When and how can you give dry food to a kitten?

The appearance of a kitten in the house is a great joy, but there are many worries with him. Many are interested in what to drink and how to feed a little friend. Dry cat food is a very convenient way to fully feed your furry pet. It should be considered how to determine what dry food can already be given to the kitten and how to do it correctly?

Little kittens at the beginning of life are still blind and clumsy, and eat only their mother's milk. It is hard to imagine that in a few months they will be running around and playing pranks. The activity of babies provokes their rapid appetite, therefore, the selection of the right nutrition for them is an important task and a guarantee of health for the future adult animal. It is not for nothing that caring owners are worried about the age at which a kitten can be given dry food.

It seems that there are almost no nutrients in these "croutons". This opinion is erroneous, since in any veterinary store you can find a special dry food for kittens, which contains a lot of minerals, vitamins and protein.

This is very important, since the kitten grows very quickly, and for its own health, it must eat healthy and high-calorie food. His life is in constant motion, and after a few months he should be almost equal in size to an adult cat.

So, in how many months is it recommended to introduce dry food to a kitten? His age should be at least 2.5-3 months, that is, when his milk teeth erupt. This time is optimal for getting used to a crispy treat.The kitten is still feeding on her mother's milk, so the new diet will enter his life gradually and without harm to health.

Most pet food lines contain separate products for kittens. Even such popular and inexpensive companies as Whiskas, Kitekat, Friskies are trying to produce special food for fluffy babies. Of course, it is better to choose products not from the mass market, but of better quality, if we talk about young cats. Indeed, it is in such rulers that there are specialized options for different breeds, taking into account the characteristics and predisposition to diseases.

It is worth considering in more detail which feeds are the best in their segment.

• Acana. This is a complete food for kittens, which does not contain dyes and flavor enhancers. The variety of types of such food is not very impressive: with chicken, fish, lamb. But the composition includes natural meat, chicken eggs, fruits, algae, vitamins. Fortunately, the manufacturer does not add ingredients like corn kernels and other plant fibers that are not very good for cats to add bulk.

• Royal Canin. The balanced feed of this company pleases with its not too high price and various tastes. You can give dry food of this brand to cats from four months. A distinctive feature of the brand has become a treatment line for kittens with special features, which is very convenient for the owner of thoroughbred animals. The composition of Royal Canin is legendary and controversial, as it is believed that this food is not as good as it is written on the packaging.

• Monge. An Italian manufacturer offers a very expensive kitten food called Monge superpremium kitten. Its undoubted advantage is that it is suitable for feeding not only children, but also the pregnant cat itself. The whole point lies in its nutritional composition: it contains antioxidants, a lot of protein and fat, which is very important for a fast-growing body, as well as phosphorus, potassium and fatty acids. In the manufacture of the line, no preservatives, colorants, aromas and flavor enhancers are used.

• Orijen. A feature of the feed from this company is that the meat that is used in them is environmentally friendly. The meat ingredients used in this brand of kitten food include turkey, chicken, sardine, herring. In addition, fresh eggs are added to it as an additional source of protein. In addition to protein elements, the composition includes low-glycemic carbohydrates, which cats consume in the wild.

• Diamond Pet Foods. This American brand offers Chicken Soup Kitten Formula dry food. Since this feed is produced in the USA, it is rather difficult to get it in Russia. This product does not contain hydrolysates, that is, substances obtained in the processing of horns, hooves and feathers of animals. About forty percent of this food is muscle protein. And also in the manufacture of bone chicken and fish meal and vitamin supplements are used.

• Hill`s Science Plan. This brand from the Netherlands offers a specially formulated kitten food with an optimal composition of fish oil, sodium and phosphorus. Hill's Science Plan Puppy & Kitten contains the following ingredients: chicken, chicken flour, ground corn, animal and fish oils, beets, natural preservatives. This food is also suitable for pregnant cats.

Budget food for kittens can hardly boast of an ideal composition. Therefore, it is better to consider more expensive options for at least the first six months of the animal's life.

If the first five positions are natural products, that is, meat and poultry, then this food is suitable for a kitten. The health and development of the baby depends on nutrition in the first months of life. If you doubt that dry food will suit your pet, then you may well feed him natural food for a long time. Only it should not only be porridge on the water, but products such as meat, cottage cheese, eggs, vegetables.

Cooking food for a little fuzz is not that hard but food from the store makes life much easier for busy people.

Knowing the peculiarities of the breed of your kitten or the health problems of his mother, you can pick up special rulers that take into account these nuances. There are pads for cats with problems of the genitourinary system, to strengthen bones and teeth, for a beautiful and shiny coat. In any veterinary store you will be advised the best option, taking into account the needs of your kitten.

The body of a newly born animal is still very sensitive, especially to food. Kittens first feed on mother's milk, and this food is easily absorbed and digested. To transfer a kitten to dry food, you need to act gradually. You should not abruptly switch the animal from one type of food to another, because the stomach and intestines of the newly born fluffy miracle are still very tender.

If you took the kitten off your hands, then the first step is to find out how the old owners fed the animal. Stick to a similar diet for a new cat for a couple of weeks, as he is already in a stressful situation due to a sudden change of place of residence. After this time, you can gradually transfer the animal to dry food.

How to start introducing a new type of nutrition correctly? It’s not that hard, but it’s not really easy either. Changing quickly to dry food after wet feeding can cause indigestion in kittens or other intestinal problems.

The liquid should be warmed up to + 50– + 60 ° С, no more, so as not to destroy vitamins... Do not add too much liquid either. The pieces should remain shaped. You can add pate or twisted meat to the soaked food. Gradually, you need to reduce the amount of liquid so that by the age of six months, the cat or kitty can already safely eat only dry food.

It is necessary to feed the kitten with dry food correctly. Do not give the animal regular food and feed in the same meal. Kittens love to eat cottage cheese, vegetables and meat, but after such dishes it is necessary to wait at least three hours, only then allow them to eat "crackers". Dry food requires a lot of clean drinking water for the kitten. It should always be freely available. If your baby is not left with water and fed with dry pads, he may experience volvulus.

It is recommended to give dry food to the kitten in portions, because at first he cannot rely on his appetite and will eat everything, no matter how much you put in. It is best to feed your baby about four times a day, and after six months he will get used to eating in small portions. Then you can leave him a large bowl of dry food for the whole day.

For information on whether kittens can be given dry food, see the next video.