Feeding Your Kitten

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FEEDING YOUR KITTEN

Kittens grow rapidly in the first six months of their life, developing 75 per cent of their adult body weight. It’s vital your kitten is fed the right food to nourish a growing body.

The best food for kittens in their first three weeks is their mother’s milk. This provides all the required nutrients and passes on vital antibodies to protect against various diseases.

By seven weeks, kittens should be completely weaned from their mothers and it becomes your job to provide a complete and balanced diet. The best source of nutrition comes from commercially produced kitten food, like PRO PLAN®OPTISTART for kittens, is specifically designed to meet the needs of growing kittens.

Kittens need the right balance of the six major nutrient groups: proteins, fats and oils, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and water.

If you decide to feed your kitten human food, make sure you avoid onions, chocolate and dairy products, as these can be harmful or even poisonous to kittens.

By six months, the rate of development begins to slow down and your kitten’s nutritional requirements begin to diminish. You should watch how much you feed your pet around this time, as they could begin to develop weight problems. You only really need to feed them twice a day. Remember that most cats like to ‘snack’, returning to their food dish regularly for small meals.

By 12 months, kittens are ready for adult food.

If you want more information on feeding your kitten contact the Purina Pet Care Advice team here for free advice.