One of the crucial frequent questions that I get requested as a veterinarian is when to change from kitten to cat meals. That is normally accompanied by the query of why cats and kittens want totally different meals within the first place.
Kittens normally transition to grownup meals round their first birthday. The exception is bigger cat breeds as a result of they take longer to succeed in their mature dimension and want kitten meals for longer.
Kittens are quickly rising and growing, and want a special proportion of vitamins and energy to gas this progress than grownup cats do. As soon as older, cats want a eating regimen extra targeted on the upkeep of their day by day wants.
Feeding an acceptable and balanced eating regimen on your pet’s life stage is basically vital. Learn on to search out out extra!
About Kittens’ Dietary Wants
Most kittens will want kitten meals till their first birthday, with the exception being bigger breeds.
As a result of kittens develop quickly, they require the right steadiness of energy, fat, proteins, nutritional vitamins, and minerals to assist their growth.
Kittens start to wean at about 3-4 weeks previous. After reaching this stage, kittens want moist meals or dry meals that has been moistened. Between 6-8 weeks, kittens are absolutely weaned and may eat both moist or dry kitten meals.
Younger kittens between 2-6 months of age are in essentially the most speedy stage of their progress, and their diet is basically vital. They want, per pound of weight, as much as double the variety of energy that an grownup cat wants!
Nonetheless, a kitten’s abdomen continues to be small, so kitten meals must be energy-dense and full of vitamins. Additionally it is advisable to feed kittens 3-4 instances a day at this age. From 6 months, the speed of progress slows. Kittens nonetheless require a selected eating regimen as they’re nonetheless growing, however they will begin consuming bigger meals and drop to being fed twice day by day.
Kitten meals is excessive in fat, that are each a wealthy supply of vitality but in addition comprise important fatty acids, corresponding to DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) for the event of imaginative and prescient, the nervous system, and important organs, such because the mind. Cats typically want excessive protein ranges of their diets. For kittens, that is particularly vital to assist speedy progress and supply important amino acids corresponding to arginine and lysine.
Diets made for kittens are sometimes supplemented with excessive ranges of nutritional vitamins and minerals. Rising kittens want calcium and phosphorus for bone growth. Additionally they want greater ranges of magnesium, iodine, and Vitamin A.
Additionally Learn: Can Kittens Eat Grownup Cat Meals? A Vet Explains
When Kittens Turn into Adults
Whereas kittens do develop quickly as they change into adults, there’s a false impression about how early they change into adults.
There’s a frequent false impression that kittens mature at round 6 months previous. That is really after they change into sexually mature, however their bodily progress continues till they’re round 10-12 months previous.
The precise time of a kitten’s transition into maturity will rely upon their intercourse, breed, and dimension. Massive breed cats, such because the Maine Coon, don’t attain their grownup dimension till round 18 months – 2 years, so it’s endorsed to maintain these bigger varieties on kitten meals till round 18 months.
Additionally Learn: Early-Age Spaying & Neutering Of Cats
Grownup Cat Dietary Wants
Whether or not you resolve to feed your cat moist meals, dry meals, or a combination of each, what’s most vital is that the meals provides your cat the diet that they want in any respect levels of life.
Cats are obligate carnivores and want excessive ranges of animal protein of their eating regimen. Protein is required each for muscle mass and in addition to offer important amino acids corresponding to arginine and lysine. There are particular vitamins that cats can not make themselves, corresponding to taurine, which should be included of their eating regimen.
Cats are much less reliant on carbohydrates than folks, canine, and different mammals. They use fat for vitality, but in addition to offer important fatty acids, and to assist the absorption of fat-soluble nutritional vitamins. steadiness of different vitamins is required, corresponding to calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Grownup cats have totally different dietary wants than kittens. Particular care should be taken to make sure an applicable variety of energy for his or her dimension and exercise stage, to protect towards weight problems.
Additionally Learn: The Full Feeding Information From Kittens To Seniors
The kind of meals (moist or dry) relies on every particular person cat’s desire, with benefits and downsides to each. Whichever is chosen, the meals ought to be nutritionally full, and appropriately balanced for age and life-style. All the time examine the meals label to make sure the meals has been licensed by The Affiliation of American Feed Management Officers (AAFCO). Which means the meals is of appropriate high quality and is nutritionally full.
Until you might be suitably certified in animal diet, a business eating regimen is normally the most suitable choice on your pet. Residence-prepared diets might be very tough to steadiness with the right vitamins for cats. The occasional deal with is okay, however a feline-specific meals is most well-liked. Bear in mind, human meals corresponding to chocolate, grapes, raisins, caffeine, onions, and garlic are all poisonous to cats.
Additionally Learn: 15 Human Meals That Are Toxic & Poisonous To Cats
How To Transition From Kitten To Cat Meals
Transitioning your cat’s eating regimen takes somewhat little bit of time to keep away from GI upset.
Any dietary change on your cat ought to at all times be finished steadily and thoroughly. This may assist to keep away from a abdomen upset. An abrupt change of eating regimen can result in vomiting and diarrhea as your cat’s gastrointestinal system struggles to regulate. Additionally it is extra frequent to see meals aversion or refusal if a gradual transition hasn’t been made.
Across the time your cat hits 12 months of age (later if a big breed), select your high-quality, balanced grownup cat meals and comply with this information to transition your cat over the course of every week or so. The grownup meals might be moist, dry, or a combination of each – so long as the feeding pointers are adopted.
- Days 1 & 2 – serve 75% kitten meals and 25% grownup cat meals.
- Days 3 & 4 – serve 50% kitten meals and 50% grownup cat meals.
- Days 5 & 6 – serve 25% kitten meals and 75% grownup cat meals.
- Days 7 onwards – give 100% grownup cat meals.
When calculating the proportion of meals to make use of, be sure to are utilizing the correct quantity for every totally different meals. There shall be labels suggesting a day by day ration in keeping with your cat’s present weight and situation. For instance, in case your 12-month-old kitten was consuming 70g of dry kibble day by day, and their new grownup meals recommends 60g day by day, their schedule would seem like this:
- Days 1 & 2 – 52.5g of kitten meals, plus 15g of grownup meals.
- Days 3 & 4 – 35g of kitten meals, plus 30g of grownup meals.
- Days 5 & 6 – 17.5g of kitten meals, plus 45g of grownup meals.
- Days 7 onwards – 60g of grownup meals.
This schedule ensures that your cat’s day by day dietary necessities are being met whereas transitioning to their new meals. These quantities might be break up into appropriate parts in case your cat is fed greater than as soon as day by day.
Additionally Learn: Why Does My Cat Steal My Different Cat’s Meals?
Conclusion
As a result of kittens require a number of nutrient-dense meals to assist their speedy progress and growth, it’s vital to not transition them to grownup cat meals too rapidly.
Kittens could also be cute little fluff-bundles, however they’re additionally extremely lively, fast-growing, and are growing very important organs and techniques. Your kitten wants pet meals that’s tailor-made to their dietary wants, involving greater proportions of energy, protein, and micronutrients to assist their progress.
Grownup cats want meals that’s balanced for his or her wants: offering sufficient protein, vitality, and vitamins with out inflicting extreme weight acquire. Most kittens transition to grownup meals at round a 12 months previous, besides bigger breeds which keep on kitten meals till round 1.5 years of age. The transition ought to be finished over the course of every week or so, to forestall gastrointestinal upset.
Additionally Learn: The ten Greatest Wholesome Canned, Delicate & Moist Cat Meals For 2022
Steadily Requested Questions
Can a six-month-old cat eat common cat meals?
A six-month-old cat continues to be a kitten and is rising and growing quickly. A kitten at six months of age requires excessive ranges of vitality, proteins, and fat in addition to sure micronutrients corresponding to calcium. They need to nonetheless be on a kitten eating regimen till round a 12 months previous.
Is it okay for kittens to eat cat meals?
It is suggested to feed an entire kitten eating regimen till round a 12 months previous. Kittens and grownup cats have very totally different dietary wants. For example, kittens require greater vitality and protein ranges, in addition to fatty acids corresponding to DHA for imaginative and prescient and mind growth, and calcium for bones.
How do I transition my kitten to grownup meals?
When your kitten is round a 12 months previous (or a 12 months and a half if they’re a big breed), they will transition over to an grownup eating regimen. Transition slowly, by steadily lowering their proportion of kitten meals and growing the grownup meals over the course of a couple of week.
