Feeding a kitten involves more than just filling clean bowls with fresh food and water. A kitten needs proper nutrition to grow into a strong, active and healthy adult cat. Here’s what you need to know about a kitten’s nutritional needs to get your feline friend off on the right paw.
Key Stages of Kitten Growth
Generally, cats under 1 year old are considered kittens. They grow rapidly and reach adulthood at 10 to 12 months of age. Cat breeds are more homogeneous in size and shape than dogs. Although kitten growth rates vary by breed, the differences are not as dramatic as seen with dogs of different sizes.
The feline growth phase is also not as rapid as the growth phase of dogs. But that said, kittens enter a rapid growth phase after weaning (around 8 weeks of age) in which nutrient and energy requirements exceed those of any other life stage except lactation. A kitten’s energy needs are highest around 10 weeks of age and gradually decrease, although a kitten’s energy needs remain relatively high until 6 months of age.
Around 6 months, a kitten’s growth rate begins to slow. Your kitten will likely reach 80% of her adult height by 8 months of age. Cats reach skeletal maturity between 9 and 12 months, with the exception of Maine Coon cats. Maine Coon cats generally grow at a slower rate and can take up to 2 years (maybe more!) to fully develop.
Adult body weight is often reached when cats are between 9 and 10 months old, with large breed cats taking longer to reach full size. Additional weight gain after 12 months may occur and generally represents muscle development and maturation.
How are the nutritional needs of a kitten different?
Because kittens grow during their first year, their nutritional needs will be different from those of adult cats. According to Jennifer Larsen, DVM, PhD, a board-certified veterinary nutritionist at the University of California, Davis, kittens’ needs for fat, some fatty acids, and most vitamins are the same as those of adult cats. . But kittens have higher needs for protein, calcium, phosphorus, omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and vitamin A.
Cat owners know the importance of protein, especially meat protein, for cats. While the protein requirements of an adult cat are already relatively high, the protein requirements of a growing kitten are even higher. Equally important, at least 19% of the food should come from animal protein sources to meet a growing kitten’s need for sulfur amino acids (i.e. taurine, cysteine and methionine).
Meeting the energy needs of kittens during the early growth phase can be difficult. Like all pets, kittens need to eat an adequate amount of nutrients every day. But their small stomach capacity limits the amount of food they can eat at one meal. To meet the needs of growing kittens, their food should be rich in nutrients and offered in three or four small meals. But as kittens grow and approach adult size, you can reduce the number of meals provided throughout the day.
Choosing your kitten’s food
To give your feline friend a good start, your kitten’s diet should be tailored to the specific needs of its life stage. Kittens can eat a food designed specifically for them or a food formulated for all life stages.
If you are feeding kittens a specific formula, such as Diamond Naturals Kitten Chicken & Rice Formula, the food should be given until your cat is 1 year old. Your kitten may start to look like an adult cat around 10 months of age, but she continues to grow and needs the nutrition provided by kitten formula.
Diamond Naturals Active Cat Chicken Meal & Rice Formula can also be given to growing kittens, in addition to adult cats, as it is formulated for all life stages.
Both Diamond Naturals cat foods provide all the nutrients kittens need for regular and proper growth while reducing the risk of obesity. Both formulas are fortified with added DHA which is vital for the normal development of vision and the nervous system, taurine for heart and retinal (vision) health, and cat-specific probiotics for digestive support and immune.
Nutrition for the first nine to twelve months of your kitten’s life is essential for her growth and development. Choosing the right food helps your kitten grow into a healthy cat. If you have questions about what, when, and how much to feed your kitten, be sure to speak with your veterinarian.
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