Feeding a kitten

Cat nutrition should change as an animal gets older. When very young, a cat will need very different foods and nutritional needs change again as any animal approaches old age. Hill's Pet makes several different cat foods for animals with different ages and health needs.

Kittens also need to eat more frequently than adult cats, just like newborn babies need to be fed several times every night. Very small kittens will need to be fed four times a day, at regular intervals. This may seem like a lot, but it's better to feed too frequently than not frequently enough. As the animal gets older the number of meals per day can be slowly reduced, until it settles down into a normal adult routine at the age of about 1 year.

A kitten may start to eat solid food at about 4 weeks, but they might not be fully weaned off their mother's milk until about 8 weeks. They grow very quickly and need plenty of calories to support healthy weight gain. A little extra fat is no bad thing for a very young cat- in almost all cases a chubby kitten will turn into a perfectly sleek, slim, and healthy adult cat. They also need a higher percentage of protein in their diet, and certain amino acids.

Young animals also need the right blend of minerals for growth of bones, teeth, claws, and fur. Calcium is an important element of cat nutrition at any stage but it is particularly important for kittens. If a young cat (or a child) doesn't get enough calcium they may have weaker bones than they otherwise would, and this can cause serious problems later in life.

A cat's body isn't fully mature until it is at least 12 months old. They may achieve their full height earlier than this, but it takes time for bones and muscles to catch up and for the cat to fill out. A kitten food is the best option until this time in its life.

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