Nutrition for Your New Pet Kitten

Start Your New Kitten Off Right

Noelle Giddings, DVM
Krista Schmitt

The day has come. You’ve been planning for weeks, if not months. You’ve scoured message boards, websites, talked to friends and family. You likely already had a list of endless questions for the breeder or rescue to make sure you had plans in place when bringing Fluffy home, including the most important time in a kitten’s day: dinnertime!

On the forefront, common sense prevails. The most important nutrient to have on hand is the simplest to maintain: Always provide access to fresh water. Some kittens lap from a shallow bowl, others are used to a circulating fountain, and some will join you at the sink and lap from the dripping faucet. Regardless of what you use, you need to ensure the water is changed daily, bowls cleaned regularly, and that multiple access points are provided. A fountain may be great – until there’s a power outage!

Kittens should be fed a balanced kitten diet until at least six months of age, which covers the fastest growth phase of development. After six months, an adult maintenance diet can be considered. It will still meet needs for remaining growth and help offset potential obesity issues that can afflict kittens if kept on a kitten diet longer than recommended.

Kittens are not furry little humans or small dogs, and therefore have very specific dietary requirements to maintain good health. Providing a commercially-produced kitten diet is the simplest and generally the best option. If properly researched and tested, these diets should meet the needs of your kitten and avoid nutrition-related diseases. Cost can be an issue, and if possible, premium brands with excellent ingredients and limited “fillers” are optimal.

Commercial kitten diets traditionally come in canned and dry varieties. Feeding dry is more economical, easier and neater, and can initially be left for free choice/feeding. But, you should use caution when leaving dry food down at all times, as obesity can develop. Fortunately, there are a number of electronic feeders on the market that can be programmed to dispense dry food in appropriate measurements to avoid over-feeding. Canned food is often preferred by the kitten, but can be more expensive, and since it is a water-heavy food, it is less calorie-dense and more must be consumed to obtain the same caloric value that dry food provides. Canned food should be presented in measured portions and any leftovers discarded to maintain freshness.

Canned food can also be messier, requiring some cleanup – including the kitten itself. Some kittens may tend towards diarrhea on canned food, depending on sensitivity to those formulations. One additional consideration: Although dry food doesn’t prevent dental disease, feeding canned food can be a contributing factor.

Freeze-dried and raw options have been heavily advertised and become very popular, but caution is recommended as the risk of food poisoning and parasites is possible. Currently, the avian flu is devasting the poultry industry and is also affecting the dairy industry. It has shown up in some raw diets, and cats are especially susceptible; some have become ill or died from eating such products. As a result, feeding raw (milk or meat) and freeze-dried products to cats and dogs is being discouraged by government agencies and veterinarians. Additionally, human health may be increasingly threatened if the virus mutates, which frequently happens as flu viruses progress.

It is always advised to consult with your veterinarian if you have questions about nutrition for your kitten or cat. They can provide sound recommendations as to food type and frequency in a budget-friendly manner.