat, and in the cold it increases, in fact, as in humans. Keeping warm requires energy, and energy is calories.

The correct diet includes dividing food into several meals, namely 2-3. The interval between meals should be 8-12 hours.

By observing your household, you can understand whether two meals a day are enough for him or whether it is better to transfer to three meals a day. Some animals eat the entire portion of food at once, while others can eat gradually, over several hours.

Some owners, due to a strict schedule at work, do not have the opportunity to give food for Scottish Fold cats several times a day, while the pet may abuse this, eating everything at once and begging for more. This problem can be easily solved by a special dispenser that dispenses a set amount of feed at a certain time.

The better to feed a pregnant cat Scottish fold or straight

The diet of expectant mothers deserves special attention. As you know, it is they who need much more food and the vitamins that come with it, from here it follows that they should be fed better. At the same time, it is not recommended to increase the portion size, since a small stomach will hardly digest food that exceeds the required norm.

With natural nutrition, you need to follow simple instructions:

It is strictly forbidden to give fish to pregnant Scottish women, it is best to feed them with fresh, tasty greens and low-fat liver. Sometimes you can include mackerel, sprat, tasty sardine, red trout meat in the diet rich in fat-soluble elements.
Pregnant pets need foods high in calcium. It can be low-fat cottage cheese, cheese, fermented baked milk. It is also recommended to add Calcex powdered tablets and bone meal to food.

A cat carrying kittens needs constant access to fresh and clean water, especially if she is fed canned or dry food. If before an interesting situation the cat ate ready-made sentences, then during pregnancy she should use them. An abrupt change in the type of food may not be beneficial. But such a cat can be transferred to dry or jelly-like food, which is designed specifically for pregnant women. It will include more vitamin and calories, so eating almost the same amount of food as usual, the pet will have enough energy and trace elements to bear healthy kittens.

Two weeks before the birth, the portion for the pet is reduced by 20-30%. This is necessary so that the kittens do not gain too much mass. A large fetus can cause complications during childbirth, especially if the cat has a narrow pelvis. So it is better to worry in advance and protect the pet from overeating.

Just before the birth itself, the cat may refuse to eat at all. Don't worry it's normal. Keep her calm and prepare for the birth of the babies.

After giving birth, the cat may also lack appetite. This is due to the fact that the cat eats the afterbirth, but you should not let the Scottish woman eat more than three afterbirths. Otherwise, it may cause diarrhea.

During lactation, a cat's appetite increases, because she needs to provide vital energy not only for herself, but also for her offspring. At this time, the cat's diet is formed, while it is necessary to take into account its age, weight and the number of babies in the litter.

After the offspring will gradually switch to solid food, the cat's appetite will decrease somewhat, in addition, it is quite possible that she will eat the same foods as her babies. All of this happens on an instinctive level, as eating the same food will make her milk the most digestible for the kittens.

Basically, during lactation, the Scot loses weight and comes to the same weight that she had before pregnancy. Make sure that the animal does not have exhaustion. If the mother's weight is below normal, then more high-calorie foods should be introduced into the diet or feeds designed specifically for kittens should be used.

Scottish fold and straight kittens: care and nutrition

A Scottish kitten should be brought to a new home no earlier than 2.5 months. But if you become the owner of offspring or for some other reason you have a baby, then get ready for the hassle. Up to a month or two, kittens feed on mother's milk. If the cat refuses to feed or there is not enough milk, then the babies are offered a milk substitute, infant formula. Instructions for feeding and preparing mixtures are indicated on the packaging.

For the first three weeks, kittens eat approximately every 2 hours, then the break gradually becomes longer. By the month, babies can be fed 3-5 times a day, gradually transferring to natural or ready-made feeding. Rapid growth and formation of the body requires high-quality nutrition, rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins. When choosing ready-made food, you need to make sure that it is designed specifically for kittens, you should also pay attention to the age at which the food is recommended. So, for example, Royal Canin offer different lines “from 1st to 4th months” and “for kittens from 4th to 12 months”.

Curious kids will first play with their food, not understanding what it is for, but after a while they get used to it and stop throwing food near the bowl. At 2 months, their main diet should be dry food to maintain full development.

With proper nutrition, kittens grow very quickly and gain weight. Gradually, the growth rate will decrease and will no longer be so obvious.

Features of feeding a castrated cat or a sterilized cat

The tendency to obesity often appears in the Scots, after the procedure of castration or sterilization - this is primarily due to hormonal disorders. There is an exit. First of all, the amount of food should be reduced. In this case, the number of feedings must be increased. It does not hurt to conduct a test once a month, which includes stroking the pet on the back and sides. In case of groping for bones, nutrition is correct.

Feeding with natural products:

A natural, balanced diet should include fiber, vitamins, and various mineral supplements.
Exclude fish from the diet, as it contains a lot of phosphorus, as well as magnesium. They are the provocateurs of the occurrence of urolithiasis.
Meat, only lean: beef, chicken breast, turkey and rabbit meat.
Porridge must be present in the diet. You can add some meat to add flavor. No more than once a week, offal can be included.
Vegetables should be added in pureed and necessarily raw form: carrots, cauliflower or, for example, a fresh cucumber.
A broth made from lean meats.

Ready food for sterilized and neutered pets.

When choosing food, remember that it must be of high quality, that is, "premium" or "super-premium" class, for example, Royal Canin. At the same time, the bag must be marked: "for castrated or sterilized cats." You should also know that liquid food is preferable to dry food.

Despite the difference in the nutrition of neutered and sterilized pets, they remain the same cheerful and active. Therefore, they should all the same, and maybe even pay more attention, play with them, and then your Scottish fold or straight-eared will always be in athletic shape.

Feeding aging Scots

An aged pet needs to provide a balanced diet that will prolong its active period of life. They do not need to give a large amount of food, since their energy consumption per day is only 65 kcal per kilogram of body weight. Overfeeding will lead to obesity, and therefore not be reflected in the best way on the life of the body.

Elderly pets are fed several times a day with food divided into small portions. You can also feed dry food specially designed for older cats. When choosing food for a Scot, you need to pay attention to the amount of fat it contains. The best option when it is 95% fat-free.

An aging pet may refuse dry food due to gum and/or tooth pain. In this case, the Scot should be transferred to a wet or semi-moist feeding option. You can soak dry food.

A common ailment in aging Scottish fold and straight-eared cats is hyperthyroidism, an increase in the amount of hormones in the thyroid gland. If this disease is detected, the pet needs to be fed with more high-calorie food.

And if kidney failure is detected, it is necessary to reduce the intake of salts and phosphorus, and include protein in the diet in small doses.

A Scottish cat with heart failure should be put on a salt-free diet.

Taurine must be present in food for an elderly pet, since its deficiency will lead to the development of a disease such as cardiomyopathy.

Norm kJ, calories (energy consumption) for kittens and adult pets

According to the rules, the rate of kJ and calories must be calculated based on the weight and lifestyle of the pet, so the data below are approximate indicators that you can focus on:

for a baby - 838 kJ (200 kcal.);
for a nursing Scottish woman - 1047.4 kJ (250 kcal.);
for a pregnant and developing household - 419 kJ (100 kcal.);
for an obese cat - 251.4 kJ (59.9 kcal);
for an aging fluffy - 335.2 kJ (80 kcal).

Information about the calorie content of products can be found on the food packages. In order to convert kJ to calories, the required figure should be divided by 4.19.

They may be different, but no matter what color they are, nutrition must be balanced in order to maintain their vital activity at the proper level. Then your pet will always be healthy and beautiful.

Have you already decided what you will feed your Scottish Fold kitten? If your choice fell on industrial dry or wet food, the pet's diet should be changed gradually. In addition, you need to make a choice between: economy, premium, super premium and holistic class of food. Let's figure out how to properly feed a kitten from 2-3 months to a year, whether it is necessary to give vitamins or soak the food.

If a Scottish fold kitten has congenital problems with the skeleton, food, even the highest quality, this problem is not solved. Be sure to contact your veterinarian for a detailed consultation.

Scottish fold kittens attract the attention of many four-legged lovers. An irresistible feature of the breed - ears pressed to the head, makes the pet especially charming. Few people know that the gene responsible for pinched ears can cause health problems.

There is a strict rule regarding the breeding of lop-eared cats. The breeder can only breed folds and straights - that is, one of the parents must be with straight ears.

If this rule is not observed, with a very high probability, kittens appear in the litter with genetic defects that cannot be cured. Deformed hind legs and tail are not only a visual feature, but also the consequences of an incorrect structure of the spine. Kittens from such matings are born disabled or become disabled at an early age.

Note! Scottish fold cats of amateur breeding suffer from food allergies without exception.

If your kitten is healthy and does not suffer from allergies, you have a choice: feeding or commercial feed. Most owners lean towards industrial feeds as they don't need to be cooked. In addition, good quality feed is balanced and fortified.

Dry food

- the most popular type of industrial food. Feed pellets have a long shelf life, are easy to weigh and do not need to be pre-cooked. Dry food is very convenient for owners, but it is not suitable for feeding kittens under six months of age.

As long as the kitten has milk teeth, he cannot chew on the pellets. During loosening and changing teeth, the kitten can injure the gums in the process of chewing. When the teeth have erupted and are growing, chewing on the granules can cause the incisors to twist and bite.

Some kittens become accustomed to swallowing pellets whole, leading to:

Overeating - until the granules have gained moisture and volume, the kitten will not feel full from the right portion.
Bloating.
Constipation due to dehydration.

Advice: If you are determined to transition your Scottish Fold to dry food, this should be done gradually. At the beginning of training, the pellets should be soaked in water and mixed with wet or semi-moist food of the same brand.

Wet and semi-moist food

It differs from dry in high water content. For a pet, this type of food is more acceptable, because he does not feel an acute thirst after eating. The only disadvantage of wet food is the loosening of the gums due to the constant use of soft food.

Wet food is divided into two types: pates and pieces with gravy. The composition of both products is identical (if we are talking about the same brand).

Pate is fed to kittens, older cats with missing teeth, animals with chronic diseases of the oral cavity. Wet kibble foods are suitable for teenage and adult kittens.

Economy food

Economy class feeds are the most famous brands and lines that are widely advertised and well recognizable. Interestingly, manufacturers reduce the cost of food using a soy or carbohydrate base. Scottish fold kittens, and any other cats, are not recommended to be fed with economy class products.

If you did not go into details and bought food for your pet, guided by intuition, most likely, your choice settled on recognizable names and attractive packs.

Perhaps some names in the list of popular economy class feeds will come as an unpleasant surprise for you:

Sheba (Sheba).
Gourmet Gold (Gourmet Gold).
Wellkiss.
Whiskas.
Friskes (Friskies).
Ket Chao (Cat Chow Purina).
Darling.
Felix (Felix).
Puffins (Puffins).
Pro tail.
Gemon.
perfect.
vital.

Note! The basis of economy class feed is cereal waste, soy or beans, which are not digested in the cat's intestines. Simply put, cheap food is a filler for the stomach that does not bring benefits to the pet.

Premium and super premium food

For everyday feeding of healthy cats, premium and super premium class foods are optimal. It is worth paying attention to the fact that food for neutered cats most often belongs to premium lines.

Be careful when choosing food. Most of the trade names that are “popularly” considered the best and referred to as the super premium class are, in fact, a premium line.

Brit Premium (Brit Premium).
Nutra Mix (Nutra Mix).
Royal Canin.
Pro Plan (Pro Plan).
Hills Science Plan line.
Eukanuba.
Advance (Advance).
Almo Nature.
Animonda.
Happy Cat (Happy Cat).
Probalance.
Organix (Organix).
Sirius.
Flatazor (Flatazor).

The best choice for feeding pedigreed cats is super premium food.

Popular manufacturers produce products for cats of different ages and taking into account individual characteristics (activity, coat type).

Super premium food for Scottish Fold kittens can be selected from the following list:

First Choice or Choice No. 1 (1st Choice).
Brit Care.
Dr. Clauder's Super premium line.
Arden Grange.
Superpet (Superpet).
Royal Farm.
Blitz.
Duke Farm (Duke's farm).
Fitmin (Fitmin).
Guabi Natural (Guabi Natural).
Landor (Landor).
Leonardo.
Natika.
Milfil (Mealfeel).

Note! Super premium food is fully fortified, contains taurine and essential minerals. The composition of the premium line products must be carefully studied, since not all feeds are completely fortified.

Holistic class food

Holistic class is considered the highest quality. According to the manufacturers, holistic class food is made only from natural products. Simply put, for a fairly solid price, you get pet food made from the same products as you buy yourself.

The only disadvantage of holistic class feed is the high price and low prevalence. Such products are rarely sold in pet stores and the owner has to buy food on order.

Go natural.
Acana.
Holistic.
Wildcat.
Applaws.
Kanagan.
Karnilav (Carnilove).
Farmina.
Grandorf.
Orijen.

Note! Lines of holistic feeds are rarely produced in a rich assortment. Most often, the manufacturer gives a choice between 2-3 compositions and the form of food (drying, pate, pieces).

Vitamins and nutritional supplements for Scottish Fold kittens

If you bought a kitten that was supplemented with natural products by the breeder, a sharp transition to an industrial diet can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. While the kitten eats natural products, for the timely formation of the backbone and confidence in the fortification of the diet, it is better to give him vitamins.

Note! If you feed a kitten with super premium or holistic class food, you do not need to give a vitamin complex. If your pet eats premium food, the vitamin complex is selected individually.

It is strongly not recommended to give vitamins to Scottish Fold kittens unless you are sure of the pet's needs or have received advice from a veterinarian. The problem is that an excess of vitamins is no less destructive than their lack.

If the kitten is clearly stunted or suffers from beriberi, the following vitamins are suitable for him:

Gimpet Baby Tabs.
Beaphar Kitty's Mix or Beaphar Kitty's junior.
FeliDerm.
8 in 1 Excel Brewers.
Canina cat mineral or Canina Canivita.
Polidex Immunity up.
Hartz Everyday (with taurine).
Dr. Zoo (with taurine and biotin).
Farmavit Neo.

Note! Vitamins are produced in the form of tablets, crackers and pastes. For small kittens that do not chew well, pastes are best. Crackers have an attractive taste and are eaten with pleasure by pets. Tablets are more suitable for teenagers and adult cats.

How to feed a Scottish Fold kitten from birth to a year

During the first month of life, Scottish Fold kittens feed exclusively on mother's milk. If the cat does not have enough milk or some kittens are stunted, they are transferred to a cat's milk substitute. Before the age of one month, supplementary feeding is not recommended, since the intestines of kittens are not ready to digest new food.

At the age of 3 to 4 weeks, they begin to become interested in the outside world and the food that their mother eats. The heightened sense of smell and instincts tell kittens that milk is not the only source of nutrition. As soon as the babies are one month old, they will gradually begin to refuse mother's milk and become more and more interested in adult food.

1 – 2 months

When the kittens are 2 months old, they still live with their mother and drink milk from time to time. Depending on the preferences of the breeder, kittens receive natural or industrial supplementary food.

From natural products for complementary feeding of kittens, it is suitable:

Boiled minced meat.
Low fat broths.
Dairy and dairy products.

As industrial complementary foods are used:

Substitute for cat's milk.
Wet food for kittens in the form of pate.
Dry soaked food from the line for lactating cats and kittens.

At 2 months of age, it is time for the first vaccination, and hence. Due to the stress of the procedures and the use of prophylactic agents, the kitten may experience symptoms that are not related to the type of feeding.

Important! For two weeks before and after vaccination, it is not recommended to change the type of feeding of the Scottish Fold kitten!

2 - 3 months

When kittens are 3 months old, they are usually "put up for sale". After moving a pet to a new home, it is not recommended to change its usual diet and feeding schedule for at least a week. , which the kitten experiences due to a change of residence, adversely affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Additional stress will lead to the development of diarrhea or refusal to feed.

If the breeder supplements the kitten with natural food, and you decide, the transition is made by smooth substitution. Soaked dry food or wet food in the form of a pate interferes with natural food. The proportion of industrial feed is increased in stages, within 7–10 days.

4 - 6 months

With the industrial type of feeding, kittens aged from 4 to 6 months are constantly mixed with soaked granules of dry food into wet food. To prepare the granules, they must be poured with hot water or broth and left for 10-15 minutes. When the granules increase and brighten, they must be crushed with a fork. A mixture of wet and dry food is brought to a homogeneous consistency and slightly warmed up to stimulate the pet's appetite.

Important! By the age of six months, subject to the timely formation of bones and teeth, the kitten is able to chew dry food granules. Drying is introduced gradually, at the first stages in a proportion of no more than 10% of the entire portion.

6 - 12 months and older

At the age of six months, by gradually introducing dry food into the diet, its mass fraction is increased to 50%. It is advisable to give wet and dry food alternately, in the morning and evening feeding.

Your task is to ensure that the kitten perceives the pellets as food. Early in training, the relatively inconspicuous odor of the pellets can lead to food refusal.

When increasing the mass fraction of dry food, make sure that the kitten consumes enough water!

By 10 months of age, a kitten's diet should consist of 70% dry food and 30% wet food of the same brand. This proportion is also recommended for adult animals, since the use of exclusively dry food leads to rapid deterioration of the enamel.