Kitten Food for Kittens

Your kitten will probably have been already weaned when he or she first arrives at your house, and, hopefully, will be eating a high-quality food designed for kittens. If so, it will probably be best to continue him on the food he is accustomed to, to avoid the inevitable tummy upsets of a quick food change. If not - if your kitten has been eating a lesser-quality (grocery store) food, you'll need to convert him over to a more appropriate kitten food gradually. Start by adding a small amount of premium kitten food to his existing food, then gradually increase the amount each day. You will likely find that once your kitten tastes the higher quality food, he will nose through the kibble to find those morsels. At that point, you can make the switch complete.

We'll start with dry food first, simply because of its convenience, and because many cat "parents" continue to feed dry food. However, for a longer, fuller life, you should try to convert your kitten over to canned food as quickly as possible, with dry food given only as "snacks" or "treats."

Unlike adult cats, kittens will eat only as much food as they need for adequate nutrition, so free-feeding of dry kitten foods will work, if that is what you need for your own household.

What About Adult Cat Food?

Kittens are not just miniature cats. Kittens' growth and development need extra protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to get the right start in life. The extra protein is needed for growth and development of strong muscles and supporting tissue; fat is essential for fatty acids, as a carrier for fat-soluble vitamins, and for the additional calories for energy, according to this excellent article from PetEducation.com. Minerals, of course, are needed for the development of strong teeth and bones.

While adult cat food will not "hurt" your kitten in the short term, it is selling him short on the extra nutrients he needs for active growth, which takes place throughout the first year of his life. Save the adult cat food for your big guys, and give your kitten what he needs: kitten food, for his first year.

Your Kitten's First Year.

It is undeniable that a kitten's first year is vital to his ultimate physical development. Equally important is the human-feline bonding that will take place in the early weeks, which will set the pace, not only for your relationship with your cat, but also for his or her unique personality development. It has been mentioned before that kittens are not simply miniature cats. Their development into adult cats is a fascinating process, and each step of the way a kitten is in a unique place in life. The wise caregiver will recognize this fact and use it to understand what your kitten is experiencing, as well as what his actions are telling you.

In the wild, big cats often remain with the mother for the first full year, to learn the skills necessary for survival. With domesticated cats, this is rarely the case, but under ideal circumstances, a kitten should remain with his mother for at least 12 to 16 weeks. Although the mother will start weaning her kittens sometime between five and seven weeks, the additional time helps the kittens learn socialization skills. Let's explore the changes taking place in your kitten as he takes his journey to full growth.

The First Six Weeks

The all-important first six weeks in a cat's life will accomplish much in determining his personality and character for the rest of his life. (Yes, cats have character. Ask anyone who is owned by one.) Healthwise, this period is also extremely important to the developing kitten, as very young kittens are susceptible to a number of threats, such as fleas and URIs.

Kittens will probably never grow again at the remarkable rate they accomplish during this period, and seeing the changes in their development from week to week is an incredible experience. Whether you personally have your kitten during this period or not, this article will help you understand exactly what takes place during the first six weeks.

Seven to Twelve Weeks

Kittens start developing their social skills during this time, by observing their mother, by play with other kittens and cats, or in a one-cat family, by playing and interacting with their humans. This period of time will be immensely enjoyable, both for you and for your kitten, as he practices running, jumping, stalking and pouncing. Kittens at this age love to play games of "hide and seek" with their humans, and open paper bags (handles removed) or cardboard boxes make great accessories for interactive play. Your kitten will continue to grow rapidly during this period, and his motor skills will continue to develop as he practices chasing and catching "prey." He will also start adopting "adult" sleeping habits instead of just flopping wherever he happens to be.

Health Reminder: Your kitten will need his first set of shots by eight weeks, and the second set three or four weeks later. If an initial veterinary exam was not done at the time of his adoption (highly recommended), he should also be tested for worms. Topical flea treatment can be started safely at eight weeks.

Three to Six Months

Somewhere around four months, your kitten may start losing his baby teeth, as the adult teeth develop. His gums may be painful, and this would be an excellent time to start a program of dental care, by gently massaging his gums with gauze. Plastic drinking straws are also a proven aid to teething, and make for great interactive play with your kitten.

Kittens will start establishing their place in the "social ranking order" of your house during this time. It is not unusual to see a kitten "challenge" the alpha cat, which usually will earn the hapless youngster a cuff on the ears. Other cats, depending on their own social position and personalities, may defer to the kitten. Your kitten is still growing during this time, and it is not unusual to see a previously plump fluffball of a kitten suddenly grow long and lanky - then taller - and finally flesh out again. Kittens should continue to eat kitten food during this phase of growth - they need the additional nutrients for strong bones, health teeth and supple muscles.

Health Reminder:Your kitten can, and should, be spayed or neutered between three and six months. Cats' sexual maturity can vary, and both female and male kittens as young as four or five months have been known to become sexually active. Although some veterinarians still suggest waiting until six months, advocates of early spay and neuter are proving the benefits of that practice.

Six to Twelve Months

My, how time flies! Your kitten is starting to show the physical and social traits of a fully grown cat. No wonder - by the age of 12 months, he will have attained the physical growth of a 15 year old human teenager, and he will undoubtedly start showing some of the same personality attributes of that age. Don't allow yourself to brood over hurt feelings if your kitten doesn't seem as responsive to you. Like a human teenager, he is testing the waters of adulthood to see what it feels like. He is also playing a "dominance" game with you, just as he might with another cat or kitten. Be patient with him and give him all the affection and love he will take, but do it on his terms. I guarantee that he will come around when he is ready to stop playing "big guy."

Your feline youngster will continue to grow and develop for another year, and some breeds (Maine Coons are a notable one) are not fully developed for four years.

Whatever the ultimate size of your cat, don't lose site of the fact that his overall health and well-being are of prime importance.

Caring for a Kitten from Birth to the first six weeks

Most Important Weeks in a Cat's Life

The all-important first six weeks in a cat's life will do much in determining his personality and character for the rest of his life. Healthwise, this period is also extremely important to the developing kitten, as very young kittens are susceptible to a number of threats, such as fleas and URIs. Kittens will probably never grow again at the remarkable rate they accomplish during this period, and seeing the changes in their development from week to week is an incredible experience. We'll start off by recapping the first week, and move on from there.

Week 1: Tiny Food Processing Factories

The newborn kitten weighs just ounces, and easily fits into the palm of your hand. Her umbilical cord will fall off within two or three days, but her eyes and ear canals will not be open yet.

Kittens are very helpless at this age, but the mother cat instinctively knows their needs. She feeds them, keeps them close by for warmth, bathes them with her rough tongue, which also stimulates their digestion and helps them urinate and defecate. Mother cats are very protective of their little ones, and will move them to another location if humans intrude too much into the nest.

Provided the mother has been vaccinated, or has natural immunity, the kittens will receive this same immunity for the first 24-48 hours through her colustrum, and it will last until they are old enough to get their "kitten shots."

Newborns will weigh an average of 3.5 ounces at birth and may double their weight by the end of the first week. They are simply little food processing factories at this point, and their only activities are nursing, sleeping, and passing waste. There is very little social interaction at this age, other than competing for their favorite nipple, where they will suckle while kneading with their tiny paws.

Week 2: Growing and Developing

• Your kitten is continuing his growth at an astonishing rate, by at least 10 grams per day. The mother cat should be fed a quality kitten food to help replenish the nutrients she will lose through nursing.
• His eyes will start to open and will be completely open at 9 to 14 days old. All kittens' eyes are blue, and will remain so for several weeks. Their vision will be blurred at first, and their pupils don't dilate and contract readily, so they should be kept from bright lights.
• The kitten's sense of smell is developing, and he will seek out his favorite teat by scent. He will even hiss at unfamiliar odors, as the photo depicts.
• He will become more aware of his littermates as his senses develop.

Week 3: Awareness is Developing

• Ear canals will be completely open, and his sense of hearing is still developing, however the kitten may startle at loud sounds. The ears may be fully erect by this age.
• Their eye color may start to change, from the blue shared by all kittens, to the adult hue.
• Kittens' sense of smell will be well developed.
• Kittens can voluntarily eliminate now, as their digestive system is developing. The mother cat will continue to clean them, until they learn grooming skills.
• Don't be surprised to hear a kitten start to purr at this young age.
• Baby teeth will start to come in now, and the mother cat will start thinking about weaning.

Week 4: Standing and Wobbling

Kittens will start to stand sometime between the third and fourth weeks, and will try to walk, although their first movements will be very wobbly. Their bodies are out of proportion to their eventual adult state. Little tails are very short and "stick-like" and their heads are disproportionately large for their bodies and legs. This will all change, though, as they get their "sea legs" and start moving around.

Don't be surprised to see kittens escaping from their nesting area, as they seek to expand their horizons. They will also interact more with their littermates, even to the point of forming "alliances" which may or may not be gender-based.

Kittens will continue to nurse regularly. It is important to continue feeding the mother a good quality kitten food, as long as she is nursing kittens.

Week 5: Starting the Weaning Process

Kittens will be walking around freely at this time and starting to play with their siblings. They will be developing a new sense of independence, although they may not stray far from their mother or their littermates.

This will be a very good time for their beginning to socialize with humans

• Kittens may be introduced to canned food at this time. Select a quality brand of kitten food with a named meat source as the first ingredient (chicken is good). Ideally, they should be given the same kitten food given the mother cat, as the kittens will quickly accommodate to eating mom's food. Use a shallow plate and expect their first experiences to be messy.

  Although the mother cat will try to wean the kittens, they still need the nursing experience to satisfy their suckling needs, at least until they are eight or ten weeks old, by which time the mother cat will have gradually weaned them.

• Kittens can also learn litter box basics now. They need a smaller, separate box, one that will be easy to access and exit, with only an inch or two of litter. A shallow plastic storage box or lid to a shoe box might work for starters. As human babies experiment by tasting everything, so will kittens. Avoid their ingestion of harmful substances by using a natural litter such as one made from corn cobs, paper, or wood chips - NEVER clumping clay.

Week 6: Socialization in Full Swing

Socialization skills continue, and there is no doubt that these are lively, active, kittens who will grow up all too soon to be adult cats. They can run, pounce, and leap, and can entertain themselves and their human observers endlessly. Just as quickly they can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, (growing up is hard work), so take care not to let them tire.

Kittens will follow their mother cat's lead in socializing with humans. If she has a comfortable relationship with the humans in her life, so will her kittens. However, if kittens are not accustomed to human handling by six weeks, it will be a long, slow, process to train them later, and such a cat may never be a "lap cat."

Socializing Tip:

Kittens should learn at this age that hands are not for playing - hands are for holding, petting, and feeding. One of the best "toys" for teaching this lesson is a plastic drinking straw. You can drag it across the floor and watch the kitten chase it, then wiggle it a bit and allow him to pounce on it and "capture" it. The baby may proudly strut with his prize before settling down to bite on it. The plastic is nice and crunchy, and makes a good aid for teething.

Time to Go Home

Well-socialized and completely weaned kittens may be ready for their new forever homes in just a couple of weeks from now. If you've been waiting for your kittens to be old enough to adopt, you'll probably be pretty excited by this time.

New to Cats - Getting Your First Cat.

Getting your first cat or kitten can be a huge step for a "Cat Newbie." These helpful articles and resources will help you in making that all-important decision of committing to a lifetime relationship. Whether you've just adopted your first cat, or are just thinking about getting one, this is the place to start.

Getting a cat for the first time involves a lot more than just picking one out. Cats are not necessarily the self-sufficient creatures some people think, and you need to be take several things into consideration before making the monumental move of sharing your home with a cat.