Kittens start life with a tiny stomach, about the size of a human thumbnail. However, their bodies develop at such a rapid rate that they require different amounts of nutrition during specific growth phases. In this article, Whiskas answers some common questions kitten owners have around how often they should feed their kittens and how much wet or dry food to give them. Show Can you overfeed a kitten? From a kitten’s first few weeks of life up until they reach four months, their metabolism is at its all-time high as they are constantly growing and using larger amounts of nutrients. It’s almost impossible to overfeed your kitten during this time. However, keep in mind that feeding kittens should be done frequently but in small amounts throughout the day, in order not to overload their tiny stomachs. How often should I feed my kitten?
Can kittens eat dry food only? Considering kittens’ baby teeth are small and tender, it can be difficult for your young kitten to eat dry food only. Kittens have two sets of teeth: baby teeth and adult teeth. Their baby teeth start showing at two weeks old and fully come in at eight weeks old. At four months old, kittens’ adult teeth start coming in and should be fully grown in by around six months old. While dry food has advantages such as being more convenient to serve, not spoiling as fast as wet food and helping to remove plaque on adult teeth, it also has disadvantages. For example, cats often become dehydrated because they do not think about drinking as often as they should. All cats have different food preferences including texture and favourite flavours, so if your kitten prefers dry food then you can feed them a dry food diet, as long as you make sure they are getting the right amount of nutrition their body needs. For two months and upwards, Whiskas recommends that kittens get two-thirds of their daily calories from kitten wet food and one-third from kitten dry food. However, if you prefer to feed your kitten dry food only, always provide fresh drinking water for your kitten. To make dry food easier and more appealing to eat, mix it with a little fresh water and warm it up slightly to make it mushier and bring out the aromas. It’s also good to mix in a little fresh water if your kitten is not drinking enough from their water bowl. For further advice on achieving the best kitten food diet, contact a vet. Can kittens eat cat food? Before your kitten reaches adult age, you should not feed them cat food, as the nutritional balance won’t be right. However, at one year old, your feline friend no longer needs kitten food. You should wean them onto adult cat food to ensure they get nutritionally balanced meals every day. Learn more about when kittens can eat cat food at WHISKAS® Kat Institute of Technology. How much canned food should a kitten eat a day?For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as they'll eat in three or four daily feedings until they're 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks.
How much canned wet food should I give my kitten?Many wet foods come in three-ounce cans and recommend feeding approximately one can a day for every three to three and a half pounds of body weight. However, brands vary.
How many 3 oz cans should a kitten eat a day?If giving wet food, you can give 2/3 of a 3-ounce can for every pound of bodyweight on a daily basis. Give ½ of a 3-ounce can of kitten food for every pound of body weight per day. The best person to help you determine the right amount of food to give to your kitten is your vet.
How much wet food should a 10 week old kitten eat?The general guide you can follow based on age is as follows: For kittens 5-19 weeks of age, feed 1/2 cup per kg (1 oz per lb) of body weight. For kittens 20-51 weeks of age, feed 1/4 cup per kg (1/2 oz per lb) of body weight. For kittens 52 weeks and older, feed the adult amount.
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